American Nurse Seeking to Work in Australia

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lilly1980

42 Posts

Specializes in PCU / telemetry.

They didn't email me that they received my paperwork aside from my initial application. They usually just responded with another request for more documents and finally my eligibility letter. My deadline was close to approaching as well and I was traveling to the east coast for a week and between work, there was no way I could get the info to them in time including mail time and getting the docs from my school. So I sent a web inquirty to request for an extension to my deadline. I was extremely frustrated at that point, and let them know that too...haha. But they extended it.

By the last piece of paperwork they needed, I was soooo over it. I was almost about to give up but knew that I couldn't have spent all that time and $$ for nothing. And that hopefully they were making jump thru hoops so that they could approve my application.

As far as your documents, did you certify them or send they with a notifcation that were delievered? I would recommend doing that in the future. You don't need the super expensive option, but just a tracking number or something is helpful.

But, believe me...I feel your pain...hang in there!

thank you ladies for all the information. Etoile88 im in the los angeles area! i love the san diego area too! its so nice there! i did read the miniumum requirement was a bachelor degree, but it also mentioned a 6 semester program in there as well. i have all the requirements as far as theory and clinical hours for the division 1 nurse too. i did email them an inquiry asking them about my associates degree and all the emailed me back was the form to apply and the amount it would cost to apply. thats why im a bit confused with how they go about picking candidates. i dont know if im just better off calling there and speaking to someone. i would hate to pay the registration fee and get declined as well. i had asked other people on this website about it and i keep getting mixed answers, some say i should be fine. it seems like just gathering all the paperwork is a tedious process and that they require more information in the end. I know in my college transcripts they dont specify the clinical hours that we completed so how were you able to obtain that information from your school etoile88? Also is it any bachelors degree or specifically just a BSN? cause all there website says is bachelor degree and not a bachelor in science of nursing. i also rather travel now as a nurse instead of going back to school! lol! i hope it works out and we are all able to meet up in Australia one day!!

lilly1980

42 Posts

Specializes in PCU / telemetry.

Esperanza,

I had to provide the same information as well about my clinical hours. I called the school's program office and they told me there is a minimum hours that the program must meet for the California BRN, my particular program was a few hours over with each class. I think it is around 50+ hours, but I had to have the school provide supplemental letters for the AHPRA (on their letterhead etc..) I emailed the program coordinator and I was lucky enough to still live close enough to drive to pick the the letters (to expedite the process)...and brought them some portos too :)

I'm in Los Angeles too...South Bay more specifically!

Becky2023

6 Posts

Hi everyone, thanks so much for all this information. I am just getting the application/Visa process started so I have a loooong way to go! I am a pediatric nurse with my BSN, over 7 years experience, and looking to go over with my work/holiday visa for about 6 months. I have many questions but just trying to take one step at a time. Does anyone know that when you do your visa online, do you need to attach all the other information right away? I am supposed to get a lot of certified copies of things which I am working on but I am finished with filling out my visa info...just haven't pressed send. Should I go ahead and send it and hopefully attach everything else shortly?

Thanks!

~Becky

Specializes in Pediatric Primary Care.

Ya, I just called my nursing department and explained what I needed, and they typed something up on letterhead for me. It was a little frustrating for them, I think, but hey what can ya do!

Funny we live in the same-ish area! I've only been up to LA like three times though, I think. Just hit up Disneyland on Monday though :D

This is soo awesome that we all live in the same area!! i work in Glendale, portos is really close to my work. lol! i went to glendale community college for nursing school, i just put a call in to them to obtain something that mentions my clinical hours. the program is obviously approved by the BRN accreditation so i hope that AHPRA is willing to approve me without a bachelors degree. i really would like to make this work out for me.

At etoile88, im going to disneyland on Oct 1, i was just there a couple a weeks ago too, i have a season pass. i had to check out the cars land!! lol!! this is a good time to go, they have all the halloween decorations up! i love it!! we should get each others emails to keep in touch through this whole process!! thanks again ladies for all the information!! :)

lilly1980

42 Posts

Specializes in PCU / telemetry.

Hey Ladies!

Becky - For my visa, I submitted all the supporting documents with the visa. It just made me feel more comfortable sending everything together that way. They got back to me pretty quickly and told me I needed to do my health assessment because I would be working in a hospital. This is out of pocket, so you pay for a physical, labs, and a chest xray (r/o TB). You can't go to your pcp, but it has to be a gov't approved MD. In cali, there was one in LA and I think San Fran. There's a list online, but some states only had 1 approved immigration MD you could see. I was lucky and this MD was in westchester (near LAX). This all cost me about $500-600. They will send all the info to the Australian gov't for your visa. Once that was completed, I think I got my visa 2 weeks later. You can do the whole medical thing first before you submit your visa, but I didn't want to spend the money in case they immediately said no to my application and I didn't want to waste going through that whole process until I heard back from the visa people. The whole process for the visa for me went quite quick, total 3 weeks. Just know that once you are granted the visa, you have one year from that date to enter Australia to essentially activate your visa. Once you enter Australia you have a year from the date to stay in the country. Hope that helps or makes sense! :)

Other Cali Ladies - I seriously just went to Disneyland last Saturday...lol. The new carsland ride is soooo cool!! I highly recommend it and checking out radiator springs at night! The line is long, but depending on your group size, single rider is a good option, and unless you hit the fast pass line right when the park opens, they usually run out.

Cheers!

Specializes in Pediatric Primary Care.

Ahh, I knew that whole visa process would be expensive, but I didn't think it'd be THAT much!! Darn tests...so you can't go to your PCP? Since I'm traveling, my PCP is all the way back in Maryland, but I was hoping to try and coordinate a visit home with my lab tests and stuff.

Haha, so funny we're all going to Disney at the same time. Wasn't Cars Land so cute??!! We got there at like 10, and fast passes were already gone.. but yeah, the singe rider took like 30 min, not bad!

We should def exchange emails. And I'm up for a coffee meet-up or something if that's not too creepy haha. We can rant about Australia :p

Becky2023

6 Posts

Thx Lilly! I knew about the physical but not the $$$. Does insurance not cover any? I live in San Diego so I guess I'll take a look at that list! I think it's smart to wait on it until Visa is sent. Do any of you know the best time to be in Australia for 6mos or so? I was thinking winter time (summer for them) but that's soooo long since I don't expect to be ready this winter. But they probably have more jobs during their winter? ~may/June?... And weather seems nice all year round?

lilly1980

42 Posts

Specializes in PCU / telemetry.

Hey!

No unfortunately insurance doesn't cover it since it is elective, and it HAS to be an immigration MD. I think they are worried about someone forging MD reports and you have to bring a couple forms of ID or something and passport pics to the physical (I'm assuming to make sure you are actually the person getting the physical). The fees for the physical, labs, and xray were around $300+ but with the visa application fees it totaled $500-600. When you call to make the appointment they tell you how much it will all cost. They seemed very competent with the paperwork being sent to Washington DC. (That's where I sent mine to.)

As far as the time of year, I would think summer there is quite nice. And since many people take their holiday with Xmas and new years being around then, there might be more availability. But this is all my speculation, seeing how I'm still working on the getting a job part. :) However, I do know a lot of the new nurses start in the hospitals around Dec/Jan time too, so a lot of hospitals are putting a lot of effort into their new RNs. (so all that said...i have no idea what time of year would be best to find a job...haha)

lilly1980

42 Posts

Specializes in PCU / telemetry.

Etoile...I'd love to meet up for coffee :) no, not too creepy haha, I'll send you my email address.

lilly1980

42 Posts

Specializes in PCU / telemetry.

Etoile...just tried sending you a private message but it says you've met your PM quota..guess you need to delete some msgs or something :)

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