New Zealand and Australia have agreed to recognise each other's professional flight crew and aircraft maintenance engineer licences. The agreement is part of the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Act 1997 (TTMRA), which also applies to most other professional qualifications.
New Zealand and Australia recognise each other's professional flight crew licences. This is part of the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Act 1997 (TTMRA).
In New Zealand, that means holders of a current Australian commercial pilot licence or airline transport pilot licence can be issued with an equivalent New Zealand licence.
Holders of current Australian command instrument ratings or command type endorsements (called type ratings in New Zealand) may also have the equivalent New Zealand ratings issued during registration
Australian Professional Pilots wanting to have their CASA Licence Recognised by CAA [PDF 245 KB]
Form CAA 24061/09 – TTMRA Licence Registration Issue [PDF 2 MB]
Your application, which requires a one-off payment, is made on form 24066/08 [PDF 263 KB] which requires a copy of your Australian AMEL. Also see Fees, levies, and charges.
We will verify the validity of your CASA AMEL, and you’ll be given a CAA NZ participant number.
You’ll be issued with a TTMRA lifetime ‘letter of recognition’ and be granted the same ratings and privileges as you hold on your Australian licence.
We don't require you to prove your recency, currency, or familiarity requirements of Parts 43 and 66. It's your responsibility to meet those before exercising the privileges of the letter of recognition.
You may perform maintenance, supervise it, and certify release-to-service using your Australian AMEL. But you must certify in accordance with NZ Part 43, using your CAA NZ AMEL number. All privileges of the two licences are the same – with one exception, as noted below.
The letter of recognition states the Australian CAR Part 21.191 (9) regarding weight and balance calculations does not apply when exercising the NZ licence privileges.
The Act doesn't allow the holder of a New Zealand AMEL to use it as if it was an Australian AME licence.
Before an Australian licence can be issued, NZ AME licence holders need to meet all the requirements for registration under terms of the TTMRA, including passing the Australian Airworthiness Administration exam. Note that you need to sit the exam in Australia. You cannot sit it in New Zealand.
Also, because of differences between the New Zealand and Australian AME licence rating privileges, certain NZ AME licence ratings, when translated onto an Australian licence, will be limited and not the same as the rating normally issued.
With the introduction of Part 66 licensing in Australia, applicants under TTMRA can continue to apply, using existing procedures. But you will be issued a CASA Part 66 licence.
Go to CASA's website - Obtaining a Part 66 licence via overseas AME licences or Australian defence force qualifications(external link)
If you have any questions about this topic, use our contact form, or email licensing@caa.govt.nz.
