Immigrate and Work in Australia as a Nurse, Nurses Migration to Australia

Video description. 

Registration with Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia 

Australian Nursing Registration for Immigrant Nurses

To start your career in Australia’s medical, healthcare, or nursing fields, you must be registered with the Australia Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). Because there is just one National Register, you can start your practice in any Australian state once registered. The registration process is independent of the visa application process and can be completed before or after your visa is accepted. This will be determined by your individual circumstances as well as the sort of visa you are seeking for.

Registered nurses must undergo Orientation classes, and some may be required to pass examinations based on their certification level. In general, holders of a Bachelor of Nursing degree will not be required to take tests.

What are the Australian Visas for Immigrant Nurses?

With jobs in the Australian health care industry expected to grow by 25% over the next five years, many globally certified health practitioners are considering immigrating to Australia as nurses or midwives. As a result, nursing and midwifery jobs are featured on the Australian Skilled Occupation List, the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), and the Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL).

Whether you intend to stay in Australia permanently or only for a few years, you will require a Visa with work privileges. Based on your unique circumstances, you may have the following visa options:

• Employer-Sponsored Visa
• Australian Skilled Migrant Visa
• Working Holiday Visa 
• Other visas with work rights

Who are Registered Nurses?

Is a nurse who has obtained an undergraduate nursing degree acknowledged in Australia?

Registered nurses are among the positions on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL). As such, it is a highly sought-after career in Australia since it increases your chances of becoming a Sponsor.

What Do Registered Nurses Do?

They have the power to develop and change a patient’s health care plan. Compared to an enrolled nurse, a registered nurse has more significant opportunities.

Tasks:

• Nursing care for patients is assessed, planned, implemented, and evaluated in accordance with approved nursing practice and standards.
• Working with other Health Professionals and members of health teams to coordinate patient care.
• Supplying interventions, treatments, and remedies such as drugs, as well as monitoring treatment and care plan responses.
• Engaging in health education and other health-promoting activities promotes health and aids in preventing illness.
• Answering inquiries and giving treatment and care data to patients and their families
• Enrolled nurses and other health care personnel supervise and coordinate their work.

How to Become a Registered Nurse?

A Bachelor’s degree in Nursing from Australia or overseas is required. Only after completing studies in Australia is the foreign qualification recognized.

In this case, you’ll have to enroll in a Bridging Course/IRON Course, a 3- to 6-month study program that costs from AUD8,000 to AUD14,000.

This program provides complete recognition of international university qualifications and is a necessary step toward practicing as a registered nurse in Australia.

To start your work as a registered nurse and join the employment market, you must first register with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). By producing all relevant documentation, you must be recognized as eligible by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).

Let us organize our thoughts and go through the processes that will lead you to become a nurse in Australia:

• Provide identification, a criminal record, and a certificate of pending charges.
• English requirements: IELTS Academic with a minimum score of 6.5/7 (this score differs based on the chosen school and the course)
• AHPRA issued a Letter of Determination (based on the chosen school and course)
• Certificate awarded after the Bridging Course.
• Practical nursing experience for a specified period
• Registration with the NMBA) Australian Nursing and Midwifery Board(
• The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency requires registration (AHPRA)
• Working in a hospital or healthcare facility and getting a Sponsor Visa or filing for a Skilled Visa

You must show proof when seeking registration as a registered nurse or midwife. In addition, you must demonstrate that you have graduated and completed at least five (5) years of full-time education taught and assessed only in the English language. 

Your education must have taken place in a recognized nation and included tertiary credentials in the relevant professional subject you are replying to establish your suitability for registration under National Law. The Board will only accept five (5) years of full-time education that is a mix of:

1. Secondary and tertiary education conducted and evaluated in English; or
2. Vocational and vocational education conducted and evaluated in English; or
3. Postsecondary, secondary, and vocational education all delivered and scored in English; or
4. Tertiary education must be taught and graded in English, and the most recent study phase must have been finished no more than five years before applying for registration.

Who are Enrolled Nurses?

Enrolled nurses are professionals who have at least a diploma certificate. While playing an important function, an enrolled nurse has less power in a hospital than a Registered Nurse. They will work together as parts of a team rather than as a supervisor. Enrolled Nurses are frequently the initial point of contact for a patient; hence their position in the healthcare system is critical.

What Do Enrolled Nurses Do?

An enrolled nurse works very closely under the guidance of a registered nurse and is not permitted to operate independently of the Registered Nurse’s care plan.

Tasks:

• Evaluating, arranging, and delivering nursing care to patients in accordance with approved nursing practice and standards
• Providing treatments and therapies such as medication administration, as well as tracking reactions to medicines and care plans
• Helping registered nurses and perhaps other team members in the coordination and evaluation of care.
• Promoting and aiding in health education activities for disease prevention
• Newborn infant bathing, feeding, changing, and settling.
• Giving newborn infant parents guidance and training on infant care
• Giving parents of newborn newborns emotional support

How to Become an Enrolled Nurse?

You must have completed a Nursing Diploma. In addition, you must complete a two-year VET program. These courses are accessible to anybody above 18 and with an upper secondary school diploma.

If you are requesting registration as an enrolled nurse, you must present proof that you have graduated and completed at least five (5) years of full-time education. In addition, your education must have been given and evaluated entirely in English in a recognized nation, including vocational credentials in the relevant professional field you depend on, to establish your suitability for registration under National Law. The Board will only accept five (5) years (full-time equivalent) of continuous education that is a mix of:

1. secondary and vocational education given and evaluated in English; or
2. vocational and tertiary education given and evaluated in English; or
3. Postsecondary, secondary, and vocational education, all taught and judged in English; or
4. Tertiary education must be taught and graded in English, and the most recent study phase must have been finished no more than five years before applying for registration.

Hard Skills for Nurses in Australia

• Work Permit
• IELTS Academic with a score of 7
• Qualification recognition
• 3 years of previous international job experience
• AHPRA registration is required
• Requested medical examinations, such as a chest x-ray and blood testing

Soft Skills for Nurses in Australia

• Excellent communication abilities
• Capability to take the initiative in an emergency
• Capability to take on responsibility and lead at work
• Ability to connect with patients
• Empathy
• Willingness to work both alone and in groups

How to Immigrate to Australia as a Nurse?

Many nurses go to Australia not just to perfect their abilities in a new setting but also to experience the thrills of living in a foreign nation. This page will provide an up-to-date description of the requirements and processes you must complete to work as a nurse in Australia.

Step 1. Check if You Have the Qualifications and Experience to Meet the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia’s Requirements

To be eligible to work as a nurse and be considered for migration to Australia based on your profession, you must first fulfill the registration criteria of the NMBA or Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia and the AHPRA or Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency. When evaluating your registration application, five factors are used:

Factor 1. Identify proof 

You must present a variety of ‘proof of identification documents, including:

• Your passport’s biostatistical page(s)
• Documents for a name change
• A passport-size photo taken within the past six months

Factor 2. English language competency 

Tests of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) iBT, Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic or IELTS are required.

It is not necessary to pass all of these examinations. The findings are only valid for two years following the examination.

IELTS. Applicants must get a minimum score of 7 and a minimum score of 7 in each of the four components (listening, reading, writing, and speaking).

ANMAC will only accept test scores from one test session OR a maximum of two test sessions in six months, provided the candidate meets the following criteria:

1. An aggregate score of at least 7 in each sitting; and
2. No component of the exam has a score lower than 6.5.

OET. Applicant nurses must receive a B or above in each of the four test components: listening, reading, writing, and speaking. ANMAC will only approve test results from a single test sitting OR a maximum of two test sittings during six months if the applicant:

1. Is examined in each session in all four components; and
2. No part of the test yields a score lower than a C

PTE. Applicants must get a minimum total score of 65 and a minimum score of 65 in each of the four communication abilities (listening, reading, writing, and speaking). ANMAC will only approve test scores from one test sitting OR a maximum of two test sittings in 6 months if the candidate achieves the following:

1. An overall score of at least 65 in each sitting; and
2. No one of the four communication skills has a score lower than 58.

TOEFL iBT. Applicants must get a minimum overall score of 94 and the following minimum scores in each exam area: 24 listening, 24 reading, 27 writing, and 23 speaking. ANMAC will only accept test results from one test sitting, or a maximum of two test sittings in six months, if the applicant meets the following criteria:

1. An overall score of 94 or above in each sitting; and
2. No sector score is less than 20 – 20 listening, 19 reading, 24 writing, 20 speaking

Factor 3. Satisfy Australian nursing and midwifery education standards

You may be qualified to apply for registration as a first-level nurse in Australia if you have a bachelor’s degree (at level 7) or a diploma (at level 5) from one of the following countries:

• Canada
• Hong Kong
• Republic of Ireland
• United Kingdom
• New Zealand
• United States of America

The NMBA discovered that nursing credentials from the following countries might fulfill Australia’s quality assurance and accreditation requirements:

• Belgium Flanders
• Chile
• Pakistan
• Papua New Guinea
• Singapore

Suppose you just own a diploma from one of the aforementioned countries. In that case, you will be required to have your further education or experience evaluated to see if you are considered equal to an Australian-qualified nurse.

Individual assessments will be required for nurses from nations not listed above to determine if the Board will recognize their credentials and experience. In addition, all applicants are required to provide a graduation certificate as well as essential transcripts.

Factor 4. Professional practice

Before submitting your application, you must offer proof of five years of experience as a nurse or midwife. You will be needed to provide professional references that match the following requirements:

• Be printed on official letterhead
• Be written by a nurse or midwife as a direct supervisor
• Date someone
• Include an official signature

Factor 5. Show that you are fit to practice in Australia

A nurse or midwife in Australia must prove that they have no previous disciplinary proceedings against them, that they do not have any limitations due to physical or mental incapacity, and that they have no criminal history preventing them from practicing.

Step 2. Submit Your Application for Registration with AHPRA

If you think you will fit the criteria in step one, apply for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. 

Step 3. Get an Australian Visa

Once you have been registered with AHPRA as a nurse, you will require a VISA to live and work in Australia. There are several visa options available. If you can acquire employer sponsorship, one of the visa kinds below will be appropriate:

• Temporary Skill Shortage Visa
• Employer Nomination Scheme (Permanent Visa)
• Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (Permanent Visa)

If you do not have an employer’s sponsorship, you can apply for a visa under the Department of Immigration and Citizenship’s General Skilled Migration (GSM) rules. Here are more GSM visa options:

If you plan to move to Australia for a working holiday and are between 18 and 30, you can apply for an Australian Working Holiday Visa.