How to Apply as a Nurse in Australia

Are you a Registered Nurse? Do you want to live and work as a nurse in Australia? A lot of nurses from all over the world want to work in Australia because the pay is good and besides Australia is a beautiful country to live in and raise a family.

To be able to legally work as a nurse in Australia, the very first thing you need to do is get yourself registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), the nursing regulatory board of Australia.

Once you are registered with the AHPRA, you are now qualified to file an application to work as a nurse in Australia. There are several ways you can apply. Here are your options. Just choose the one that is best suited to your current qualifications and circumstances.

You can choose among these visa options to work as a nurse in Australia

Temporary Work (Skilled) Visa (Subclass 457)

This option is for registered nurses who have been sponsored by a healthcare or business institution to work in Australia. You are allowed to bring family members with you who are also allowed to study and work in Australia.

Employer Nomination Scheme

This option is for nurses who live outside Australia, who are not yet 50 years old, who possess the skills and qualifications, and for those who have previously worked as a registered nurse. Those who have these qualities may be qualified for a permanent visa to work and live in Australia.

What does this visa allow you to do?

The Visitor Visa (Subclass 600) allows you to travel to Australia for holiday or for business and allows you to stay in the country for a period of 3, 6 or 12 months.

This type of visa allows you to work as a nurse as long as you are in the country for a holiday, for business, to visit a family member or you are travelling to Australia from the People's Republic of China using an accredited travel agent.

The Skilled Migration Scheme is intended for skilled workers applying as independent immigrants who do not have sponsoring employers. This category also applies to those sponsored by a relative living in Australia and those who have been nominated by an Australian territory or state.

To qualify for a Skilled Migration Visa, an applicant nurse should pass a certain examination and meet the minimum visa requirements.

This will allow you and your dependent family members to work in remote regions and areas where there is low population growth. With this visa, you will be able to live and work in Australia permanently and study in an Australian school or university.

This visa, however has been closed since July 1, 2012.

This type of visa is for nurses who want to undertake a work-related training program in Australia that last three months or more.

This visa will allow you to work as a nurse for a year with one employer for a maximum of six months as long as your work is only secondary to your holidays. If you are between the age of 18 and 30 you may be allowed to visit Australia to work while on holiday on a temporary basis.

To be able to obtain a student visa, your nursing course must be registered with the CRICOS or Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students.

More information on how to obtain a student visa can be found here: Student Visa Options