From the Philippines to USA to Australia

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I am a recent graduate of BS Nursing in the Philippines. I didn't take the local board exam and I'm currently in the USA right now waiting for my NCLEX New York Application. The problem is I really want to pursue a career in Australia.

I really need options. These are the options:

1. Pass the nclex and then apply to Australia

2. Pass the nclex work a few months then apply to Australia (if I can find a job which I doubt for a recent grad)

3. Go straight to Australia

My questions is if I pass the NCLEX here, do I still need to take the Bridging program? Because if I'm gonna be taking it anyway, I'm thinking of just going straight to take the Bridging program without taking the NCLEX. I just thought that it would help and better if I have a previous license

It's not like I can find jobs here anyway as a new graduate without experience. I heard that Australia has more opportunities than USA

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Specializes in Acute Care. ER. Aged Care/LTC. Psyche.

A was in the same situation back in 2011. I'm gonna answer your question with the assumption that you have work rights in the US.

First. you need a nursing registration (licence) to be able to apply for registration here in Australia. So I advice that you get your nursing registration in NY.

Second. US Registered Nurses are exempted from taking the bridging program. Assuming you'll get your NY RN licence, you're not automatically classified as USRN to Australia's eyes. In order for you to be exempted from the bridging program, you actually need work experience in the US. So its US RN licence + work experience (I believe it's 3 months).

Third. There are opportunities, still, here in Australia but very few offers visa sponsorship to those without experience. So assuming (again) that you are able to find job in the US, stick to it for a while. And if you really want to work in Australia, then decide by then.

So, option 2 will prove to be the best bet for you.

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thanks @iamnomad.Are you a graduate of nursing in the Philippines too? So just in case that I receive my license and have work, do you think it's better to stick to it for a year or 2 for experience or can I find a job there with an experience of less than a year? which one do you think is better? I'm actually planning on applying in Hawaii because the process for foreign grads are faster than here in NY which usually takes a year. Besides job opportunities here in NY are way crowded than in Hawaii

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Specializes in Acute Care. ER. Aged Care/LTC. Psyche.

Yes, I finished my BSN in the Philippines, did not take the NLE, wrote the NCLEX straight away.

The longer the experience, the better your prospects of employment here.

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thank you so much! so which state are you from in the US? How many years of experience did you had before moving to Australia and did you had hard time finding work in Australia when you relocated? I'm planning in relocating in Sydney or Perth in the future.

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Specializes in Acute Care. ER. Aged Care/LTC. Psyche.

I worked in Kansas. My initial state of registration was Oregon. I had 2 years and 8 months experience (half of that in emergency room) in the US before moving here to Australia.

I didn't encounter any difficulties when I was applying for a job. I got my Australian registration last week of February and was offered a job around April. The only thing that actually put me off was I didn't tell my employer that I'm moving to Australia til the last few days. And because Australia values professional references for job application, mine was delayed.

So do you have work rights in the US (green card holder or US citizen)?

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Yes I'm a green card holder. I just recently submitted the papers for cgfns for NY state. How long does it take to process the NCLEX in oregon? 1 year of cgfns processing is way too long and lots of time wasted specially when you're a new grad. Its not like I'm gonna have a job right away after obtaining my license. Anyway, how did you apply for job in Australia? Since you're in the US, did you apply online or did you go directly applied there in person?

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Specializes in Acute Care. ER. Aged Care/LTC. Psyche.

I applied for my Oregon RN licence back in 2008. CGFNS CES took only less than two months. The overall application process was just under 4 months.

I searched and applied for jobs online. Interviews were done thru Skype. This was back in 2012.

Why do you want to work here? Not that I'm discouraging you or anything, but you have a green card, you'll be spending time and money for US RN licensure, you'll establish some years of experience there, and all that with the intent of working in Australia?

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When you obtained your license did you immediately found a job? The reasons are family issues and independence. I just want to be on my own and I can't do that unless I'm halfway around the world. Not with my mother's family meddling with every decisions I make. Besides my dad also thinks that it's better to be in Australia. What's your reason for moving anyway if you already had a stable job here in US?

Might as well apply in Oregon too or Hawaii if it will take faster than here in NY. I could have find a job instead of waiting for the approval here in NY. Thanks for answering all queries by the way :)

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Specializes in Acute Care. ER. Aged Care/LTC. Psyche.

Apply to a particular state where you want to work, not where the processing time is shorter. Trust me, you would end up just wasting more time and resources if you didn't.

The United States is pretty big, as you might already know. You can be totally independent wherever you want to be. If your family is in NY, go to California, or Texas, or out of the Mainland to Alaska or Hawaii. If I were given a privilege such as as the green card, I would have stayed in the US. I was just on H1B (working) visa back then. But I'm very happy and settled here in Australia now.

Please don't get me wrong (and not that one country is better than the other), I'm just playing devil's advocate, but there are more opportunities there in America than here in Australia in terms of numbers. Australia's population is very tiny compared to the US. There are more nursing specialties there than here, like CNL, CNS. And in just 2 more years of studies you can be a Nurse Practitioner there.

I think what you should do for now is get your US RN licensure on your state of choice not by convenience, work for some time, at least 2 years, and see where you want to go from there - if you still want to go to Australia or not. Because it's too early to think about these things if you don't have your US RN licence in the first place. And if you do obtain a licence, and with some experience, Australian RN registration shouldn't be a problem - but finding work and sponsorship might!

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Thanks for the concern. You might be right. I might be making decisions to early. I should prepare for my licensure exam first. But Australia will still be an option for me :)

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Yes I'm a green card holder. I just recently submitted the papers for cgfns for NY state. How long does it take to process the NCLEX in oregon? 1 year of cgfns processing is way too long and lots of time wasted specially when you're a new grad. Its not like I'm gonna have a job right away after obtaining my license. Anyway, how did you apply for job in Australia? Since you're in the US, did you apply online or did you go directly applied there in person?

You should know that in order to qualify as a "new grad" job in the States, the applicant must have applied within one year of their graduation date, NOT the month and year of the passing of the NCLEX-RN and have from zero to less than one year of actual RN experience to be considered.

Here's a good read on being a "new grad" from a foreign country: Click on it:

https://allnurses.com/nurse-registration/new-grad-status-702252.html

So many of us international students are so far behind once we get the ATT and the competition is even tougher. But there have been a few lucky ones, in the state of TX.

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