US nurse registered in NZ wanting to move to Australia...

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Cardiovascular and thoracic,.

where do I start? Seems like it should be a pretty easy thing to get reciprocal registration. I am a permanent resident of New Zealand, and have been working here as a nurse for the past year and a half. I worked continuously as a nurse in the US (30+ years.). So, the obvious problem for me might be my age - I'm 54 years old.

My partner is a New Zealand citizen with PR in Australia, but he hasn't been able to find a job despite his best efforts, in the last year. I love living in New Zealand and working in a little hospital, but we aren't getting to any of our goals on my salary alone, so time has come to look at moving somewhere where there is opportunity for him to find work at a reasonable salary. (Working for low wages is just not what he wants to do here!) He has worked in Australia before and made good money and had plenty of work. (He interviewed here for a petrol tanker driving job - paying about $24NZD/hr. He was making much more than that less than two years ago driving a swing lifter in Australia.) He wants to go back to Melbourne but as we have no children living with us, we are open to working just about anywhere.

Any advice? I've looked at websites but can't really get a grasp on whether or not I can just do the application and get registration reciprocally with Australia, or if I need a job offer, or what. It's looking like my age is going to be the biggest problem. I'm obviously fit and healthy and work on a general ward with A&E duties, as well, in a small rural hospital, plus hospital, home care and health insurance industry experience in the states. Think anyone will want to hire this ancient nurse?

Thanks in advance for all the input!

Sue

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Specializes in Surgical, quality,management.

If you want to go into the big city hospital again I know Royal Melbourne is recruiting all over especially in their medical assessment / short stay unit. It is part of the ED kind of. Otherwise for a smaller hospital how small are you looking? Try looking at Gelong / Atchuha (think I spelled that right!) /Wangaretta / Golden Vale. will have a look at my handover sheet when I go to work today and see where we have people sent from.

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Geelong biggest Victorian 'regional' city, very busy next to Melbourne, Echuca up on Victorian and NSW border on the Murray River, Wangaratta- 1/3 way up Hume highway towards Sydney, have not heard of Golden Vale. Ha Ha love it :hug:

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Cardiovascular and thoracic,.

My thanks for these suggestions! Big or small, any size hospital will do. That Medical Assessment/Short Stay Unit sounds interesting. But, where do I start the process for registration? Apparently there are two ways to have reciprocal registration but can't seem to find out the difference. Plus, from looking at different websites, some still are listing the different licensing agencies in each state, and I was pretty sure everything has been combined so there is one licensure for the whole country, or am I wrong about that?

It could be, after going through the hassle with the New Zealand Nursing Council and the department of immigration to get PR in NZ, I just don't have the patience to dig around and find the info, anymore! :hdvwl:

Sue

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rest assured as a part kiwi, I would think it would be a walk in the park to be legally living in Australia. I know kiwi citizens have no problems whatsoever, though I think if you want to join the army, airforce etc. you have to become an Aussie these days.

AHPRA - AHPRA Home

this is the website for nurses rego. google new zealand pr in australia and see what that brings up. Not sure if they need some stamp in their passports these days to stay in Australia, thats kiwis of course.

The Aphra site has information for New Zealand nurses.

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