dan m -
The New Zealand Health and Safety in Employment (HSE) Act, Section 13, requires employers to ensure employees are adequately trained in the safe use of plant (machinery). If the employer is willing to accept the forklift training in Canada as adequate, there should be no problem. It is unlikely the student would be in violation of any current New Zealand health and safety law.
Somewhere in the near future, however, a certificate from a Competenz* registered instructor/examiner will be required for New Zealand forklift operators. Competenz is currently responsible for the certification and registration of forklift driver trainers, and maintaining a publicly available register of currently certified trainers.
If the student takes the training in New Zealand and receives a New Zealand forklift "certificate" from a New Zealand registered forklift trainer, he would have an operating certificate which would be valid for three years.
Google:
New Zealand Fact Sheet - Forklift operator and instructor training
10851 Operate a powered industrial lift truck (PILT) fitted with forks
10852 Operate a powered industrial lift truck (PILT) fitted with attachment
18496 Operate a powered industrial lift truck (PILT) on road
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