Australia is an excellent destination for people planning to migrate, especially if you are a registered nurse. According to HWA (Health Workforce Australia), there will be a shortage of 123,000 nurses in Australia by 2030 and this is a great sign for nurses to try for a Permanent Residence in Australia. Salaries for nurses in Australia are lucrative and the more experience they gain, the more they can earn. If you want to know more about the process of this application, read through this article.
Understanding the Permanent Residence Visa options for Nursing Professionals in Australia
Let’s discover the nursing PR pathways in Australia. In order to apply for the right visa, check Australia’s skilled occupation list for and see if your profession falls into any of the categories:
- Enrolled Nurse
- Mothercraft Nurse
- Nurse Educator
- Nurse Manager
- Nurse Practitioner
- Nurse Researcher
- Registered Nurse (Aged Care, Child and Family Health, Community Health, Critical care and Emergency, Developmental Disability, Disability and Rehabilitation, Medical Practice, Medical, Mental Health, Paediatrics, Perioperative or Surgical)
- Veterinary Nurse
The professions mentioned above are taken from the Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL), Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) ROL and Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL). If you fit into any of these categories, you are eligible to apply for the following work visas
Temporary visas:
- Subclass 407 – Training visa (Occupation training stream)
- Subclass 489 – Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa
- Subclass 485 – Temporary Graduate visa
- Subclass 457 – Temporary Work (Skilled) visa
Permanent visas:
- Subclass 190 – Skilled Nominated visa
- Subclass 189 – Skilled Independent Visa
- Subclass 186 – Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) – Direct Entry
Qualifications and Work Experience required for Permanent Residence for Nursing Professionals in Australia
If your home country’s Bachelor of nursing qualifications are accepted in Australia, you do not need to study nursing all over again in Australia. If you don’t, you will have to complete the qualification in Australia or take one of the bridging nursing courses in Australia as well as the IELTS. It is better to study for your relevant field in one of the DAMA regional areas because this will give you extra points, priority visa processing and exemption from the minimum salary requirements in visa 494 and 491.
Once you are qualified with a recognised program and fulfil the requirements for English proficiency- IELTS score 7.0- you will have to register with the AHPRA (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency). There is exemption from English proficiency tests if you have studied in one of the English-speaking countries.
The Australian Nursing & Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) will then examine your skills through the Skills Assessment Test. There are different types of assessments for different types of professional backgrounds and their requirements vary as well. When you have made sure that your assessment is positive, you can then lodge an EOI (Expression of Interest) or a state nomination (depending on the type of visa you are applying for). Upon receiving the Invitation to Apply, you have to submit the required documents for your visa type and appear for the interview.
Preparing for the Permanent Residence visa Interview for Nursing Professionals in Australia
This 20 minute interview could be the most unnerving part of the visa process and receiving some preliminary guidance is very important. As the interviewer is trying to assess your character, try to answer in longer sentences to give them a glimpse into your individual personality. Be very open about your intention and plans when prompted with open ended questions because they want to see your commitment to your profession. Have these answers prepared beforehand so that you can answer with confidence.
In short, you should appear as a genuine candidate who wants to progress as an individual and learn more about their profession. Go through all your documents and maybe practise with a visa and immigration service provider who can give you the required mentorship.
Completing the points-based assessment for Permanent Residence for Nursing Professionals in Australia
The Department of Home Affairs awards points based on different attributes and achievements that increase your chances of getting Permanent Residence. These points are based on the following:
- Age
- Professional Year points
- 2 year study
- Educational qualifications
- Knowing NAATI- Credentialled Community Language
- Studying in a regional area
- Work experience
- Qualification in STEM
- Having a partner with relevant skills
You can use the tool here to calculate your nursing PR points.
The Future of Permanent Residence for Nursing Professionals in Australia: Changes and Developments to Watch for
As mentioned before in the statistics above, there will be a lot of nursing jobs in Australia in the coming decades and they can earn up to 65,000 USD per year. This career also gives an opportunity to work in all areas of Australia- even the remote ones. After the pandemic, the demand for nurses has increased even more but Australia will have a consistent demand nonetheless due to the rising elderly population.
As nurses will always be required to maintain the quality of life for patients, it is important to upskill and go for a Master’s for professional development and to stay abreast with the technological trends. Learning is a lifelong process and if you are someone who passionately invests their career, this will be a great idea.
