To be able to Nurse or practise as Midwife in Australia you will need to obtain:
1) Registration with AHPRA  (Australian Nursing/Midwifery Licence),
2) hold a visa with working rights for Australia and
3) have relevant experience that is transferable to the Australian Healthcare System.

For international nurses and midwives coming to Australia, the AHPRA application and assessment process is completed online. You’ll need to meet the required standards for qualifications, criminal history, English language skills, recency of practice, professional indemnity insurance, and be in good standing with your current nursing or midwifery registration.

It might sound a bit daunting, but our Healthcare Australia International team will guide you through each step and help you get it right the first time.

There are 3 AHPRA assessment outcomes to a Nursing/Midwifery AHPRA application: full registration granted, registration with a condition and notations and refusal of registration.

There is no practical component for AHPRA assessment, however there are online modules you are required to complete as part of the application process.

To obtain a visa with working rights in Australia, you must apply for the visa that best matches your purpose, skills, and length of stay through the Department of Home Affairs website. Common options include skilled visas (for eligible occupations) working holiday visas (for eligible passport holders aged 18–35), and student visas (which allow limited work hours). Each visa has specific eligibility criteria, documents, and conditions, and you must be granted the visa before you can legally work in Australia.

Refer to https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-finder to explore what visa may suit your circumstances.

The Nursing Midwifery Board Australia requires international qualifications and registration to meet a certain level of quality assurance and accreditation. You can refer to the AHPRA website or complete a self-check to see if your qualifications and experience would be likely to meet NMBA requirements. There is another pathway that you may be eligible for if you have completed 1800 hours’ experience as Registered Nurse/Midwife from comparable jurisdictions.  For more information refer to: https://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/Accreditation/IQNM/Before-you-apply/Meeting-the-registration-requirements.aspx# Generally, experience from countries listed as likely to meet or may meet Criterion 2 will be recognised.

Generally, a minimum of 12 months’ post-graduate experience in an AHPRA-reciprocal country is required, though some roles may require more. The Healthcare Australia International team can guide you based on your specialty, as well as the location and type of facility you are looking to work in.

The first step to working in Australia is to contact the Healthcare Australia International Team.

With offices in the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, and a North America Contact Centre, our International Team supports you every step of the way.

We help you become work-ready before you arrive in Australia and ensure you’re fully prepared so when you land, you have everything you need to start work with confidence. No matter your specialty, experience level, or preferred work type: agency, permanent, full-time, part-time, or contract. We’ll help you find the right role in hospitals and other healthcare facilities across Australia.

You must also meet employment compliance requirements such as immunisation and vaccination evidence, police checks (Australian and overseas), Working with Children Check (where required), mandatory training (e.g. manual handling, basic life support), and professional indemnity insurance. Additional credentialling may be required depending on your specialty, facility, and state. The Healthcare Australia Team can advise you based on your skills, experience, role and location, which documents you will be required to complete.

Our Travel Nurse contracts usually come with Accommodation and Travel within Australia included. Whilst accommodation is not provided with Agency work, our International Team can advise on the best suburbs to live that are close to public transport and hospitals with their expert knowledge.

To work as a health professional in Australia, you should be prepared for the following costs:

-AHPRA registration fees – for application, assessment and annual registration
-Visa fees – costs vary depending on the type of visa you apply for
-Credentialing and compliance costs – including police checks (local and international), immunisations, Working With Children Checks and professional indemnity insurance
-Health checks – medical examinations or vaccinations required by employers or visa conditions
-Relocation and settling costs – flights, temporary accommodation, health insurance and general living expenses while settling in

Please refer to the relevant websites for current costs or connect with the Healthcare Australia International Team for guidance. There are no fees payable directly to Healthcare Australia for assistance in finding work or supporting your relocation.

Healthcare Australia also currently offers a Flight Incentive, which may be claimed after completing a required number of shifts (refer to the relevant link for more information).

In Australia, Nurses and Midwives pay is determined by the length of experience you have. The rate of pay will also vary depending on many factors including the state you work in, the facility you work in, whether you are in a permanent or agency role and the time and length of the shift. For example, night duties and weekends tend to pay more than a morning weekday shift.

While you are working a shift for Healthcare Australia, we will cover your indemnity requirements.

There is no age limit to work in Australia, however obtaining a visa may have age requirements. Get in touch with our team to learn more.

At Healthcare Australia, we support healthcare workers to work where and how they want. From exciting remote placements with travel nursing to flexible Agency shifts in major cities and regional areas, the choice is yours. We love giving you the freedom to move.

Whether you want flexible casual shifts or longer-term roles, we connect nurses, midwives, doctors and allied health professionals with opportunities across hospitals, clinics and aged care facilities in every state, city and region in Australia. Here are some of the placement options through Healthcare Australia.

1) Agency/Locum Work – Choose when and where you work with casual shifts across metro or regional areas. Ideal for flexibility and work-life balance.

2) Travel Nursing – Take your skills across Australia with short-term placements in stunning rural, regional, and remote locations. A perfect mix of career and adventure

3) Permanent Roles – Looking to settle in Australia? We offer full-time permanent placements across public and private health settings nationwide.

Shift lengths will vary depending on the needs of the facilities. Generally, shifts are 6-8 hours for day shifts and 9-10 hours for nights. 12-hour shifts can be requested, depending on the facility you work at.

Healthcare Australia runs a number of incentives and rewards throughout the year.  Currently we also have a flight incentive specific for our international candidates. Refer to this link for more info: https://healthcareaustralia.com.au/terms-and-conditions/

Healthcare Australia’s International Team stands out because we provide end-to-end support for nurses and midwives relocating to Australia. We guide candidates through the complex AHPRA registration and visa processes, advise on the right roles and locations for your specialty, and offer ongoing support once you arrive. Unlike agencies that simply place candidates, we focus on relationship-building, personalised guidance, and practical assistance, ensuring your transition is smooth and well-supported. Our deep knowledge of local healthcare facilities, compliance requirements, and workforce needs gives candidates a clear advantage in finding the right role quickly and confidently.

The team has personal experience living and working in other countries, so we truly understand the relocation process and everything it involves. We’ve experienced the anxiety, excitement, joy, fun, and homesickness firsthand, and can support you every step of the way.

ANMAC (Australian Nursing & Midwifery Accreditation Council) and AHPRA (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency) have different roles in the registration process for nurses and midwives in Australia.

ANMAC assesses the qualifications and skills of international nurses and midwives to ensure they meet Australian standards. They determine whether your education and experience are equivalent to Australian requirements.  This clearance may be required for some visas.

AHPRA is the regulatory body that grants registration to practice in Australia. You apply to AHPRA, and they use ANMAC’s assessment (for international applicants) along with other checks (like criminal history, English language, and professional indemnity) to approve your registration.

In short: ANMAC evaluates your credentials; AHPRA gives you the license to work.