New grad Filipino nurse wanting to work in Australia/New Zealand

mcruz924 · Aug 26, 2008

so aside from having a band score of 7 in IELTS, one needs to be a staff nurse and at least a year of experience to be qualified for the competency assessment program?

gingerbreadman0214 · Aug 27, 2008

yo, gwapalicious! please do tel us fresh grads how to make it to new zealand and eventually australia. is experience required? do we hav to be a university graduate? do we nid to go through a bridging course in NZ too? how much do we hav to spend? or you can just giv us a link dat wud discuss all of these.

tnx a bunch

take care and Godspeed:grad:

Aelith · Aug 27, 2008

new zealand's nurses and midwives board require you to provide evidence of practice for the past 3 years prior to application. you can check their site at :http://www.nursingcouncil.org.nz/reg.html#other

they will advise you if you need to undergo a bridging program or not. however, in most cases of overseas trained nurses, they require them to undergo the said program. fees range from 4000-6000 nzd.

in australia though, there is no specific rule that you should have a related experience before you apply for registration. although, those who have experience are asked to provide evidence. to confirm this, you can check with the respective state registration authority where you intend to register. each state has its own rules and regulations and it may vary from state to state.

also, australia will soon have a national regulating authority for registration of nurses and midwives which will be effective on july 2010. it is my understanding that the current state registering authorities will cease their function upon commencement of the national regulating authority. it is still not clear what changes will be made regarding the registration process and courses offered by universities.

so, in australia you have two choices: enroll in a pre-registered course or register directly (may or may not be required to undergo an assessment program).

both choices are expensive and would require a lot of time and effort. there is really no easy way in any country. the best thing to do is to sit down and ponder on which path you would want to take. consider carefully the pros and cons of all of your options. do a lot of reading as this really helps. also, you may want to contact the regulating bodies or universities or any other person or agent that may help you with your decision. i have been doing all those for months now and i found all of them very accommodating. they were all very kind and would gladly answer all of your questions if they can. the best part is they reply promptly. :up:

just a tip: applications for australia and new zealand can be done on your own. an agent or agency is not really necessary. however, if you have the cash and if you feel you need help from a professional then you may opt to consult migration agents regarding your case and they can be found anywhere in australia and around the world. choose your agent well tho. there are free assessments and there are also paid assessments. the fee for assessments varies accordingly but you can expect to pay around 50-150 aud per assessment. this will give you somehow a better picture of your choices. they will explain to you the chance of your application and would provide you alternative options if your case is not suitable or not strong enough for your desired visa application. they can also give you an idea about the average processing time for the specific visa you require.

if there's anything else you would like to be clarified or if there's any other info you want, just tell me and i'll try and share with you what i know. i am by the way in the same boat (going for australia and have zero experience )

gingerbreadman0214 · Aug 27, 2008

wow...i really appreciate the help. i guess you really do understand my predicament. thank you really for your compassion. i'll take all of your advices in consideration. expect that i'll turn to you for inquiries.

are you, by any chance, also a fellow asian? just asking.

give me some links where i can get some more information on getting hired in australia, specifically queensland. and maybe i can help you in return and we can both make it in australia.

i'll check out the lead you've just given me. 'til my next inquiry.

thanks again. take care & Godbless. :cool:

u really make a good nurse, compassionate and all.:wink2:

Aelith · Aug 27, 2008

I am a Filipino or should I say a Filipina So, YES I'm really on the same boat with many of the Filipino nurses here :) And thanks for the kind words :)

I may seem calm in my posts but deep inside I'm really a mess - overly confused as to what I'm going to do and which path to take ahah :chuckle. Okay! Now for your queries...

Getting a job in Queensland.

Obviously, we all need to have a license first then we could practice anywhere in Australia. In Queensland, they have two options - Modules or the Challenge Test. The Challenge test is much much cheaper however, you need to be really prepared because you can only take it once. Meaning if you fail, you're done. The challenge test has 2 parts: Part A - Theory & Part B - Clinical. In order for you to proceed with Part B, you must first pass Part A.

On the other hand, if you think you are not that prepared or confident enough to take the Challenge test, you may want to take the Modules. There are 4 modules.

This is the site for the Modules and Challenge Test:

http://cas.cqu.edu.au/FCWViewer/view.do;jsessionid=8a4d179b30da36e8deb10ac74187820d9e49d600c87c.e34MaxeRbhuObi0LaNeQah4KchyRe6fznA5Pp7ftolbGmkTy?page=620

As for work, there are many nursing agencies in Australia that can help you find work and help you with the sponsorship. Here is the website of Australian Association of Nursing Recruitment Agencies: http://www.rcsa.com.au/aanra/

You can contact all the agencies if you want. :chuckle

Visa Processing takes time so I hope you take note of that part too. :) Most people think everything will just be done fast but sad to say that's not always the case.

The whole bridging program process which includes the application to QNMB, application for the Challenge test or Modules, visa application for Australia (for the clinical component), waiting times for results and preparation of needed documents, will take you approximately a year. (N.B. this is just an estimate and it can be done in a few months or more than a year depending on your case and how fast you can process the required documents)

The sponsorship may also take a year or so. But if they can process it faster then that's so so much better lol :yeah: .

Anyway, I guess it's better than nothing at all ay? :wink2:

mcruz924 · Aug 27, 2008

hello aelith! would you know if there's a way to fly out of the philippines without any hospital experience? im a fresh board passer. the only experience i have with regards to practice is my RLE. and with the country producing about 50k nurses a year, it is sooooo hard to find a job.

Aelith · Aug 27, 2008

You can go anywhere as long as you have the cash. In Australia you can study again for 2 years if you like and be registered there after. You will also be eligible for a permanent visa if you finish a 2 year course. You can do the same in UK and Canada. But it is very expensive so that is the major problem.

If you also have relatives abroad, that would help you too. You can try other related jobs while you're abroad. This may not count as experience but if you're desperate for a good source of income then why not try something else right? You can also try passing your resume to clinics/schools/day cares. Try contacting hospitals directly as some offer training for newly grad students.

You need to find what options are available for you. Consider your budget too. Also, migrating abroad is not an easy task and it is accomplished that fast. It takes a whole lot of time really. You can ask everyone you know for help or update on jobs. But most of the effort should come from you if you really want to be successful in your endeavor either in Philippines or abroad. :)

gingerbreadman0214 · Aug 28, 2008

I am a Filipino or should I say a Filipina So, YES I'm really on the same boat with many of the Filipino nurses here :) And thanks for the kind words :)
I may seem calm in my posts but deep inside I'm really a mess - overly confused as to what I'm going to do and which path to take ahah :chuckle. Okay! Now for your queries...
Getting a job in Queensland.
Obviously, we all need to have a license first then we could practice anywhere in Australia. In Queensland, they have two options - Modules or the Challenge Test. The Challenge test is much much cheaper however, you need to be really prepared because you can only take it once. Meaning if you fail, you're done. The challenge test has 2 parts: Part A - Theory & Part B - Clinical. In order for you to proceed with Part B, you must first pass Part A.
On the other hand, if you think you are not that prepared or confident enough to take the Challenge test, you may want to take the Modules. There are 4 modules.
This is the site for the Modules and Challenge Test:
http://cas.cqu.edu.au/FCWViewer/view.do;jsessionid=8a4d179b30da36e8deb10ac74187820d9e49d600c87c.e34MaxeRbhuObi0LaNeQah4KchyRe6fznA5Pp7ftolbGmkTy?page=620
As for work, there are many nursing agencies in Australia that can help you find work and help you with the sponsorship. Here is the website of Australian Association of Nursing Recruitment Agencies: http://www.rcsa.com.au/aanra/
You can contact all the agencies if you want. :chuckle
Visa Processing takes time so I hope you take note of that part too. :) Most people think everything will just be done fast but sad to say that's not always the case.
The whole bridging program process which includes the application to QNMB, application for the Challenge test or Modules, visa application for Australia (for the clinical component), waiting times for results and preparation of needed documents, will take you approximately a year. (N.B. this is just an estimate and it can be done in a few months or more than a year depending on your case and how fast you can process the required documents)
The sponsorship may also take a year or so. But if they can process it faster then that's so so much better lol .
Anyway, I guess it's better than nothing at all ay? :wink2:

hi, aelith! if you're a filipina & still looking for a way to australia, then i assume you're in the philippines. so, a pleasant good morning to you!

i'm using the pc in the office i'm working in.

being on the same boat and experiencing being lost on our way going to our chosen career, i guess you're as gratuitous as i am of this website/forum. eh?:wink2: we actually got some strength, not just info, to continue pursuing our elusive(?) career objective from amongst ourselves here in this forum. and, i really thank you for being one of those that helped me first to stand up and go for it again. let's hang on to each other as well as to the other members on this forum and hope for the best.:wink2:

thanks again

take care & Godspeed:cool:

Aelith · Aug 28, 2008

I am a Filipina but I am not currently residing in the Philippines. And what a coincidence, I'm working in the office too lol :yeah: . That's the effect of the ever increasing pool of registered nurses in the Philippines. Only a few of my colleagues are actually practicing nursing in the country as most have been working in a different field. The problem is, you need money to get out of the country and it's just so hard to get a job in the Philippines. So, in short most of the graduates are stuck in the Philippines and most are jobless. Sad reality. I'm trying to help the people I know as much as I can but can't help financially

I really miss nursing and I want to go back to my dear profession

Better days will come.

gingerbreadman0214 · Aug 28, 2008

I am a Filipina but I am not currently residing in the Philippines. And what a coincidence, I'm working in the office too lol . That's the effect of the ever increasing pool of registered nurses in the Philippines. Only a few of my colleagues are actually practicing nursing in the country as most have been working in a different field. The problem is, you need money to get out of the country and it's just so hard to get a job in the Philippines. So, in short most of the graduates are stuck in the Philippines and most are jobless. Sad reality. I'm trying to help the people I know as much as I can but can't help financially
I really miss nursing and I want to go back to my dear profession
Better days will come.

you miss nursing... i miss medicine and nursing.

just to share with you, being complimented as "heaven sent" by one of my patients/clients made me realize how powerful a simple gesture as spending time with an ailing cancer patient is, just talking about things. i was a med student back then and i brought that with me to nursing. i would've done a lot being a physician. not being able to finish med school, i intend and hope to give the same compassion as a nurse. noble profession we chose, we can't practice. it may be a large part about money, but what i said in the interview that got me into med school before: "i wanted to help...", it was sincere. and that's what makes me sad.

but compassion should not just start and end there, eh? :wink2:

btw, what country are you residing in?

gingerbreadman0214 · Aug 29, 2008

something just struck me...how about caregiving or working in hospice/care homes/institutions as a caregiver in queensland? could do it as a first step?

Aelith · Aug 29, 2008

I am in the Middle east now.

Caregiver or Assistant in Nursing you mean? You can do that ,however, you still need a visa that will permit you to work. As far as I know, that would not count as an experience for a registered nurse. But you can work your way to nursing by studying again. You can start as an assistant in nursing then become an enrolled nurse then work your way to become a RN. Or you can start as an assistant in nursing then enroll in a pre-registered nursing degree to become a RN.

But like what I said before, you will still need a visa that will allow you to work and/or study. You can choose to study now and apply for a student's visa but it is really expensive that is why most are aiming for the bridging program which is so so much cheaper. If you really want to study, there's a scholarship program however, you will be required to go back to your own country after you graduate - which I'm sure is not what you want. :)