RN in US moving to Australia

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I will be graduating with my BSN in December of 2012. I was wondering what all I needed to do to transfer my license from the US to Australia. I am planning to start the process as soon as I sit for the NCLEX and am granted a license. Also, what is the recommended visa for my situation? Does Australia require me to work for a certain period before transferring, or could I apply immediately?

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Specializes in Medical.

I'm going through a similar situation right now. You need to go to the AHPRA website: http://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/ AHPRA is the national nursing and midwifery board in Australia. Go there to get your international application and list of required documents. Now it depends on what your plan is in terms of immigration. Are you just looking to spend a year in Australia or do you want move more permanently here? I would go to http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/medical-practitioners/ to look at the various visa types. If your under 30yrs of age then it's easy to get a work and holiday visa, which allows you to work and stay up to a year, but can only work for one company for 6 months...a bit stupid if you ask me. However, a lot of hospitals are willing to sponsor a nurse for a more permanent position and that allows you to stay up to 4yrs. So you have time. Do your research. Since you will be a new nurse you should also look into the graduate nurse programs they offer at the hospitals. They are kind of like a year long paid internship that a lot of the new nurses and midwives do here in Australia...a bit different from the States. Also keep in mind that it may take a few months for your nursing registration to get processed.

Good Luck with everything!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, DSU, Ortho, Onc, Psych.

Yes as Leela said go to the AHPRA (Australian Health Practicioner Regulation Agency) website and also contact all the nursing agencies, as some will help you with sponsorship and all the paperwork. Do you want a work visa? Or are you planning to stay permanently?

You also need at LEAST 12 months experience as a nurse too, some places require you to have 2 years critical care experience as well as general 12 months nursing experience. Hospitals and agencies here won't take you without at least 12 months experience, though some agencies will take you WITHOUT experience if you do their Graduate Nurse Program (like your US internship for 12 months).

I'd be contacting all the agencies in the state you want to go to and go from there.

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Yes I was looking to stay there permanently. Do you guys have any recommendations on who I use as far as agencies? I would probably first come on a working holiday visa (to get my year of experience), then transition to a skilled migrant visa.

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Specializes in Medical.

There are tons of agencies. Pick the area that you want to live in and then just google search for agencies in that area. But many agencies may not take you if you don't have at least one years experience as Carol mentioned earlier. But contact them and see what they say. I'm not 100% sure but I think you may need to be outside of Australia to apply for the skilled migrant visa...but a immigration lawyer would know better then I.

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Specializes in Medical.

The best place to start is the Department of Immigration and Citizenship - the Visa Wizard helps you work out what visa/s you should apply for and will help get the bal rolling. Good luck :)

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Hello there,

i am going through a similiar situation right now. I wanted to know if you already moved to Australia. How was the process and which hospital sponsored you? I would really appreciate if you could reply at your earliest convenience :-)

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Rnmone, please send me a PM and i'd be glad to help you out! It's a long process, but it's definitely doable!

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Hello there, I dont quite understand PM? Can i have an email address so that I can email you? Id appreciate it so much! :-)

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Hi! Could you give me more info as well! I plan to do the same after I graduate :)

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As a new graduate, you should not get a sponsor if thats they way you hope to work in Australia, and graduate jobs are very hard to obtain for Australian graduates, I would consider getting some experience first....ie mental health and theatre, PACU are always being advertised as a general experienced nurse..difficult.

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Hey jgbriones, can you give me your email address? I cant PM here for some reason. Mine is [email protected].

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