Steps to Become a Nurse in Australia From Overseas

First published: February 2024

Nursing in Australia is a rewarding career path to choose, with a wealth of opportunities available. The journey of becoming a registered nurse in Australia from overseas will look differently to everyone depending on your qualification and experience level.

Within this guide. we’ve listed a summary of the steps and all of the relevant information and resources that you need to embark on the journey down under as a registered nurse.

Why now is a good time to become a registered nurse in Australia

Australia has so much to offer registered nurses. The availability of jobs nationwide is vast, with so many sectors available to be explored. Generous salary packages for permanent full-time and part-time workers often include a range of benefits. You also have the option to work casually across the country, allowing you to choose your own schedule and be in control of how much money you make.

The demand for healthcare workers in Australia coincides with the nurse shortage, meaning there is a vast availability of jobs nationwide. The rise in the elderly population (in 2020 16% of Australia’s total population were aged 65 and over) also means aged care nursing is a fruitful career prospect like never before.

The nursing profession is currently on the skilled occupation list for Australia in twelve visa streams ranging from short term to permanent stay, under nineteen different nurse role titles. The governments 2023 review of their migration strategy focused on making the system more efficient and fairer for applicants. They will do this through targeting occupations (such as nursing) which are in a general shortage and strengthening relationships with international governing bodies. This will mean more options available for permanent residency and citizenship for migrants, and once you are a permanent resident, your parents can join you on your Australia journey too!

If you are seeking a better work life and work/life balance, generally speaking the ratio of nurses to patients is one nurse to four patients (1:4). Australia recognises the impact of quality patient care in relation to how many patients one nurse is assigned. Creating a sustainable and equipped healthcare workforce is part of Australia’s employment goals with a top priority being nurses health and wellbeing.

Steps to qualify as a registered nurse in Australia

The Nursing and Midwifery Board (NMBA ) governs all nursing and midwife regulations in Australia. Every registered nurse and midwife in Australia needs to meet their standards to obtain an AHPRA (Australia Health Practitioner Regulation Agency) number to practice. This is to ensure that everyone is properly qualified and trained to carry out their duties.

If you are a qualified nurse from New Zealand, the NMBA will recognise your qualification under the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Act 2008 . You can download the application directly from the NMBA.

Otherwise, to meet the standards and be eligible for an AHPRA number, you must fulfill the following set of criteria:

1. Hold a relevant qualification

You need to have completed your studies and have received your qualification in nursing. For a registered nurse, you need a Bachelor of Nursing, and for an enrolled nurse you need to have a Diploma of Nursing (or equivalent). If your qualification doesn’t automatically meet the NMBA standard, you may need to complete a post graduate course, or IRON/EPIQ program to show your competency. If you want to study in Australia as an international student, a Bachelor of Nursing will cost around $80-000 – $100,000 AUD over the three years.

2. Have proof of experience in your field

Your next step is to provide evidence of your experience in the form of a letter from your supervisor or a statement of service detailing:

• Your position
• Where you worked
• Who you reported to
• Dates worked
• Duties undertaken

3. Be English language proficient

You need to display that you have a proficient understanding of the English language. If your passport is not from the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, New Zealand, Canada, the United States of America or South Africa, or you haven’t undertaken at least five years of study in one of these countries, you will need to do an English test. The tests available are IELTS  OET, PTE and TOEFL iBT:

IELTS – this is the International English Language Testing System that covers your reading, writing, listening and speaking English skills. The cost of this test is $410 AUD, and you can re-sit for $199 AUD a time.

OET – this is the Occupational English Test. This is designed specifically for healthcare workers, and can be taken by nurses and midwives. The cost of it is $587 AUD for all four categories (listening, reading, writing and speaking), but you can take these individually for:

• One for $315 AUD
• Two for $415 AUD
• Three for $515 AUD

PTE – this is the Pearson test of the English academic. This is a global English test and is accepted by all visa streams in Australia. This costs $445 AUD.

TOEFL IBT – this is the Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet Based Test. This is also a global English test for the purpose of study, migration and work, and costs $298 AUD. Not each visa stream accepts this test, so check before you book.

4. Provide documentation that proves your identity

You need to provide basic identity documents such as your passport and change of name certificates (if applicable). Documents that fulfil character requirements in terms of criminal history as well as physical and mental capacity are also required. This usually means providing an international and Australian (if you are in Australia) police check. If you have a criminal history that resulted in imprisonment of over 12 months, or were convicted and found guilty of an offence in Australia or overseas you must declare this with your police check.

5. Undertake a NCLEX/OSCE exam

For some internationally qualified nurses you may also need to complete these exams prior to applying for registration. The decision on whether or not you need to sit them will be determined by the NMBA, and this usually comes down to what qualifications you have. They encompass a mixture of theory and practical tests:

NCLEX

The MCQ (multiple choice question) exam is the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX). It is a theory test that needs to be passed before you take the OSCE. The cost of an NCLEX is $4,400 – $4,600 AUD.

OSCE

The Objective Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE) is undertaken in a simulated clinical environment, designed to replicate situations that you would face in practice. It is held five times in the year:

• Early February
• Mid May
• Early July
• Late September
• Late November

The testing centre is in Adelaide, SA.

Once passed, you need to apply for your registration within two years after the pass date, otherwise you will need to provide further evidence to obtain your AHPRA. After five years, the test result expires. The cost of an OSCE is $4,000 AUD.

Apply for (and how to keep) your AHPRA registration

Once you’ve completed the steps above, you can now apply for your registration! The cost is $185 AUD and you will need to renew this annually. To maintain your registration you must:

• Keep a clear criminal record
• Continue your professional development, which means participating in at least 20 hours of workshops and seminars (for example) every registration period
• Have carried out a minimum of 450 hours of nursing practice in the previous five years
• Hold professional indemnity insurance (most employers can provide this for you). This will provide protection if patients file lawsuits against you
• Renew your registration every year. The renewal date is 31^st May and needs to be completed by this date

For more information, and to see exactly which steps apply to you, see the Nurses and Midwifery board.

Acquiring an Australian Visa

Alongside obtaining your AHPRA, if you are an international nurse, you will need to secure a visa with working rights before moving over. It is usually best to do this after you have your registration so you can meet this visa requirement. You can work as a registered nurse on a Working Holiday visa 417 & 462 if you are planning a short-term trip, and if you need to improve your qualifications you can opt for a 407 Training visa .

Sponsorship Visa options include:

• 186 Employer Nomination Scheme visa
• 190 Skilled Nominated visa
• 482 Temporary Skill Shortage visa
• 489 Skilled Regional visa

See the full skilled occupation lists.

Still debating the idea?

We understand that becoming a nurse in Australia from overseas is a big life decision to make, and one that shouldn’t be made lightly. To hear from someone that has found her home in Australia as a registered nurse and now facility manager in aged care, learn about Pearl’s journey from a hospital nurse in the Philippines to working in various states as an aged care nurse in Australia.

Move to Australia as a nurse with Sanctuary Recruitment

Sanctuary Recruitment welcomes applications from eligible registered nurses from overseas who are looking to move to Australia. We are able to sponsor with a pathway to permanent residency, so if you’re looking for a new opportunity, please submit your resume below for a free eligibility assessment or email directly to visas@sanctuaryrecruitment.com.