The following questions are often asked by students when they start to think about applying for registration towards the end of their studies.

When should I start my application?

We recommend that you start your application in the final three months of your course. To become registered, you only need your degree to have been officially awarded (legally conferred), you don’t need to have graduated. Your registration will not be finalised until after your degree has been awarded to you, but starting early speeds up the process when that happens.

HOW MUCH do I need to pay? 

From 1 July 2024, the registration fee for New Zealand Qualified Applicants is $423. This is the fee to become provisionally registered. When you start working as a social worker, you will also need to apply and pay for a Practising Certificate for the year. Some employers pay for their social workers Practising Certificates, so please check with them before applying. Details of fees are on our website fees and funding page. 

WHEN do I need to pay? 

For your application to be processed, you must pay a minimum of $200 towards the registration fee. The outstanding balance must be paid before your registration application will be reviewed at a Board Meeting. This means you will not become registered until after your registration fee has been paid.  

What documents do I need to supply? 

We have the key documents you will need to upload listed on our registration website. If you have questions about the documents needed, please contact our registration team at applications@swrb.govt.nz. 

What is a ten year timeline (10YTL)? 

A 10 Year Timeline is a summary list of your key activity for the past ten years covering any work, study, extended leave or travel you may have undertaken. You could provide this in a table with a row for each year, or as a bullet point list in a Word document or similar. 

What do you need in a selfie photo? 

For your selfie photo or confirmation of ID in your application, supply a photo of you holding one of your primary or secondary forms of photo ID next to your face. 

What ID can I use in my application? 

We recommend providing your passport and NZ driver licence as forms of ID. However, a full list of acceptable ID combinations (two are required) can be found outlined on the registration page. 

When do I have to pay for my Practising Certificate? 

You do not need to pay for your Practising Certificate until after you have been registered and start practising social work. Many employers will pay for your Practising Certificate fee, so please check with them when you start work. You can see our fees, including our part year Practising Certificate on the fees and funding page. 

Who should/can provide a professional reference?  

If you finished your studies in the last 12 months, your professional reference should be supplied by your Final Placement Supervisor or Field Supervisor. If you finished your studies over 12 months ago, your professional reference should be from your most recent manager. If your most recent manager has known you for less than 12 months, we will discuss with you if another option for your reference may be needed.  

Why do I need an additional professional reference? 

We may ask for an additional professional reference for a number of reasons, but usually this depends on the length of time the person supplying your first professional reference (for example less than 12 months), and if they fulfil our requirements for supplying a professional reference. 

Can my employer pay the registration fee?

 Yes, we encourage employers to support their Social Workers with professional costs. If your employer has agreed to pay your registration costs and is an Authorised Employer with us, they will be invoiced when you submit your application, provided you are already connected to their accounts billing. Check your employer is listed correctly on your MySWRB portal before you submit. If they aren’t showing, or you are being prompted to pay, this means you aren’t connected to their billing, and you will need to speak to your employer to have them connect you. You will not be able to connect yourself.

If your employer has agreed to pay your fee, but they have not set up an Authorised Employer agreement with SWRB, then you will need to come up with another arrangement for reimbursement. For instance, you could pay your registration fee and then give your employer the receipt to reimburse you.
We do not invoice employers unless they have signed an authorised employer agreement with us.  

Can I get an invoice for my registration fee? 

No, we do not issue invoices for individuals. Payments for registration fees are made through the MySWRB portal.
A GST receipt for the registration fee (once it is paid) can be downloaded for your records, or to seek reimbursement.  

What does ‘provisional’ registration mean?  

‘Provisional’ registration is the registration status for newly qualified social workers who have applied via the NZ qualification pathway. To progress to full registration, you will need to complete 2000 hours of supervised social work practice over your first two years of practice. It takes approximately one year of full-time work to achieve the required number of hours.   

What does ‘full’ registration mean?  

Full registration demonstrates to the public and employers that you have completed 2000 hours of social work experience. To go from provisional to full registration, you must present evidence of your practice hours to the Board. Please complete the confirmation of hours document.  

What should I look for when applying for my first job?

As a new graduate considering your first job, this blog post is a valuable read
Beyond ‘any job will do’: your new-grad social work survival kit