Interested in Australia

Keep in mind Australia is a BIG country. It is quicker to fly to New Zealand from Sydney than it is to fly to Perth from Sydney! So don't expect to see a large part of the country on your days off! With that said there is still plenty to see and do around Sydney and Perth. Sydney is much bigger than Perth and it is easier to access more of the east coast. However Perth and WA in general also have much to offer. Working full time means 80 hours per fortnight - how many days you actually work will depend on the length of your shift. Where I work we have 8 and 10 hours shifts in the ORS, the ward shifts are 8 hours, but some of the ICU shifts are 12 hours. Enjoy your time in the land of OZ wherever you decide to go.

Hello,

As a Melbournian I feel a bit insulted that we aren't even in the running! It is a great place!! I would probably choose somewhere on the east coast as its much easier and cheaper to travel up and down the country than to travel across it. I'd also recommend taking up short contracts so u can really get to know the place and people and get a feel for what it is like to actually "live" there. Sydney is full to bursting with tons of people on working holidays (millions of nurses) from England, Ireland and all over the world so it's not hard to meet people. Although, when I did a working holiday in the UK I made a real effort NOT to just hang out with other Aussies and Kiwis as I could do that at home! Good luck with your decision and hope u have a ball!!!!

What is a fortnight?

What is the average pay for nurses in Oz?

hello,

i am from the us and have been living in melbourne for three years. sydney is more 'american' than melb, but this is a great place, and there are tons of nursing jobs.

good luck and enjoy you oz adventure.

lava rn

a fortnight ( i had to ask the same question) is every two weeks. i am making a little under $30au per hour.

lava rn

us to australia

I am a US nurse and was in Australia for 17-weeks. Australia is huge and most of it is uninhabitated desert. Perth is a long way from anywhere. I repeat, it is a long way from anywhere. Sydney is only a short flight to Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Cairns, etc. Perth is a 4-hour flight to anywhere. Melbourne has a strong union (at least it did, but Howard is working to ruin that) with great pay and patient ratios.

You do not need a recruiter. Eliminate the middle man. You can get a job with an agency or a hospital on your own. You will need to work full time and your visa is employer specific. If you get a job working 12-hour shifts, you will have lots of time to travel. The visa paperwork is easy, but you will need a physical, chest xray, hep test and HIV test.

Thanks for all the info. Perth is out, but now i'm torn between Sydney and Melbourne! :uhoh21: You mentioned to eliminate the middle man? Is it easy to do everything without a recruiter? I basically rely on them since I have no clue to start with anything.

hi im a newly graduate nurse in the philippines and i wanted to go and work in australia in the future but i don't know where to start.i am planning to take my ielts maybe next month but unfortunately i don't know where to go from there.like should i apply for a tourist visa and look for an employer to petition me or pass my documents to the hospital and wait for their petitions while i am in the philippines or look for an agency who can help me etc. what are the documents i need, should it be sealed?do i need and application form?

please help me..thank you..

Melbourne and Sydney have a great rivalry. If you're from Melbourne you think it's much better, and vice versa! Sydney is a more beautiful city - flashy, expensive, gorgeous. Melbourne is the plain younger sister, but is cheaper to live, and lots of live music, great restaurants, plenty to see and do.

Basically, either is good, but it's only an hour's flight, so whichever you choose doesn't really matter, it just depends on your interests and personal preferences.

Good luck, let us know what you choose.