Nursing Jobs in Australia

British trained, qualified and experienced nurses are in huge demand across Australia – which is probably why there are so many specialist recruitment agencies seeking registered nurses to place at hospitals and clinics across the nation.

If you’re a fully trained nurse in any discipline, and you’re interested in moving to live in Australia, or if you want to further your skills and are thinking of participating in a supervised, workplace-based training program in Australia, this article will tell you everything you need to know about finding the most appropriate nursing jobs in Australia.

Visa options for nurses are almost as diverse as the employment options available, this guide will cover both and give you the contact details for further sources of information that may be of use to you.  Finally, we will also furnish you with the contact details of recruitment agencies that can potentially assist you with finding the perfect nursing job.

If you visit the Australian Government’s Department of Immigration and Citizenship website you will see straight away that there is specialist information posted on there for doctors and nurses – so in demand are both professionals in Australia, particularly in regional areas.  The current situation is that those seeking nursing jobs are likely to be able to find either full or part time work.

Despite the fact you’re a qualified and registered medical professional, if you do begin applying for relocation to Australia on the basis of your skills you will need to have those skills and your overall proficiency tested by either the Australian Nursing & Midwifery Council (ANMC) or the specific nurse regulatory body in the part of Australia in which you want to work.  As part of the Migration Skills Assessment for your visa to move to Australia, the ANMC in Canberra will look at all of your relevant certified documents.  Note that they will keep these documents for at least two years so you will need additional certified copies for when applying for jobs.  After assessing your documents you will receive a ‘letter of determination’ which will state you are either suitable or not suitable for migration to Australia on the basis of your skills.  Assuming you get a ‘suitable’ response to your application you will use this to form the centre of your visa application.

The main visa options you have as a nurse applying for relocation to Australia are as follows: -

• Temporary Business (Long Stay) - Standard Business Sponsorship (Subclass 457).  This can allow nurses to work for an approved sponsoring business for up to four years, with family members allowed to accompany the sponsored person and work or study in Australia.
• Employer Nomination Scheme – If you’re under the age of 45 and want a permanent move to Australia, this visa category may suit you.  If you have qualifications and also experience working as a registered nurse and you find a job offer from an employer who will sponsor you, this could be the right visa to apply for.
• Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme.  If you’re qualified at least up to the equivalent of the Australian diploma level qualification and you can find an employer who will sponsor you to work in regional Australia, this can be an excellent visa category to apply under.
• General Skilled Migration.  If you’re happy to find work once you’re settled living in Australia then perhaps this visa would be better for you.  It is certainly more open as you’re going on the basis of being an independent worker.
• Working Holidays.  For those aged between 18 and 30 who want to live in Australia for up to a year and work in Australia for up to 6 months, this category may be ideal.
• Occupational Trainee Visa – If you want to take part in a training programme of three months or more, this may be the way to apply for relocation Down Under.
• Business (Short Stay) – Visa (Subclass 456).  According to the Australian Government’s immigration site this is ideal for nurses looking to undertake an approved bridging or preregistration program for less than three months.  If you successfully complete the course you may then be able to apply for a Business Long Stay visa.
• Student Visa.  And finally, if you want to study on an approved and registered nursing course in Australia, this visa type could suit your needs.

In terms of employment options and conditions for those seeking nursing jobs in Australia, well there are jobs available in the public and private sector – with the majority of hospitals more modern and newer than their British equivalents.  Just as in the UK nurses of course work in shifts, but one small difference to the UK system is that the majority of all nursing work is done by registered nurses with very few auxiliaries or enrolled nurses covering tasks.  Another similarity with the British system is that nurses are graded according to skills and experience, and of course pay grades relate to skills levels.

Whether you’re seeking nursing work with the elderly, within the mental health profession, you’re a theatre nurse, in general practice, you work in intensive care, paediatrics, orthopaedics or even the cardiac unit, chances are you are in demand Down Under.  The following is a non-exclusive list of agencies and bodies which may be able to assist you in finding a work placement in Australia – whether you’re looking to be sponsored for visa purposes, or you’re already living in Australia as a skilled migrant and you now want to find a job: -

http://www.healthstaffrecruitment.com.au/
http://www.nursingjobs.com.au/
http://www.nursefindersuk.com/australia/nursing-jobs.cfm
http://www.workingin-australia.com/areas/99
http://www.whe.co.uk/
http://www.stjudes.com.au/
http://www.genevahealth.com.au/

If you are fed up with the NHS or just disillusioned by the UK, if you want to get out of rip off Britain or escape the recession, and if you’re a registered and qualified nurse, Australia may very well be the answer to all your prayers!  Not only does the country want and need you, employers in Australia will do what they can to make your relocation as smooth as possible!  What’s more, the climate in Australia is better than in Britain, the cost of living is lower, the average house price is less and the standard of living is very high indeed!  All extremely good reasons to look more closely at finding nursing jobs in Australia and emigrating!