If you’re moving to Australia and plan to work as a Nurse I’m so excited for you! Australia has such a variety of work opportunities. I’ve compiled a list of what you should know before working as a Nurse in Australia.
Australia is massive, there is so much to see and do here and why not nursing to fund your travels along the way.
Whether you’re recently graduated or a senior veteran with years of experience it can be a daunting experience to navigate a new healthcare system. But, I can reassure you that the fundamentals of nursing wherever you work are the same.
How Much Experience do I Need to Nurse in Australia?
Most hospitals and agencies will require at least 1 year experience before they consider hiring you.
If you work in a specialised area such as ICU/ ED you will need 2 years experience.
It’s worth the wait to gain the experience
To be honest I think this is extremely valid before you work as a Nurse in Australia. I know new nurses might not want to hear that and you’re just dying to jump on that plane. But, trust me in the long run! I was qualified for 5 years when I moved to Australia and had 2 years specialised experience in: Anaesthetics and Recovery Nursing. Even then I still felt nervous.
When you’re walking in for your first shift you will want to feel confident in your ability as a nurse.
Nursing in a foreign country can be a challenge while you’re trying to learn the way they do things, like iv medications and charting.
You don’t need the added pressure of being unsure of your own nursing skills.
Especially if you choose Agency/Travel nursing, you are quite literally thrown into the deep end. You’re there to fill the gap for the day and dive right in.
To be an Agency Nurse you not only need to be confident but also competent to look after various patients. You can be sent all over the hospital, so doing that first new grad year is so important to develop your fundamental nursing skills. You will thank yourself later!
This is not to say if you move here without any experience that you won’t find work. But you’ll probably find it more difficult and expect it to take a while.
Aged care in Australia is in high demand and can be a good way to get your foot in the door. They often recruit new grad nurses.
Will I Get Enough Shifts as a Nurse in Australia?
This was a big concern of mine before moving here. If you’re solely relying on agency work to pay your bills I totally understand the stress you may feel.
A key tip to know is know the area you plan on working in.
Unfortunately I have heard there is less demand for paediatric nurses and midwives here in the bigger cities. Rural and remote contracts appear to have more work for Paediatric Nurses.
It might be better to look for a permanent role if this is your speciality and don’t want to work in a rural area.
If you’re an Adult Nurse and work in a specialised area such as ED, Theatre and ICU you’ll likely have more opportunities for shifts. Network Nursing Agency have so many shifts on offer in Sydney and First Choice Care if you plan on working in Queensland.
So my advice: if you’re a new Nurse waiting to move down under, think about transferring to a specialised area. This can help you to upskill and increase your chances for work. Not only will you have the option to work in that speciality but you can also work in Medical/Surgical areas if needed.
Even though my speciality is Theatre, I’ve worked in Aged Care, Medical/Surgical Wards, Cardiology, ICU and Immunisation Clinics. Being skilled in multiple areas can really increase your chances for work opportunities. It can also add some variety to your schedule.
So I’ve got some tips that helped me keep consistent work amongst the facilities in Sydney.
Tips to Secure More Shifts as an Agency Nurse in Australia
- You need to speak with the NUM’s (Nurse Unit Managers). They ultimately are the ones who request staff.
- Introduce yourself, say “Hi”, give them your personal phone number if you feel comfortable and tell them you’re available for shifts.
- If they like you they can request you specifically from the agency.
- Tell the agency you love working there and check if they need you.
- Be flexible, if you want a morning shift but the manager asks can you work an evening shift say yes! They will remember when you were able to help them out, they may be more inclined to ask you again.
- Be reliable, don’t cancel shifts last minute unless you really have to. You need to remember you are their back up. If you cancel then they need to find back up for their back up. Not ideal!
- Be willing to travel for work. When I first started here I had to travel nearly an hour and a half each way before a 12 hour night shift. This was a struggle and I didn’t do it very long. But when the work was quiet, I had to suck it up for a few weeks until it picked back up again.
- Ask the facility to text you when they need staff directly. This way you have first dibs on the shift.
I can’t tell you how many times I have texted the manager asking for work and sent on my availability to then be booked for a shift.
Obviously don’t hound the managers but if you don’t ask you don’t get. No one cares as much as you do trying to get work. So don’t be afraid to speak up and put yourself out there.
Rural and Remote Contracts
Rural contracts are an amazing way to earn good consistent money as a Nurse in Australia. As I already mentioned, Australia is massive. It can be hard for people in the rural and remote communities to access healthcare. Agencies are always crying out for Nurse in the rural areas.
The agency will most likely pay for your accommodation, travel and sometimes a “living away from home” allowance. You’re normally required to commit to a minimum 6 week placement.
It’s perfect if you want to guarantee some consistent work and get those dollars saved for your next trip. If you like the place you can always ask to extend your placement there.
Some Nurses will do a block of 12 weeks during Sydney winter and head up to Cairns, in Far North Queensland. Then they get to enjoy exploring the Daintree Rainforest.
The downside of doing rural and remote contracts is although you are getting consistent work it can be a bit isolating on your own.
If you come to Australia with a partner, you may not want to be apart for 6 weeks. You might miss your partner or friends. If you meet a fellow nurse who wants to travel, you could organise a contract together. Enjoy the experience fully with a travel buddy.
Making the Change from 12 Hour Shifts to 8 Hour Shifts.
Australia is all about work life balance and one way they achieve this is through 8 hour shifts. I was skeptical about this at first as I loved having 4 days off back in Ireland.
But I’ve learnt to love having some time to myself in the morning or afternoon and not completely exhausted on my days off.
I do miss having the option to take a week off without using annual leave like back home but it swings in roundabouts. There are facilities that still use 12 hour shifts and have a flexible schedule.
A typical morning shift for a nurse in Australia would be 07.00-15:30. An afternoon shift: 13:00-21:30 and night shift would be 21:00-07:30. Give it a try and see what works for you.
What’s the Pay like for a Nurse in Australia?
The pay will depend on:
- The state you live in.
- Your level of education. If you’re a qualified Enrolled Nurse, Registered Nurse, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Nurse Manager or Nurse Practitioner.
- The amount of experience you have. Nurses are paid incrementally in Australia. If you’re an RN it will take you 8 years to reach the top of the incremental scale.
- If you work in a private or public facility the pay can vary. Public hospitals often offer salary packaging which is amazing!
Salary packaging is basically a benefit the public health system offers Nurses to encourage them to work in the public service.
It allows nurses to pay less tax. The hospital I work with allows us to “salary sacrifice” 15,900 AUD per year. This
means on 15,900 dollars I don’t pay tax which means more money for me!
Final Thoughts
Nursing in Australia has given me a lot of flexibility and freedom to travel. I’ve got to explore so much of Australia’s beautiful coastline and visit Fiji and Bali. Places I never even dreamed of back in Ireland.
There definitely has been some hard weeks and many tears along the way but overall I’ve really enjoyed working as a nurse here.
I’m definitely a lot less stressed and burnt out. I hope you found some useful information here. Please share it with a nurse who’s thinking of making the move down under.
Below are the pay rates for every state. You can see what pay to expect as a Nurse in Australia.
New South Wales
https://www1.health.nsw.gov.au/pds/ActivePDSDocuments/IB2023_041.pdf
Queensland
https://www.health.qld.gov.au/hrpolicies/wage-rates/nursing#2024
South Australia
https://www.anmfsa.org.au/Web/membership/Your_EBA_and_Pay_Rates.aspx
Victoria
https://www.anmfvic.asn.au/~/media/files/ANMF/EBA2024/the-offer/EBA24-wagetable-FA3
Western Australia
https://www.health.wa.gov.au/~/media/Corp/Documents/Health-for/Industrial-relations/Awards-and-agreements/Nurses-Registered-and-Enrolled-Mental-Health/Nurses-and-Midwives-Administrative-Payment-2022.pdf
Tasmania
https://www.health.tas.gov.au/careers/employee-benefits/salary-rates/nurses-and-midwives-salary-rates
Australian Capital Territory
https://www.cmtedd.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/2459572/ACTPS-Nursing-and-Midwifery-EA-2023-2026-Final-Draft.pdf
