Meeting AHPRA requirements as a International Trained Nurse from the Philippines

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its not true. you have to undergone AHPRA approved bridging program

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hi.. is it true that when an internationally trained nurse (non-Irish) who has undergone an adaptation in Ireland and has worked there in two years may automatically be endorsed as a registered nurse to Australia? just heard it from a friend of mine, googled it but found nothing written about it so far.

its not true. you have to undergo AHPR Aapproved bridging program

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Hi everyone!

I am new to this forum and I would like to thank everybody who's giving their insights on the process of applying for registration in Australia. I have just recently passed my IELTS exam and would like to start my application too. If you could spare me an ounce of your time as well, can you kindly advise me which is the next step to take? I have read the APHRA website as well. Is it correct that it's the AGOS-40 form that I must use for obtaining my eligibility letter? Thanks in advance!

hi, have you started with your application? do you mind add me on fb so I could ask for some updates. I am as well starting with the documents. thanks. [email protected]

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Hi all. Anyone who will have his/her bridging program at IHNA this coming May (Heidelberg)? I am looking for classmates. Thanks.

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Hi am there for may intake at Melbourne....may I know your name

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Hi everyone! Someone told me that the cogs from PRC must be in sealed envelope? Mine was not sealed at all. Will it matter?

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Hi ohnodimple. I received an email from my RO and she is asking for my COGS (i think the one from NMC but as per tracking, it is on it's way) and my UNi docs. I have until Oct 24 to comply.

With regards to criterion 3, did your Uni provide the document or you have to chase the authority or agency that accredited the module/course?

Criterion 3: Evidence of program of study accreditation: please complete the document provided in the link below. Send this document to the independent professional regulatory authority or agency that accredited the program of study you completed and request that they provide the response directly to AHPRA as soon as possible. Request for accreditation evidence - program of study

Thanks!

Hi,

My RO is asking for this document as well for Criterion 3.How did you manage this with the NMC?

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hi classmate pearlzzzz. my name's aries. can I get your email so that I can contact you personally? sorry for the late reply.

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Specializes in Perioperative.

Hi yuanC.

Yes, it does matter. Unsealed letter means it is tampered and will then become invalid. When you get the COGS from PRC, proceed to a DHL branch in front of PRC. Just say to the staff there that you are going to send it to AHPRA; they already know what to do.

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Specializes in Perioperative.
Hi everyone! Someone told me that the cogs from PRC must be in sealed envelope? Mine was not sealed at all. Will it matter?

Hi yuanC.

Yes, it does matter. Unsealed letter means it is tampered and will then become invalid. When you get the COGS from PRC, proceed to a DHL branch in front of PRC. Just say to the staff there that you are going to send it to AHPRA; they already know what to do.

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Specializes in Perioperative.
Hi everyone!

I am new to this forum and I would like to thank everybody who's giving their insights on the process of applying for registration in Australia. I have just recently passed my IELTS exam and would like to start my application too. If you could spare me an ounce of your time as well, can you kindly advise me which is the next step to take? I have read the APHRA website as well. Is it correct that it's the AGOS-40 form that I must use for obtaining my eligibility letter? Thanks in advance!

Hi fayefaj21, RN.

I would like to share to you and to others who are just starting and don't know where to begin.

Before applying for AHPRA registration, first, you must meet the mandatory registration requirements for those seeking initial registration: see Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia - Registration Standards

1. Criminal History – see Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency - International criminal history checks on how to apply for International Criminal History Check (ICHC). 


2. English Language Skills – see Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia - English language skills to view detailed information about English language skill requirement. 


3. Recency of Practice – see Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia - Recency of practice to view detailed information about recency of practice requirement. 


4. Professional Indemnity Insurance Arrangements – see Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia - Professional indemnity insurance arrangements to more about PII arrangements. You have to commit in having a PII before you can work as RN (the employers usually handles this but you can have your own PII provided that it covers everything in AHPRA's standard). Therefore, you do not need to accomplish this for now. 


Download, print, and fill out the AGOS-40 form (for internationally qualified nurses). You can find it here: Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia - Forms

The list of documents that you need to provide is at the last pages of AGOS-40 and guidelines in certifying documents to be submitted can be found here: Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency - Certifying Documents.

In order for us to be accepted for registration, our application will be assessed against the 8 Qualification Criteria for internationally qualified RNs (aside from passing the IELTS and no criminal history). See Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia - Meeting the registration requirements. From my experience, we only need to meet criteria 1, 4, 5, and 7 at least to be referred to a NMBA-approved bridging program. Criteria 2, 3, 6, and 8 on the other hand are the reasons why we must undergo BP to be on par with the Australian standard of nursing education.

When all of the requirements have been met, you can now send the completed AGOS-40 form together with the supporting documents to the AHPRA office of your choice. You can lodge your application to any of these 8 offices: Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency - Contact us. If you are going to send through DHL or any courier service use their street addresses. On the other hand, if you are going to send using Philpost, use the PO box addresses. AHPRA will then send you an email when they have received your application. A registration officer will be assigned to you and will notify you through email (although most of the registration officers will just notify when they need something). After their assessment of your application, they will email you about the outcome and if you are being referred to a bridging program, a letter referring you to a bridging program will be attached.

The AHPRA referral letter will then be submitted together with other required enrollment documents to the accredited school of your choice. See Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency - Approved Programs of Study for list of accredited schools. After the application has been settled, the school will give you a letter of acceptance. Now, you can apply for an Australian visa (see https://www.border.gov.au). There are only two visas most commonly used (as far as I know): the Visitor visa (subclass 600) and the Student visa (subclass 500). Note: student visa is only granted for those who will undergo a course of more than 3 months. I used this Visa Finder in Australia's immigration site: https://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visa-1.

Below are the list of bridging schools by state:

1. NSW

- ACN, 11 weeks

- ETEA, 12 weeks

2. VIC

- ACFE, 12 weeks

- Deakin University, 10 weeks

- ETEA, 12 weeks

- IHNA, 9 weeks

- La Trobe University, 13 weeks

- Lonsdale University, 12 weeks

- Monash University, 12 weeks

3. WA

- IHNA, 9 weeks

4. QLD

- Southern Cross University, 12 weeks

5. SA

- University of South Australia, 24 weeks

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Specializes in Perioperative.
hi.. is it true that when an internationally trained nurse (non-Irish) who has undergone an adaptation in Ireland and has worked there in two years may automatically be endorsed as a registered nurse to Australia? just heard it from a friend of mine, googled it but found nothing written about it so far.

Hi maanski.

The NMBA has found that nursing and midwifery qualifications issued by education institutions in the countries listed below are likely to meet the requirements for criteria 2 and 3 because there are systems of regular external review (as described above) that have been in place for more than 10 years as part of the regulatory framework for education institutions and nursing education programs and are applied broadly to all education institutions offering nursing and/or midwifery qualifications:

1. Canada (nursing)

2. Hong Kong (nursing)

3. Republic of Ireland (nursing and midwifery)

4. United Kingdom (nursing and midwifery)

5. United States of America (nursing and midwifery)

Applicants who hold a nursing or midwifery qualification issued by an education institution in any of the countries listed above should still arrange for the relevant supporting documentation to be sent directly to AHPRA from the education institution (for criterion 2) and the authority or agency responsible for the accreditation or recognition of your program of study (for criterion 3). This documentation is necessary to confirm that your particular qualification and education institution were accredited at the time you studied.

The NMBA cannot determine conclusively whether or not a nursing or midwifery qualification meets the requirements for criteria 2 and 3 unless this documentation is provided. If you do not provide this information the NMBA will determine that your qualification does not meet the requirements and you will not be registered.

Source: Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia - Accreditation requirements of the qualification assessment model

This means, you still have to pass the necessary documents in order for them to decide whether or not you meet the requirements.

You can also find the registration requirements here: Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia - Meeting the registration requirements

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