Social Workers Registration Act 2003

Registration, authorisation to practise within scope of practice, and practising certificates - Applications

8D: Board may require applicant to take and pass examination or assessment

You could also call this:

"The Board might ask you to take a test to check if you're ready to be a social worker."

Illustration for Social Workers Registration Act 2003

When you apply to be a social worker, the Board might ask you to take a test or do an assessment. This is so the Board can see if you are good enough to do social work in New Zealand. They want to check if you can do the job safely and if you can speak and understand English well enough.

The Board might want to check if you can do all or just some of the social work jobs. They also want to make sure you can communicate with people in English to keep them safe. This test or assessment is part of the application process.

If the Board asks you to take a test or do an assessment, it does not mean they will say no to your application. It is just a way for them to get more information about you and your skills.

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This page was last updated on 7 August 2025

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS456473.

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8C: Assessment of social workers practising under supervision, or

"Checking on social workers who need extra guidance while working"

8E: Board must inform applicant that it proposes to depart from indicated scope of practice or to decline application, or

"The Board must tell you if they don't agree with your social worker application"

Part 2Registration, authorisation to practise within scope of practice, and practising certificates
Applications

8DBoard may require applicant to take and pass examination or assessment

For the purpose of considering an application under section 8, the Board may require the applicant to take and pass an examination or undergo and pass an assessment that is set or recognised by the Board, to enable the Board to assess either or both of the following:
whether the applicant is competent to practise, in New Zealand, all or some of the social work services described in the scope of practice of the profession in respect of which the applicant seeks to be, or agrees to be, registered:
whether the applicant’s ability to communicate in and comprehend English is sufficient to protect the safety of the public.

A requirement under subsection (1) is part of the process of considering the application and must not be taken as a proposal to decline the application.

Notes

Section 8D: inserted, on 27 February 2021, by section 15 of the Social Workers Registration Legislation Act 2019 (2019 No 3).