How to Migrate to Australia as a Registered Nurse

How nurses can apply for Permanent Visa in Australia?

PR Points for Nursing in Australia 2021
Nurse Visa Australia

In this article, we will explain the topic of  Nurse Visa Australia and the PR Points for Nursing in Australia 2021. We will also look into the general process of how registered nurses can migrate to Australia, as well as how we can best assist you in managing the migration journey.

Australia welcomes qualified software nurses to migrate to Australia as it is deemed to be an occupation that Australia is in great demand of. The Registered Nurses occupations are currently on the Medium & Long Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) and Short Term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL) with access to the broad range of Australian immigration visa programs. Australia offers a range of temporary and permanent visa options for skilled nurses who have local or international qualifications, language skills and relevant work experience.

Registered Nurse also belongs to the Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List (PMSOL). This means Australia government considers Registered Nurse as a critical occupation in order to help Australia recover its economy from COVID-19. Therefore, the processing of the nomination and visa application for software engineer will be given the highest priority. In other words, if you are a Registered Nurse and looking for opportunities to migrate to Australia, right now is the perfect timing.

 

Australian Visa Application for Registered Nurses (Nurse Visa Australia)

The following are a range of visas that Registered Nurses may apply for immigration to Australia:

⇒ 189 Skilled Independent Visa The visa (subclass 189) is a permanent residence visa for points-tested skilled workers who want to work and live in Australia, and would like to apply for permanent residency independently. Due to the limited places allocated to this subclass by the government and also the competition of the applicants, it is nowadays requiring the applicants to have significantly high scores in the Points to be able to receive an invitation.

⇒ 190 Skilled Nominated Visa The visa (subclass 190) is a permanent residence visa for points-tested skilled workers who want to work and live in Australia. The applicant needs to be nominated by an Australian state or territory government agency. In Australia, nurses are in demand in Australia and there are no sign of slowing down, especial during and post the global pandemic of Covid-19. Skilled registered nurses may be able to apply to Australian state for a nomination if the occupation is on the state occupation list.

⇒ 491 Skilled Regional (Provisional) Visa The visa (subclass 491) is a provisional residence visa for points-tested skilled workers who want to work and live in Australia. The applicant needs to be nominated by an Australian state or territory government agency, or sponsored by an eligible relative. The holders of this visa can subsequently apply for subclass 191 Skilled Regional (Permanent) visa after required conditions have been met.

⇒ 482 Temporary Skill Shortage – Medium Term Stream TSS visa (482 visa) is a temporary visa allowing approved business sponsor to hire overseas workers, whose nominated occupation is on the approved occupation lists. For registered nurses occupations, the visa validity period can be up to 4 years. The visa can be renewed subject to the relevant criteria being satisfied. Sponsored nurses can may further apply for 186 Employer Nomination Scheme Visa (permanent residency) when the relevant criteria have been satisfied.

⇒ 186 Employer Nomination Scheme Visa The Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186) is for skilled workers who want to work in Australia and to apply for Permanent Residency through the employment opportunity. This visa involves a two-step process, firstly, nomination by an approved Australian employer and then an application under the nominated stream. It is part of the Permanent Employer Sponsored Visa program. Sponsored nurses may be able to apply for permanent residency through this option directly provided the employers are willing to support.

PR Points for Nursing in Australia 2021

For skilled migration, registered nurses must meet the minimum points requirement set by the Federal Government in legislative instrument Migration (LIN 19/210: Pool and Pass Marks for General Skilled Migration Visas) Instrument 2019 are as below:

The points include any point allocated through State Nomination and Family Sponsorship. However meeting the minimum points requirement may not be enough to apply for a skilled visa and an successful visa application also depends on the applicant satisfying a range of other criteria such as skills assessment, state nomination, character and medical examinations.

Skills assessment for Nursing Related Occupations 

The following are the list of nursing related occupations for Australian immigration purposes.

SKILLS ASSESSMENT To be able to apply for a permanent residency visa, you are required to have a skills assessment. For registered nurses, the skills assessing authority is the Australian Nursing & Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC), who can assess internationally qualified nurses or international students who has completed the study of nursing degree in Australia and are registered in Australia, and those with equivalent qualification and registration in New Zealand. There are 3 main eligibility pathways as below:

  • Full Skills Assessment –  If you do not hold registration in Australia, but have a minimum Bachelor of nursing qualification from Canada, Hong Kong, Ireland, the United Kingdom or the United States and hold registration as a registered nurse in that same country you qualify for a full skills assessment.
  • Modified Skills AssessmentIf you are currently registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA), the Nursing Council of New Zealand (NCNZ) or the Midwifery Council of New Zealand (MCNZ) you qualify for a modified skills assessment.
  • Modified PLUS Skills AssessmentIf you are not yet registered in Australia as a Registered Nurse but hold a current letter of ‘Notice of in principle approval of registration subject to proof of identity’ from the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), you will qualify for a Modified PLUS Skills Assessment.

Contact Ausdirect Migration today to discuss your eligibility for the Skills Assessment, as this is one of the most important steps of your immigration journey.

 

AUSTRALIAN REGISTRATION – Nursing and Midwifery Board (Ahpra)

To be able to work in Australia and also apply for Skills Assessment, you must have been registered as a Registered Nurse by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Board (NMBA) . NMBA sets policy and professional standards for the nurse occupation, and also makes decisions about nurses, midwives and students on matters of registration, endorsement, notation, and compliance. The registration standards include the following perspectives:

  • Criminal History
  • English language skills
  • Continuing professional development
  • Recency of Practice
  • Professional indemnity insurance arrangements

 

Prospects of Being a Registered Nurse in Australia

Registered Nurse is a relatively large and highly respected occupation. Registered nurses work across the whole Australia. They are mostly full-time workers and average working hour per week is 42 (average is 44 hours). According to a survey conducted by Glassdoor, the average salary for registered nurses per year is $75,000 in Australia. Entry level positions starts at a lower salary and will increase as one becomes more experienced, and senior registered nurses usually can earn more than $120,000 per year.

 

Useful Job Search Platforms in Australia

Are you looking for job opportunities in Australia as a software engineer? Here are some popular job search platforms that could potentially help you securing a job

 

Ausdirect Migration for Registered Nurses

Our team at Ausdirect Migration is extremely experienced in managing migration programs in relation to Registered Nurse related occupations. We have provided top quality migration services to many nursing professionals globally and our nurse clients work in many of the top private and public hospitals and agencies in various states across Australia. We look forward to hearing from you and the opportunity to work with you along your immigration journey to Australia. We are confident to say our team has the greatest and up-to-date understanding and experience in the nursing sector and the associated immigration programs in Australia.

Contact Ausdirect Migration today to tailor the best suitable option(s) for your migration, and we will assist you in navigating every step of the process during the journey.

FAQs - How do I migrate to Australia as a Nurse?

The following are the commonly asked questions for international nurses who wish to migrate to Australia.

Do I need to have a job or a job offer to apply for Permanent Residency in Australia?

Generally speaking you don’t need to have a job or a job offer to apply for Permanent Residency in Australia. However the policies may vary each year, and it may depend on whether you are in Australia or outside of Australia, and which state and territory in Australia you are going to seek the nomination from. The state nomination policies are changing every year to reflect the needs of the local economy development and workforce requirements. Please contact Ausdirect Migration to understand the latest policies and your eligibility to migrate to Australia as a registered nurse.

Do I have to be registered in Australia before working as a Nurse?

You must have completed your APHRA registration in order to work in Australia. The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (APHRA) works with the 15 National Boards to help protect the public by regulating Australia’s registered health practitioners. Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia as one of the National Boards is responsible for the registration for nurses.

Apart from the AHPRA registration, what else do I need to immigrate to Australia?

Having completed your registration as nurse with AHPRA is the step one of your immigration journey. On top of that, you will also have to obtain a successful Skills Assessment with AMNAC.  The Skills Assessment is a process where the appointed authorities assess if the applicant’s education background and working experience can meet the Australian immigration standard. This is a process that Ausdirect Migration can assist you with.

Will I have difficulties finding a job when I arrive in Australia as a Registered Nurse?

In Australia, Registered Nurse occupation is in very high demand. When you have secured your permanent residency, you may find it very easy to find work as a Nurse. There are plenty of job opportunities to work at hospitals and medical centres or work through nursing job agencies. Registered Nurse is a highly respected occupation in Australia.

Public Hospitals - Metropolitan Melbourne

Yarra Ranges Health- Lilydale, Williamstown Hospital-Williamstown, Western Hospital-Footscray- Footscray, Wantirna Health- Wantirna, Angliss Hospital-Upper Ferntree Gully, Austin Hospital-Heidelberg, Box Hill Hospital-Box Hill, Broadmeadows Health Service-Broadmeadows, Bundoora Extended Care-Bandoora, Calvary Health Care Bethlehem-Caulfield, Caritis Christi Hospice-Kew, Casey Hospital-Berwick, Caulfield Hospital-Caulfield, Craigieburn Health Service- Craigieburn, Cranbourne Integrated Care Centre, Cranbourne, Dame Phyllis Frost Centre-Marmak unit-Deer Park, Dandenong Campus-Dandenong, Dental Health Services Victoria- Carlton, Golf Links Road Rehabilitation Centre-Frankston, Healesville and District Hospital,- Healesville, Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital-Heidelberg West, Kingston Centre (Cheltenham)-Cheltenham, Kooweerup Regional Health Service-Koo Wee Rup, Maroondah Hospital (East Ringwood), Ringwood East, Melton Health-Melton West, Mercy Health -O’Connell Family Centre-Canterbury, Mercy Hospital for Women-Heidelberg, Mercy Public Hospital- Werribee, Monash Medical Centre (CLAYTON)- Clayton, Monash Medical Centre (Moorabbin)-East Bentleigh, Mount Eliza Aged Care & Rehabilitation Service- Mount Eliza, Rose bud Hospital-Rosebud, Royal Children’s Hospital (Parkville), Parkville,  Royal Melbourne Hospital- Parkville, Royal Women’s Hospital ( Carlton)-Parkville, Sandringham Hospital-Sandringham, St Vincent’s Hospital(Fitzroy)- Fitzroy, Sunshine Hospital-St Albans, The Mornington Centre- Mornington, The Northern Hospital- Epping, The Peter James Center- Forrest Hill, The Royal Victorian Eye & Ear Hospital- East Melbourne, Victorian Institute of Forensic Mental Health-Fairfield.

Public Hospitals - Metropolitan Sydney

Prince of wales Hospital- Randwick, Royal North Shore Hospital-St Leonards, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital -Camperdown, Ryde Hospital- Ryde, Neringah Hospital- Wahroonga, Mount Druitt Hospital-Mount Druitt, Nepean Hospital-Kingswood, Mona Vale Hospital-Mona Vale,St George Hospital-Kogarah, St Josephs Hospital-Auburn, Blue Mountains Hospital- Katoomba,

Concord Hospital-Concord, Hospital, Blacktown -Blacktown, Calvary Hospital-Kogarah,, Camden Hospital-Camden, Campbelltown Hospital-Campbelltown , Canterbury Hospital- Canterbury, Fairfield Hospital-Fairfield, Gosford Hospital- Gosford, Greenwich Hospital-Greenwich, Hawkesbury Hospital-Windsor, Karitane Mothercraft Society-Carramar, Liverpool Hospital-Liverpool, Long Jetty Health Care Centre- Killarney Vale, Macquarie Hospital-North Ryde, Manly Hospital-Manly, St Joseph’s Hospital-Auburn, St Vincent’s Hospital-Darlinghurst, Sutherland Hospital-Caringbah, The Children’s Hospital at Westmead-Westmead.

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