How to Move to Australia as a Travel Nurse

Many want to move to Australia to work as a nurse in search of greener pastures or their love to live in this country. Some requirements are in place for nurses to fulfill before they can practice in Australia as a travel nurse. These are the criteria to fulfill before moving to Australia as a travel nurse.

Registration requirements to Move to Australia as a Travel Nurse

Nurses who declare an interest to migrate to Australia must produce their qualifications and experience to nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia for it to determine if they meet the requirements.

Another body that requires nurses to submit their qualifications is the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency that is abbreviated as AHPRA. There are five basic criteria that these two bodies use require applicants to meet before consideration of their request to work in Australia as a travel nurse. Applicants must do the following:

1.Establish their identity by providing a range of proof of identity documents.

2.Meet English proficiency standards by completing the international English Language Testing System (IELTS) examination with a minimum score of seven in each of these four components:

Another way to prove English proficiency is by completing an overall pass in Occupation English Test (OET) with grades A or B in listening, speaking, reading and writing.

3.Meet the current Australian nursing and midwifery educational standards. Applicants are deemed to have the qualifications of a nurse with Australian qualifications if they got their nursing education to degree level in one of these countries.

Nurses with a diploma from one of the countries in the list above will require an assessment of further education or work experience to gauge if their qualifications equal those by Australian educated nurses.

Nurses from other countries that are not on the list above will undergo an individual evaluation to determine if the board recognizes their qualifications and experience.

4.Provide evidence to proof practicing as a nurse or midwife in a specified period before the application to work in Australia

5.Demonstration of fitness to practice in Australia. A nurse applying to work in Australia should provide proof that there have been no previous disciplinary proceedings or a criminal record which can prevent working in nursing or midwifery. An applicant should also prove that there are no restrictions arising from the following:

Application for registration with AHPRA

Someone who meets all the criteria above should apply for registration to Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia by visiting it websites to download and fill the appropriate form.

Apply for a VISA

A visa is mandatory after registering with AHPRA as a nurse. Nobody can live and work in Australia without a visa. You secure consideration for sponsorship by an employer after acquiring one of these types of VISA.

Age plays a role in the application to settle in Australia as a travel nurse. Those who are under 30 can apply for work-holiday visas. It is a simpler option provided that they do not have any criminal background. Work-holiday visas last for 12 months, but an employer cannot hire a holder for more than six months. This visa still favors travel nurses because they do not work at the same hospital for a long time.

Nurses over 30 years can apply for sponsorship visa. A hospital will sponsor the applicant to work in Australia for up to four years. Holders can still apply for a permanent residency visa within four years. It is harder to get than a work-holiday visa, but it is still possible to attain it.

Other Option to Qualify As a Travel Nurse in Australia

How can nurses who do not meet AHPRA requirements move to Australia? Nurses who possess qualifications and experience that AHPRA does not recognize might need to acquire a business short stay visa or pursue an occupational trainee visa. One of the two will allow someone to undertake a bridging program that improves the skills.

Nurses who get approval for their application to work in Australia and acquire a visa can choose to acquire a short-term contract or long-term that lasts six months.