Employment in Australia as a Registered Nurse?

[boheme_jenne]

I want to become an Australian Registered Nurse but I dont know what is the best way to become one. I am qualified to undergo the bridging program but there are so many reviews saying that its too risky and many are still jobless despite finishing the program. Someone told me that it is best to go with a student visa and study a nursing course there again. I am confused on what option to choose. I need clarifications and I need views from people who may be suffering from the same dilemma and those who have experiences and information regarding this topic. Thank you!

[SephRN]

I heard that too. Thats the reason why we have decided to apply and go to nz. Oz is too risky not to mention the amount of money you need to shell out.

[boheme_jenne]

I heard that too. Thats the reason why we have decided to apply and go to nz. Oz is too risky not to mention the amount of money you need to shell out.

Yes.. But someone told me that opportunities for nurses in nz are scarce so i am having 2nd thoughts on dat too. Oz is so expensive and risky indeed.

[iamnomad]

The demand for nurses in NZ is probably not as great as the demand in Australia. I have colleagues from my country (Philippines) who went first to NZ as a nurse and ended up working here in Australia. Mostly due to higher salary, though. I guess wherever you go there are risks involved.

In my opinion, if you choose Australia, I would rather do the bridging program instead of repeating your whole nursing course. The nursing program here is 3 years. If you do conversion program, it's 1-2 years. What if before you finish your course the immigration changed the immigration rule? or maybe they'll take nursing off the shortage list? If you see the trend now, a lot of Australians are already taking nursing. I have a lot of co-workers taking the course now. Plus the thousands others out there. Plus the current international students. Plus those doing the bridging program. By the time you finish, Australia MAY be saturated with nurses. A lot of things could happen while you are studying. If you take the bridging program, you finish only in 3 months, thus, you can start looking for jobs while there are vacancies still.

[boheme_jenne]

Thank you! I am planning to take the 1 year conversion program at a university in melbourne. There's a lot of money at stake so I am praying that the employment trend for will become stronger. What is the employment condition in Oz now if i may ask?

[ceridwyn]

It is very poor, if you need sponsorship visa. Though I have heard in the past couple of weeks, a Canberra organisation has taken on a few nurses by sponsorship, interesting....

[ceridwyn]

It is very poor, if you need sponsorship visa. There are apparently hundreds of nurses of all experiences looking for work at the moment that have legal status and that does not include the 600 new graduates in Victoria alone that missed out a job.

Unless you qualify for a regional sponsorship or skills expression of interest for a visas, or have contacts with a HR person, (which is happening) you are taking a large risk (do not take a loan to do this, as there has been enough heartache) to hope for sponsorship visa now or for at least the next few years.