Healthcare is one of Australia’s most in-demand sectors, and for nurses and allied health professionals, one of the clearest routes to permanent residency. More than 10,000 sponsored skilled visas were granted to the health and social assistance sector in the latest program year, and the industry is projected to add hundreds of thousands of jobs over the coming decade.
This guide explains the two approvals every nurse needs, the visa pathways available, and how to give yourself the best chance of a successful application.
“Healthcare is one of Australia’s most in-demand sectors, and one of the clearest routes to permanent residency.”
Migrating as a nurse involves two separate approvals that people often confuse. You need both.
For the points-tested skilled visas (subclass 189, 190 and 491), you need a positive skills assessment from ANMAC, the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council. This confirms that your qualifications and experience meet Australian standards for migration purposes.
Separately, before you can legally work as a Registered or Enrolled Nurse in Australia, you must be registered with AHPRA, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency. AHPRA assesses your qualifications, English and professional history. Allow time for this, the assessment commonly takes around four to six weeks, and demand peaks over the Australian summer.
Both ANMAC and AHPRA require evidence of English proficiency through an approved test such as IELTS, OET, PTE Academic or TOEFL iBT. Requirements are updated periodically, so always check the current minimum scores before booking your test.
Nurses are well served by Australia’s migration system. The main routes are:
With around twenty nursing roles on the current skilled occupation list and healthcare among the country’s fastest-growing industries, qualified nurses are in a strong position.
We have guided healthcare professionals to Australia for nearly three decades. We will help you line up the ANMAC assessment, AHPRA registration and the right visa in the correct order, so the pieces fit together and nothing stalls your move.
Complete our free, no-obligation eligibility assessment below and we will send you our e-brochure. Even if a particular route is not right for you, a short conversation is the surest way to confirm your options.
This article is general information about Australian migration and is not personal migration, legal, financial or tax advice. Registration and visa rules change frequently, always check the latest position with AHPRA, ANMAC and the Department of Home Affairs and obtain advice tailored to your circumstances.
An approved test such as IELTS, OET, PTE Academic or TOEFL iBT. Minimum scores are set by AHPRA and ANMAC and are updated periodically.
Yes. Your partner and dependent children can be included on your skilled or sponsored visa application.
Comparing life in Australia to the United Kingdom.
Australia employs more nurses for every thousand people, sets nurse to patient ratios in law, and pays new nurses more against the national median wage. Comparing each salary with its own country’s median wage removes exchange rates from the picture.
| Measure | Australia | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| Nurses per 1,000 people | 12.1 | 8.4 |
| Legislated nurse to patient ratios | Yes, in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria | None enforced in England |
| Pay in the first year of registration, against the national median wage | 0.87 times | 0.80 times |
Sources: OECD Health at a Glance; NSW Health; NHS Agenda for Change; ABS; ONS Australian source
Australian nurses earn a larger premium for every unsocial shift they work. Both sets of loadings are set out in the national pay agreement that covers nurses in each country.
| Measure | Australia | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday loading | 150% | 130% |
| Sunday loading | 175% | 160% |
| Public holiday loading | 200% | 160% |
Sources: Nurses Award; NHS Agenda for Change Australian source
Australia has more doctors, more nurses and more hospital beds for every thousand people. All three figures come from one international collection that uses the same definitions for both countries.
| Measure | Australia | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| Practising nurses per 1,000 people | 12.1 | 8.4 |
| Practising doctors per 1,000 people | 3.9 | 3.3 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 3.8 | 2.6 |
Sources: OECD Health at a Glance, the same source for both countries Australian source