Medical Imaging & Laboratory Scientist Immigration Guide

X-ray, CT, MRI, ultrasound, nuclear medicine, radiation therapy: in New Zealand these fall under Medical Radiation Technologists (MRT), while hospital blood, pathology and microbiology testing belongs to Medical Laboratory Scientists (MLS). Both occupation groups sit on Green List Tier 1, and on Health NZ’s official pay scales the entry step already clears the median-wage line. This guide covers both registration boards: MRTB and the Medical Sciences Council.

Green List position

Under INZ Appendix 13 effective 9 March 2026:

Imaging (requirement: registration with the Medical Radiation Technologists Board, MRTB)

ANZSCO	Occupation	Tier
251211	Medical Imaging Technologist	Tier 1
251211	Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologist	Tier 1
251212	Medical Radiation Therapist	Tier 1
251213	Nuclear Medicine Technologist	Tier 1
251214	Sonographer	Tier 1

Laboratory (requirement: registration with the Medical Sciences Council)

ANZSCO	Occupation	Tier
234611	Medical Laboratory Scientist	Tier 1
311213	Medical Laboratory Technician	Tier 1

Registration plus a job offer from an accredited employer means Straight to Residence: you can secure residence offshore before arriving.

Pathway 1: MRTB registration (imaging)

MRTB assesses overseas applicants individually (the internationally qualified pathway), weighing training length, qualification level and overseas experience:

• Australia: Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition (TTMRA) or the international pathway; AHPRA-accredited qualifications support the application;
• Canada: current CAMRT registration supports the application; UK/Ireland: HCPC registration supports the application;
• All other countries: qualifications, registration and experience assessed case by case; a Board exam or additional supervised practice may be required;
• After registration you must hold a current Annual Practising Certificate (APC) to practise legally;
• Use the registration eligibility check on the MRTB website before applying.

MRTB-accredited NZ qualifications (for the study pathway): Bachelor of Medical Imaging (Honours) at Auckland; imaging degrees at Ara, UCOL and Unitec; Bachelor of Radiation Therapy at Otago; University of Auckland PGDip Health Sciences for MRI, ultrasound and nuclear medicine.

Pathway 2: Medical Sciences Council registration (laboratory)

Medical Laboratory Scientists go through the Council’s full qualification assessment:

• Processing can take up to 12 weeks. Prepare in one go: degree certificate, transcripts, CV, clinical logbook, employer references covering the last 5 years, certificates of good standing from all registration bodies, two character references (one personal, one professional: referees are contacted directly by the Council), a Fit2Work police check and English evidence;
• After registration, apply for an APC: you must already hold residence or show evidence of your move to New Zealand;
• You then enter a 3–24 month supervised period (provisional registration); a satisfactory final supervision report converts it to full registration.

Pay vs the median-wage line

Per Health NZ’s official careers pages (2026):

• Medical Imaging Technologists: base scale steps 1–7 of $77,000–$108,000; recognition steps (8–10) up to $116,000; senior and leadership roles on a separate 19-step scale of $111,000–$151,000.
• MRI & Nuclear Medicine Technologists (APEX collective): $110,851–$141,403 across 10 steps.
• Laboratory workers: covered by the medical laboratory workers collective: a new 15-month agreement with a 2% increase was settled in November 2025.

Against the $35.00/hour median wage ($72,800 a year at 40 hours): MIT Step 1 ($77,000) already clears the line, and MRI/nuclear medicine sits far above it across the board. Tier 1 itself has no wage threshold, but clearing the line removes any income-side weakness for SMC or family planning later.

4 common mistakes

1. Confusing radiologists with imaging technologists. A radiologist is a doctor (MCNZ pathway: see the doctor guide); an MRT operates the equipment and registers with MRTB. Different qualifications, board and pay entirely.
2. Thinking imaging is a single “X-ray” code. The Green List carries five Tier 1 codes, with Sonographer as a standalone, chronically short-staffed role: sonographers are even excluded from the allied health pay equity settlement (a different valuation path applies), which gives the market more room to price the role.
3. Underestimating assessment time. The laboratory assessment can take 12 weeks; add the APC and supervision period and the full cycle runs to a year or more. Start registration about a year before lodging an EOI or job hunting.
4. Assuming registration equals the right to practise. Both directions require registration plus an APC; laboratory adds a supervised period. Align your job-offer timing with the APC timeline.

Related tools

• Green List checker: look up imaging or laboratory roles for tier and registration text
• Take-home pay calculator: what $77,000 or $110,851 means after tax
• SMC 6-point calculator: the fallback pathway beyond the Green List