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Social Workers Registration Act 2003

Register and Registrar - Register of Social Workers

133: Removal of qualifications, or cancellation of registration, overseas

You could also call this:

"What happens if an overseas social work qualification is cancelled or removed"

Illustration for Social Workers Registration Act 2003

If you are a social worker registered in New Zealand because of an overseas qualification, the Board may review your registration. This can happen if the overseas school that gave you the qualification cancels or suspends it, or if an overseas authority removes your name from their register of social workers. The Board must tell you in writing about the review and give you a chance to respond.

You have the right to be heard on the matter, either by yourself or with a representative. You can also bring one person of your choice with you when you are heard. The Board may let you bring more people if they want to.

After the review, the Board can decide to suspend or cancel your registration. They must tell you about their decision and make sure it is noted in the Register of Social Workers. You will get a copy of the Board's decision.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM190631.

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Part 7Register and Registrar
Register of Social Workers

133Removal of qualifications, or cancellation of registration, overseas

  1. The Board may review the registration of a social worker who is registered by virtue of being entitled to registration under section 7, if satisfied that—

  2. the educational establishment that gave the social worker the overseas qualification equivalent to a prescribed New Zealand qualification has cancelled or suspended it (or taken action equivalent to cancelling or suspending it); or
    1. an overseas authority that maintains a register of people registered or licensed as social workers (or as practitioners of a profession equivalent to that of a social worker) has—
      1. removed the social worker’s name from that register; or
        1. suspended the social worker’s registration; or
          1. taken action equivalent to removing the social worker’s name from that register or suspending the social worker’s registration.

          2. The Board must take all reasonably practicable steps to ensure that the social worker is given—

          3. written notice containing enough details to inform the social worker clearly of the substance of the grounds on which the Board has decided to carry out the review; and
            1. any written information and a written summary of any other information in the Board's possession relating to the cancellation, suspension, or removal concerned; and
              1. a reasonable opportunity to make written submissions and be heard on the matter, either personally or by a representative.

                1. A person exercising the person’s right to be heard personally is entitled to be accompanied by 1 person of the person’s choice who agrees to attend.

                2. The Board may permit a person exercising the person’s right to be heard personally to be accompanied by any number of people of the person’s choice who agree to attend, in addition to the person by whom the person is entitled to be accompanied by subsection (3).

                3. Except as provided in subsections (2) to (4), the form of the review is at the Board's discretion.

                4. After the review, the Board, if it thinks it appropriate to do so,—

                5. may direct the Registrar to note in the Register the cancellation, suspension, or removal concerned; and
                  1. may either—
                    1. suspend the social worker’s registration for any period it thinks fit, and direct the Registrar to note the suspension in the Register; or
                      1. direct the Registrar to cancel the entry in the Register relating to the social worker.

                      2. The Registrar must take all reasonably practicable steps to ensure that the social worker is given a copy of any direction under subsection (6).

                      Notes
                      • Section 133(1): amended, on , by section 144(1) of the Social Workers Registration Legislation Act 2019 (2019 No 3).
                      • Section 133(1)(a): amended, on , by section 22 of the Social Workers Registration Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 17).
                      • Section 133(1)(a): amended, on , by section 23 of the Social Workers Registration Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 17).
                      • Section 133(1)(b)(i): amended, on , by section 23 of the Social Workers Registration Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 17).
                      • Section 133(1)(b)(ii): amended, on , by section 23 of the Social Workers Registration Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 17).
                      • Section 133(1)(b)(iii): amended, on , by section 23 of the Social Workers Registration Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 17).
                      • Section 133(2): amended, on , by section 144(1) of the Social Workers Registration Legislation Act 2019 (2019 No 3).
                      • Section 133(2)(a): amended, on , by section 23 of the Social Workers Registration Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 17).
                      • Section 133(2)(b): amended, on , by section 131 of the Social Workers Registration Legislation Act 2019 (2019 No 3).
                      • Section 133(3): amended, on , by section 23 of the Social Workers Registration Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 17).
                      • Section 133(4): amended, on , by section 23 of the Social Workers Registration Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 17).
                      • Section 133(6)(b)(i): amended, on , by section 144(1) of the Social Workers Registration Legislation Act 2019 (2019 No 3).
                      • Section 133(6)(b)(ii): amended, on , by section 144(1) of the Social Workers Registration Legislation Act 2019 (2019 No 3).
                      • Section 133(7): amended, on , by section 144(1) of the Social Workers Registration Legislation Act 2019 (2019 No 3).