The Australian qualification registration pathway is for social workers who have a social work qualification accredited by the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW).
If you have a different overseas qualification, please follow the overseas qualification pathway.
There are fees associated with both of these pathways.
Registration requirements
Before your registration can be approved, the SWRB needs to be satisfied that:
- Your qualification is accredited by the AASW. Qualifications accredited by the AASW are assessed to be equivalent to an Aotearoa New Zealand social work qualification.
- You are competent to work as a social worker. A competence assessment is part of the registration process.
- You meet our ‘fit and proper’ requirements. This means there are no concerns about your conduct or behaviour that would affect your social work practice.
- You have enough practical experience practising as a social worker, e.g. at least 12 months of social work practice.
Registration process
You may find it helpful throughout this process to refer to our document checklist for the overseas registration pathway.
Documents checklist - Overseas Registration Pathway
- Create an account in MySWRB and select the option for the Australian qualification pathway.
- Follow the prompts and supply your required documents. This includes:
- a copy of your degree certificate(s)
- your curriculum vitae (CV) or resume. This should be comprehensive and include details of your postgraduate professional social work experience and any professional development undertaken
- copies of your ID documents
- references and other evidence of good conduct (for example, a Police certificate).
- Complete and return the Overseas Competence Assessment Template.
You will be expected to address competencies 3–10 of the SWRB Core Competence Standards in your registration application. You may find it helpful to refer to the competence assessment guidelines.
Overseas Competence Assessment Form (competencies 3-10)
- Pay the competence assessment fee and inform your registration officer that you have paid. This will ensure that your assessment can proceed.
If your registration application is successful, you will be expected to complete another competence assessment within 12 months of your first practising certificate being issued. This includes assessing competencies one and two which specifically relate to practice in the New Zealand context. See
Completion of registration application
After your competence assessment, we will contact you if any more information is needed to complete your application. Updated versions of documents may be requested. The Board will then consider all the components of your registration application. We will contact you with the Board’s decision.
Understanding our AI detection process
We use a software screening tool to detect for the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) for material submitted in relation to our regulatory work. For example, when we receive a competency assessment form (usually as part of an application for registration) we will run that section through this tool.
All applications should be written in the applicant’s own words. This screening ensures the application is authentic and verifies it is original content. The use of a Gen AI detection tool is an important step to protect public safety by ensuring we can make an accurate assessment of an applicant’s skill level and maintain the enduring competency of registered social workers in New Zealand.
When using this AI screening tool, no personal identifiers or confidential information will be entered into the detection software.
In the case of using the detection tool for screening competency assessments, applicants will be asked to resubmit their competency assessment if it has more than 10% of AI generated content.
After registration
Once you are registered with the SWRB, your details will appear on the Register of social workers and you may call yourself a social worker in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Initially, you will be provisionally registered while you build up your competence to practise social work with Māori and the diverse communities of Aotearoa. You will be expected to complete another competence assessment within 12 months of your first practising certificate being issued. If there is no action from you within two years your registration may be expired.
When you start working as a social worker, you will need a practising certificate. Practising certificates are issued annually and there is a fee to pay. Most employers will pay for your practising certificate for you.
