Starwood Pet Travel Reports 800% Growth in Pet Relocations Linked to Healthcare Workers Moving to New Zealand
CAPE CORAL, Fla., Nov. 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Starwood Pet Travel, a global leader in international pet relocation, has reported an 800% increase in relocations since 2019, driven in part by a surge of doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals moving to New Zealand with their pets.
According to the Medical Council of New Zealand, internationally trained doctors currently make up more than 43% of New Zealand's medical workforce, and over 70% of all new doctor registrations in the year ending June 2024 were overseas-trained.
For nursing, the Nursing Council of New Zealand reports that 9,381 new nurses registered in the 12 months ending September 2025, with roughly 72% trained internationally.
Overall, workforce data shows that around 43–47% of practicing nurses in New Zealand hold overseas qualifications, depending on the reporting period.
New Zealand has actively expanded medical staffing through its Accredited Employer Work Visa and Green List pathways. In the first year after its borders reopened, more than 6,300 overseas health workers entered the workforce, including approximately 2,500 nurses.
Starwood Pet Customer Perspective: A Relocating U.S. Healthcare Professional
Ezekiel Watts, a U.S. healthcare professional relocating to New Zealand with his family and pets, shared: "Most healthcare workers are on Tier 1 of the Green List, which makes the visa process faster and provides a clear path to residency and dual citizenship within five years." Ezekiel added, "The process of shipping pets to NZ is incredibly complicated and full of potential pitfalls. Starwood has helped make the process clear and held our hands throughout. They have kept us on track and made sure we have everything done on time to get our fur babies safely to the other side of the world."
Starwood Pet Executive Perspective
Adam Melton, VP of Strategic Initiatives at Starwood Pet Travel, emphasized the company's role in supporting relocating medical professionals, "Relocating to another country is a life-changing decision, and for most of our customers, their pets are family. We work with many doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals who are already carrying the stress of immigration, licensing, and starting a new job in a new country. Our role is to make sure they never have to second-guess whether their pets will be cared for along the way."
Starwood Pet Relocation Trends
From 2019 to 2025, Starwood reports an 800% increase in total relocations to New Zealand, with 2025 alone seeing bookings triple over 2024. The company attributes the acceleration in part to New Zealand's medical-talent recruitment strategy and the rise in pet-inclusive migration among healthcare workers.
Tips for Medical Professionals Planning a Move with Pets
From firsthand customer insight:
- Engage an immigration agency early
- Expect lengthy processing times and begin planning ahead
- Budget appropriately — full relocation with pets can reach $30K–$45K USD, with pet relocation costs starting at around $5,295
- Stay resilient — "the process is a marathon and not a sprint"
About Starwood Pet Travel
Starwood Pet Travel specializes in international pet relocation, handling the logistics, compliance, and safe transport of pets worldwide. The company provides end-to-end support for families, professionals, military members, and corporate transferees relocating with animals.
Media Contact:
Georgiana Strait
Marketing Manager
Starwood Pet Travel
[email protected]
573-337-8415
SOURCE Starwood Pet Travel
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