Moving to Australia upon graduation

K+MgSO4, BSN · Jan 28, 2013

it is going to be difficult without experience as jobs are starting to dry up. The state of victoria is in the throes of cutbacks. my ward closes indefinatly in a week. staff are being retrenched.

You can apply for both visa and rego at the same time I believe

joanna73, BSN, RN · Jan 28, 2013

Most facilities expect at least a year of experience, as their own local grads are having difficulty finding work. New grad means you require training, which they will not want to do. I wouldn't suggest going through all the paperwork and moving at this stage. You are going to have a hard time of it. Best to get some experience first.

Bringonthenight · Jan 28, 2013

You will have an extremely hard time finding work. Have you done any research in this huge plan or are you just attracted by the "australian lifestyle" of beaches and sunshine? I'm not trying to sound rude but as already mentioned in previous posts, the job market in Aus for nurses is terrible right now. The public systems are making huge cutbacks including laying off countless EXPERIENCED nurses forcing entire wards to be closed down. New graduate programs a now incredibly hard to get accepted into and incredibly competitive, as the public systems aren't hiring so there's an incredible surplus of graduates applying for private system jobs.

There isn't work for Australian new graduates, and experiencec Australian nurses, what makes you think your going to get hired?

Again not trying to sound rude, just trying to shed some reality onto what seems like a completely uneducated or planned career move.

vgriggs · Jan 28, 2013

You will have an extremely hard time finding work. Have you done any research in this huge plan or are you just attracted by the "australian lifestyle" of beaches and sunshine? I'm not trying to sound rude but as already mentioned in previous posts, the job market in Aus for nurses is terrible right now. The public systems are making huge cutbacks including laying off countless EXPERIENCED nurses forcing entire wards to be closed down. New graduate programs a now incredibly hard to get accepted into and incredibly competitive, as the public systems aren't hiring so there's an incredible surplus of graduates applying for private system jobs.
There isn't work for Australian new graduates, and experiencec Australian nurses, what makes you think your going to get hired?
Again not trying to sound rude, just trying to shed some reality onto what seems like a completely uneducated or planned career move.

I have beautiful beaches all along California as well as north and South Carolina. I'm also from Hawaii so if its beach living I want I could go there. Australia is the only country I have yet to visit. You see I served in my country's Military Navy for 10 years and enjoy being over seas. Oh BTW I got six, 6, emails from hospitals that will sponsor me for wen I move. Maybe I'm more competitive than you so if you can't find a job that's not my problem. Maybe you should change countries :-) have a great day!

vgriggs · Jan 28, 2013

Most facilities expect at least a year of experience as their own local grads are having difficulty finding work. New grad means you require training, which they will not want to do. I wouldn't suggest going through all the paperwork and moving at this stage. You are going to have a hard time of it. Best to get some experience first.[/quote']
Thanks joanna73, it's a great insight from someone already there.

vgriggs · Jan 28, 2013

Hello everyone I will be graduating nursing school and will be moving to Australia. I do have plans to take my NCLEX in my home state of Texas and once I pass and receive my license I want to start to make the move. I know I can apply for a skilled work visa and I also need to apply to AHPRA for registration in Australia but are there any suggestions on how to do it different, or even if i'm in the wrong order? Can I apply for the visa and registration at the same time? I also look on seek.com/au to see all the nursing jobs available. Any help guys would be greatly appreciated! Thanks all!!![/quote']
Lol I think bringonthenight is a little jealous of me

K+MgSO4, BSN · Jan 28, 2013

No she is not being disgruntled she is being blunt and honest as Aussies are renown to be.

all these magical hospitals where are they can I ask? I have worked agency for 3 months for 1 hospital and got offered a job there and at the Base hospital just by interacting with them via telephone. Problem? the base hospital was in a town 10 hours away from Sydney and calling it a town may of been a strong word. the rural hospital was nice however the people my age had either left to go to uni and work in Sydney or had left school at 15 and were on their 3rd child at the age of 24 - not a problem per say but they could not understand why I was working when I could be on the dole.

The issue that both I and bringonthenight have is that our union is fighting desperately to get our home grown graduates into grad programs which are being cut left right and center Also the fact that come 4th Feb the ward that I opened 2 years ago is being shut down with a loss of 25 inpt beds bites close when it is your job on the line as well as 40 other friends and colleagues EVERY health service in Victoria is doing it tough, therefore every nurse in Victoria working in the public health service is living with the anxiety that their job could be the next one to go. Federal Government Health Cuts Close Beds Cost Jobs

Delays in surgery likely with federal health cuts

Health care in Australia is different to the US. It is state run for the majority and every resident and citizen is entitled to free health care. The public system is where you want to be to advance in your career, not some private hospital..............you know what happens to the pts that are too sick for the private hospital? they come to us in the public where we have the skills and the experience to look after them.

vgriggs · Jan 28, 2013

Gold Coast and all you have to do is apply like I did. I am a blunt person as well. Jus because I am American does not mean I won't say what I think or feel. Our Healt systems are not to far behind yours an in a few years we will be on the same page. To assume someone is coming there because they are attracted to the lifestyle and beaches as well as saying I am making an uneducated unplanned move you do not know me is very disgruntled. I have 2 associate degrees as well as a bachelorette so adding to my resume with an RN is icing on the cake. My decision to move is very educated... You can be Blunt Aussie without attacking someone personally.

ceridwyn · Jan 28, 2013

Hope it all goes as planned.Signed....d..b Aussie

Hope you can cope with 3 day orientations and hope you have worked in the English system so that you may have some idea on the differences in drug names and how things are ordered differently than the US system. That's just a small area of the care difference.

RNs do everything here, no Iv therapist no fancy medication system and we must be culturally sensitive,that means thinking about what you say and do to others, through what we know of their lived experience.

The nurses you have answered are under much stress and worry for their jobs and answered your post as they see it at this time here in Australia....lived experience.

Their posts did not solicit rude comments about their lived experience and observations.

btw what bachelorette degree do you have? :) and that is all the Gold Coast is, beaches, shopping centres, sunshine, and a lot of rain and warm temperatures and lots of people and tourists +++++, and lots of immigrants trying to find work, not indicative of the real, Australia at all, I would go elswhere.

Sezza83, BSN, RN · Jan 29, 2013

Hi vriggs,

I wish you all the luck with your career in OZ. I don't think they other posters are meaning to rude but just telling it how it is. Everyone is worried about their jobs. There have been budget cuts everywhere.

Out of interest what type of jobs have you been offered? Be cautious with rural jobs because rural in Australia REALLY means rural. As in, your the only nurse for thousands of kms. The only way to get patients out is by plane and you're expected to know & do everything.

If its agency nursing you will have no orientation what so ever & expected to work shifts at the last minute at all different hospitals.

APRHA (the nursing board) is going to stop letting international nurses registered without previous experience so you might be better to get a few years experience under your belt.

Good luck.

Bringonthenight · Jan 29, 2013

My post wasn't intended to offend. It was simply a concerned post trying to highlight the nursing crisis Australia is currently in- if my honesty offended the OP I apologise. This forum constantly has foreign new graduates or nursing students with dreams of moving to Australia, yet so many refuse to research what it is actually like to work here right now.

I currently am employed in the private system so my job is secure for now. Though I know so many in the public system who have been or who are facing termination. Their wards even closing, it's really sad. I also know many AUSTRALIAN new graduates who were educated in this country and did not secure any graduate program as the public system only offered a handful of positions, forcing a surplus of applicants onto a private system that could not provide everyone with a job.

Though I do congratulate you on getting 6 job offers as a foreign nursing student, that's really impressive good work. Be warned though, the Gold Coast is a crime city, it's not the paradise it used to be; but with your military background, i'm sure you'll be fine. Also it's all beaches and sunshine at GC, something you mentioned you weren't interested in, something about California having beaches and sunshine?

And lastly what am I jealous of? I have a job in this great country, and even though the Australian nursing crisis is bad, the US crisis is much worse.

Good luck with your move and be prepared that what you mistake "offensive" conversation is just how Aussies talk to one another. All the best!