Andrew Little: Health Minister on claims new residency visa has resulted in nine applications in first month - The Mike Hosking Breakfast

The Health Minister insists immigration rules aren't the reason nurses aren't coming here.

Employment Ministry figures show only nine nurses on residency visas have arrived in the country since the criteria for the visas was expanded at the start of last month.

Nurses were controversially excluded from the system at first, which meant they could only apply for residency after two years.

Andrew Little told Mike Hosking people he's spoken to overseas say immigration rules aren't the issue.

He says it's more important they can get here and registration is as easy as possible.

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