The Green Party has unveiled a new election policy promising students $380 a week while completing compulsory practical placements, in a move aimed at easing financial hardship and tackling workforce shortages across Aotearoa’s health, education and social services sectors.
The proposal would provide a universal weekly payment to eligible students undertaking mandatory placements as part of their qualifications, including those training to become nurses, teachers, midwives, social workers and other essential professionals.
Students required to relocate for their placements would also be eligible for a one-off payment of $1,500 to help cover additional costs.
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson says students should not be forced into financial hardship while training for professions that Aotearoa desperately needs.
The announcement comes amid growing concerns about nursing shortages, difficulties accessing clinical placements and financial pressures facing students who must complete hundreds of hours of unpaid practical training before qualifying.
$380 a Week on Top of Existing Student Support
Under the Greens’ proposal, eligible students would receive $380 per week for the duration of their compulsory placements.
Importantly, the payment would be available in addition to existing Student Allowance or Student Loan living-cost support, rather than replacing those entitlements.
The scheme would be administered through StudyLink and cover students across a broad range of qualifications, including:
- Nursing, midwifery, medicine and paramedicine.
- Teaching, social work and counselling.
- Clinical psychology, psychotherapy and addiction services.
- Physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech-language therapy.
- Pharmacy, dentistry, medical imaging and laboratory sciences.
- Other specified allied health and veterinary qualifications.
The Greens argue that unpaid placements create a financial barrier for students who must reduce or give up paid employment to complete their training.
For some students, the combination of rent, transport, childcare, food and other living costs can make completing a qualification financially unsustainable.
Relocation Support for Regional Students
The policy also includes a $1,500 relocation payment for eligible students who must move to another location to complete their compulsory placement.
This could be particularly significant for students living in rural and regional communities, where practical training opportunities may be limited.
Students required to undertake placements away from home can face additional accommodation, travel and living expenses, sometimes while continuing to meet financial commitments in their home communities.
For Māori students, particularly those with whānau responsibilities or living outside major urban centres, the cost of relocation can create an additional barrier to completing professional qualifications.
The Greens say the relocation payment is intended to make training opportunities more accessible regardless of where students live.
Unpaid Placements Under Scrutiny
Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick says the current system places unreasonable financial pressure on students who are required to undertake substantial hours of practical work without payment.
The party argues that professions experiencing workforce shortages should not be placing additional financial barriers in front of the people training to enter them.
Nursing students, for example, must complete extensive supervised clinical placements as part of their qualifications.
Student teachers and social workers also undertake compulsory practical training, often requiring them to balance full-time placement commitments with study, employment and family responsibilities.
The Greens say providing financial support during placements would improve student retention, reduce financial stress and widen access to essential professions.
Policy Costed at More Than $300 Million Over Four Years
The Green Party estimates the scheme would cost approximately $311 million over four financial years.
Its indicative annual costings are:
| Financial year | Estimated cost |
|---|---|
| 2027/28 | $74.67 million |
| 2028/29 | $77.51 million |
| 2029/30 | $78.78 million |
| 2030/31 | $80.43 million |
| Total | $311.39 million |
The figures are indicative and would depend on implementation and student eligibility. <Cite refs={[“turn954938search0″,”turn954938search6″,”turn954938search7”]}/>
Māori Workforce Development in Focus
The proposal could have implications for Māori workforce development, particularly in nursing, teaching, social work, mental health and addiction services.
Financial barriers to professional training can be especially challenging for students supporting whānau, those studying later in life and those required to travel away from their communities.
Greater financial support during placements could make it easier for some Māori students to complete qualifications and return to work in their communities.
However, the policy would not directly resolve shortages of clinical placements, graduate employment opportunities or pay disparities affecting Māori and community health providers.
Those challenges would still require coordinated workforce planning and investment.
Election 2026: A Debate About Valuing Essential Workers
With the general election scheduled for November 7, the Greens are positioning paid placements as part of their wider approach to workforce development and economic policy.
The proposal raises questions about how Aotearoa funds professional education, whether compulsory placements should attract financial support and how best to address workforce shortages.
For students currently completing unpaid placements, the policy could provide additional financial assistance during some of the most demanding stages of their training.
For healthcare and education providers, the longer-term question is whether measures such as paid placements would improve completion rates and help increase the number of qualified professionals entering the workforce.
The Greens argue that supporting students through compulsory placements is an investment in the country’s future workforce, while the wider election debate will determine how such a commitment would be funded and implemented.
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