The Tertiary Education Commission sent a message to educational institutions in early October, requesting them to cap nursing enrolments at 2025 levels due to insufficient capacity for additional student nurses to finish clinical placements within Health NZ regions. Nursing enrolments reached 11,270 in 2025 following significant growth in recent years, according to Tertiary Education Minister Penny Simmonds.
The directive applies across all Health NZ districts. TEC delivery deputy chief executive Gillian Dudgeon said that growth in nursing enrolments over the last few years has put pressure on clinical placement capacity. Dudgeon stated that the commission asked providers to manage enrolments within 2025 numbers to ensure quality clinical placements that are safe and give learners the best chance of completing their qualifications.
Nurse Educators Criticize Enrolment Restrictions
During a visit to the Manawatū campus, Massey University associate professor Andrea Donaldson highlighted the issue with Labour leader Chris Hipkins, asserting that the instruction to limit enrolments was illogical considering existing workforce challenges and an ageing demographic. Donaldson noted that earlier in the year, the Tertiary Education Commission urged universities to grow their programmes before suddenly telling them to cap numbers at 2025 levels.
Her colleague, senior lecturer Maree Sheard, said the demand for nurses will only increase and argued that fiscal decisions are failing to think long-term about a sustainable nursing pipeline for 2030, 2040, and 2050. Sheard added that student nurses could complete clinical placements outside Health NZ hospitals—such as with Plunket or within primary healthcare—disputing the argument that hospital placement bottlenecks should restrict overall student numbers.
Workforce Reform Conflicts and Minister Response
The enrolment cap follows the August establishment of a new Auckland workforce hub backed by $5.5 million from Health New Zealand to coordinate GP and nurse training across four national hubs, creating a direct contradiction with efforts to expand training opportunities. Tertiary Education Minister Penny Simmonds defended the limit, noting that it is not new for all providers, with some having been asked to manage the availability of clinical placements for a second consecutive year.
Gillian Dudgeon stated that the Tertiary Education Commission is working with Health NZ on opportunities to increase capacity where possible, and noted that tertiary education providers may increase enrolments if they can demonstrate available clinical capacity in their district.
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