New Midwife from USA moving to Melbourne

[Leela81]

Hi,

I recently graduated as a certified nurse midwife in the USA and I'm making the move to Melbourne, Australia because my honey lives there. I've been trying to get registered as a division 1 nurse and midwife since May 2010 but have gotten caught in the transition to a national board. Needless to say it's taking a long time and I'm still waiting. Going to arrive in November regardless of registration but hopefully by then or shortly after I will become registered. Planning to arrive on a Working and Holiday visa that allows me to work and stay for a year. The catch is that I can only work for upto 6months for one agency/organization. So, I'm hoping that I can get sponsered with a 457 visa by a hospital.

I'm worried about being a new grad midwife and what kind of orientation I will get. It's typical for Australian new midwives to do a New Grad program for a year, however I don't know if I will be eligible for this program or if a hospital will be willing to sponsor me for this program. I attempted to apply for a new grad program thru the Sunshine hospital but they aren't able to sponsor international applicants.

I would love any advice regarding these issues. If anyone has been sponsered on a 457 visa, how long did it take for you to get your visa? Was it a pretty easy process?

[K+MgSO4, BSN]

Hi I will post in a day or two when I am not so cranky :)

[K+MgSO4, BSN]

HI there

I initially cam to Australia on a Working Holiday Maker Visa backpacked and then did agency work in NSW. However in VIC it is a bit different you get paid by the agency but the agencies know how to get around a lot of the loop holes :)

I have experience so I was probably more attractive as an employment option. I applied for a job at the Royal Melbourne and asked them to sponsor me on a 457. I had no problems and very little paperwork to do to transfer from my WHM visa to a temporary, long stay business visa (457). All the stuff that you need to apply for rego and your job should cover it. Could you come over on a prospective marriage visa or a de facto partner visa? This would make you more attractive to employers.

As a RN i'm not sure what is the norm for midwives in regards to grad programs as most of them have done their RN already.

Not sure if this has answered your questions. Just post if you have more. Best of luck.

KM