New Zealand runs a tax-funded public health system. If you are eligible, public hospital treatment, emergency care and specialist care are essentially free, but a visit to a family doctor (GP) usually costs tens of dollars and prescription medicines cost up to NZ$5 per item. This is very different from China, where people go straight to a hospital and register with a specialist: in New Zealand almost every non-emergency starts with a GP, who decides whether to refer you on.
For Chinese newcomers the key question is whether you qualify for publicly funded care. New Zealand citizens, most resident visa holders living in New Zealand, and work visa holders who can legally stay for two years or more are usually eligible; most international students and visitors are not and need their own insurance. However, anyone, tourists included, who is injured in an accident in New Zealand is covered by the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC). Below we go through eligibility, how to see a doctor, costs, private care and Chinese-language help, as of October 2026.
How the New Zealand health system works
Public health care is run nationally by Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora, which operates the public hospitals and community services in each region. The system has two layers. Primary care centres on GP practices: most are privately owned but government-subsidised, and patients are enrolled through Primary Health Organisations (PHOs). Secondary care means public hospitals and specialist clinics, which you reach through a GP referral (except emergencies).
Public specialist treatment is free for eligible people but can involve a waiting list. To have non-urgent surgery sooner, many people go private, paying themselves or through private health insurance. New Zealand also has a unique no-fault accident scheme, ACC: whoever caused the accident, ACC pays most of the cost of emergency care, surgery, physiotherapy and medicines after an injury, for all residents and visitors.
Unlike China, there is no medical insurance card to swipe. Eligibility is based on your citizenship or visa, and you show your passport and visa evidence when you first register with a practice.
Who is eligible for publicly funded care
According to Health New Zealand and Immigration New Zealand, the main rules are as follows (as of October 2026; Health NZ makes the final decision in individual cases):
| Status | Publicly funded care | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| NZ citizens, resident visa holders living in NZ | Usually eligible | Proof such as your e-Visa needed |
| Work visa holders | Eligible if allowed to be in NZ for two years or more | Lawful time in NZ immediately before the work visa also counts |
| Children under 18 of eligible people | Eligible | In the care and control of an eligible parent or legal guardian |
| International students | Mostly not eligible | Few exceptions (NZ Aid Programme, Commonwealth Scholarship); fee-paying student visa applicants must show health insurance |
| Visitors, short-term visas | Not eligible | Emergency care given but charged; accidents covered by ACC |
| Pregnant partner of an eligible person | Eligible for maternity services | Maternity-related care |
Work visa holders whose visa runs for less than two years (for example some shorter employer-sponsored visas) are usually not eligible and may pay the full cost of specialist and hospital care. Check your visa length before you arrive and buy insurance that covers medical treatment if needed.
If you are still preparing in China, see our guide to medical checks for emigration; for general information on the country, see our New Zealand country guide.
Seeing a doctor: from GP enrolment to specialist referral
- Enrol with a GP practiceEnrolment is free, but not every practice takes new patients, so you may need to contact several; enrolment can take up to about 3 months, so do it before you get sick
- Show proof of eligibilityPassport, visa or e-Visa; only eligible people can formally enrol
- Book an appointmentA standard visit is about 15 minutes at the practice’s fee; if you can’t get an appointment, call Healthline for advice
- Take the prescription to a pharmacyAny pharmacy can dispense it; up to NZ$5 per item
- Referral if neededYour GP refers you to a public hospital (free, may involve waiting) or a private specialist
International students cannot enrol but can be seen as casual patients, at higher fees. Universities usually have a student health centre, which is a good first stop. Once enrolled you can change practice at any time, and the new practice will transfer your records.
What it costs
Each practice sets its own GP fees within limits agreed with Health NZ and the PHOs, so fees vary widely. Adults with a Community Services Card (available to people on lower incomes) usually pay no more than NZ$19.50 per standard visit at participating practices, and most practices see children under 14 free. The chart below uses the published fee list of one practice in east Auckland as an example:
At about RMB 3.75 per New Zealand dollar (Wise mid-market rate, 14 October 2026), an enrolled adult’s NZ$67 visit is about RMB 251 and a casual patient’s NZ$92 about RMB 345. For comparison, China’s National Health Commission 2025 statistical bulletin puts the average outpatient visit cost at RMB 357.7 (Xinhua, 28 August 2026). The difference: in China that amount often includes tests and medicines, while a New Zealand GP fee covers only the consultation, and medicines are extra.
As of October 2026, funded prescription medicines cost up to NZ$5 per item; children under 14, Community Services Card holders and their dependants, and people aged 65 and over pay nothing. Once a family has collected 20 prescription items in a year, it can apply for a Prescription Subsidy Card and pay no more charges until 1 February the following year. Since 1 February 2026, long-term medicines can be prescribed for up to 12 months, still dispensed 90 days at a time; according to RNZ, a 12-month prescription carries a single NZ$5 charge at the first collection.
Eligible people receive public hospital emergency care, inpatient care and public specialist care free of charge; people who are not eligible still receive emergency treatment but are charged for it.
Accidents: ACC covers everyone
ACC is New Zealand’s no-fault accident injury scheme and covers all residents and visitors. After a car crash, sports injury or fall, most of the cost of emergency care, surgery, physiotherapy and medicines is paid by ACC, provided ACC accepts your claim, which your doctor or treatment provider usually lodges for you. At most practices, injury visits are also subsidised by ACC.
ACC covers accidental injury only, not illness. A visitor or student who falls ill still pays for emergency and hospital care, and ACC generally does not pay costs such as getting you home, so travel insurance that includes medical cover is still recommended.
Private hospitals and private health insurance
New Zealand’s private hospitals mainly provide elective surgery and specialist care, helping patients avoid public waiting lists. The largest private network, Southern Cross Healthcare, lists around 18 hospitals and 5 specialist centres on its website, and there are other independent private hospitals in the main cities. Private treatment is paid for by the patient or by private health insurance.
Private health insurance is voluntary. Typical policies cover private surgery, specialist consultations and tests, and higher-tier plans may include GP visits. Note that insurers usually exclude pre-existing conditions, and some policies require you to prove you are eligible for publicly funded care. Work visa holders and students who are not eligible for public care especially need a policy that covers hospital and emergency treatment. See our New Zealand insurance guide for policy types and what to look for.
Pros
- Hospital, specialist and emergency care essentially free if eligible
- Medicines up to NZ$5 per item, free after 20 items a year
- ACC covers accidental injury for everyone
- Healthline gives free 24/7 advice with interpreters
Challenges
- You must see a GP first; no walk-in specialists
- GP fees vary by practice, and some practices are not taking new patients
- Waiting lists for public specialists and non-urgent surgery
- Most international students and short-term work visa holders are not covered
Chinese-speaking doctors, interpreters and pharmacies
Cities with large Chinese communities, especially Auckland, have many GPs who speak Mandarin or Cantonese. A reliable way to find them is Healthpoint, the public health services directory: practice and doctor profiles usually include a “Languages Spoken” field you can check. If you can’t find a Chinese-speaking doctor, enrolled patients can use free interpreting services, and when you call Healthline you can ask for an interpreter and name the language (Mandarin or Cantonese).
Pharmacies are found in every town. They dispense prescriptions and sell over-the-counter medicines, and pharmacists can advise on medicines. Bringing medicines from China must comply with New Zealand customs and medicines rules, so if you take long-term medication, ask your doctor in China for an English medical summary and prescription letter before you leave.
In an emergency, call 111 (police, fire, ambulance). For mental health support, call or text 1737 free, any time, to talk to a counsellor. For non-urgent health questions, call Healthline on 0800 611 116. To compare with other countries, see our UK healthcare guide and Canada healthcare guide.
FAQ
Am I eligible for free public health care on a work visa of two years or more?
Usually yes. Work visa holders allowed to be in New Zealand for two years or more (lawful time in NZ immediately before the visa also counts) are treated as eligible, can enrol with a GP and receive free public hospital and specialist care, though GP consultation fees still apply.
What should Chinese international students do when they get sick?
Most students are not eligible for publicly funded care, and fee-paying students must show health insurance when applying for a student visa. Use your campus health centre or see a GP as a casual patient; injuries are covered by ACC.
What if my visiting parents fall ill?
Visitor visa holders are generally not eligible for publicly funded care and will be charged for emergency treatment; only accidental injuries are covered by ACC. Your parents should buy travel insurance with medical cover before they travel.
Can I go straight to a hospital specialist?
No. Apart from emergencies, public specialist care requires a GP referral, and private specialists usually expect a GP referral letter too.
Sources
- Immigration New Zealand – Who can get public health care (accessed October 2026)
- Health New Zealand (Capital Coast) – Are you eligible for healthcare funding (accessed October 2026)
- govt.nz – Get publicly funded health services (accessed October 2026)
- Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora – Visiting a doctor (accessed October 2026)
- Health New Zealand – Signing up with a healthcare provider (accessed October 2026)
- Health New Zealand – Prescription co-payments (accessed October 2026)
- Pharmac – 12-month prescriptions (accessed October 2026)
- RNZ – Government u-turns on prescription co-payment fees (9 Jan 2026) (accessed October 2026)
- Health New Zealand – Accident cover (ACC) (accessed October 2026)
- Health New Zealand – Healthline (accessed October 2026)
- UNHCR Help New Zealand – Emergency services (accessed October 2026)
- Howick Health – Fees (example GP practice) (accessed October 2026)
- Southern Cross Healthcare – Our network (accessed October 2026)
- Wise – NZD to CNY historical rates (accessed October 2026)
- 新华网 – 2025年我国卫生健康事业发展统计公报新闻解读稿 (accessed October 2026)
