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Australian visa options for nurses

Make your dream a reality - work as a nurse in Australia.

With more than twenty years’ experience in assisting healthcare professionals to relocate to Australia, Milne Migration is expert in providing professional advice about Australian visa options for nurses.

On 27 January 2025, the Australian Health Practitioners Registration Authority (AHPRA) announced a significant policy change. The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia introduced a new streamlined and simplified registration pathway for internationally trained registered nurses (IQRNs) commencing in April 2025.

While this is fantastic news for eligible IQRNs, it is important to recognise that professional registration is just the first step towards obtaining a job and visa to relocate to Australia, and that the new streamlined pathway is not available to all internationally trained nurses. For full details, you can review the press release provided by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia on the AHPRA website.

What are the eligibility criteria?

Eligibility to apply for professional registration via the new pathways is based on a nurses’ professional registration and work experience in NMBA-approved comparable jurisdictions, and will allow nurses who initially qualified in other jurisdictions but are now registered and practicing in an approved comparable jurisdiction to access the streamlined registration process.

The additional pathways recognise the experience of IQRNs who have practised for at least 1,800 hours (approx. one (1) year in NMBA-approved comparable jurisdictions.

What are the approved comparable jurisdictions

An NMBA-approved comparable jurisdiction has comparable regulatory approaches, standards for education and registration, processes and procedures for the registration of internationally qualified registered nurses. The approved jurisdictions include:
  • United Kingdom
  • Ireland
  • United States
  • Canadian provinces of British Columbia and Ontario
  • Singapore
  • Spain

Am I eligible?

In broad terms, eligibility has become about where you are have been assessed and registered to work rather than where you originally obtained your nursing qualification, and can be defined as follows:
  • You are Registered Nurse, and
  • you hold professional registration in an NMBA-approved comparable jurisdiction, and
  • you have completed a minimum of 1800 hours practice as a registered nurse in any of the NMBA-approved comparable jurisdictions since 1 January 2017, and
  • can provide a statement from each employer where all or part of the minimum 1,800 hours of practice has been completed that confirms that they are satisfied that the IQRN has the necessary knowledge, skills and ability to practise at the standard expected of a registered nurse by the regulatory authority of the NMBA-approved comparable jurisdiction.

If you meet all the above conditions, then you will be eligible to apply for professional registration as a Registered Nurse in Australia under the new streamlined pathways. If you obtained your nursing qualification in a country that is not an NMBA-approved comparable jurisdiction, then you will have to provide evidence of successful completion of a regulatory examination process for internationally qualified registered nurses in the relevant jurisdiction.

How can Milne Migration help you?

We can help make your dream of working as a nurse in Australia a reality and manage the entire process for you. We can even help you find a position.

Book a Consultation

Australian visa options for nurses

There are three primary pathways to obtaining a visa to work and live in Australia. Which pathway you choose will depend on your personal circumstances requirements, but no matter which way you choose, the first and most important step is to obtain professional registration with the AHPRA.

Independent Permanent Residency – Subclass 189

The Visa Subclass 189 requires:

  • Successful AHPRA application
  • Successful ANMAC outcome
  • Expression of Interest (EOI) application
  • Visa application

Employer Sponsored Permanent Residency – Subclass 186

The Visa Subclass 186 requires:

  • Successful AHPRA application
  • Successful ANMAC outcome
  • Job Offer
  • Employer sponsorship
  • Visa application

Temporary Residency Visa – Subclass 482

The Visa Subclass 482 requires:

  • Successful AHPRA application
  • Job Offer
  • Employer sponsorship
  • Visa application

Pros and Cons

Each visa pathway has both advantages and disadvantages, and you should seek professional advice before deciding which visa best suits your long term goals. Below is only a very brief summary and it is recommended to book a consultation to discuss in more depth.

Independent Permanent Residency
Subclass 189

Pros
  • No job offer required
  • Once granted, you have the freedom to live and work anywhere that an employment opportunity arises
  • Includes immediate family members
Cons
  • Uncertain time frame
  • Can take 12 months or more
  • High application fee
  • Visa fees are unlikely to be reimbursed by future employer

Employer Sponsored Permanent Residency – Subclass 186

Pros
  • Potentially a shorter time period compared to subclass 189
  • Includes immediate family members
  • Visa fees may be reimbursed by employer
Cons
  • Job offer required
  • Employer must agree to sponsor for permanent residency
  • Often contractually tied to employer for an extended period after grant

Skills in Demand Visa
Subclass 482

Pros
  • Fastest route to obtain a work visa
  • Does not require ANMAC assessment
  • Includes immediate family members
  • Visa fees may be reimbursed by employer
Cons
  • Job offer required
  • Employer must agree to sponsor
  • Permanent residency may not be offered for several years depending on employer policy

Please note that the above time frames are indicative only. The actual time taken will depend on your personal circumstances and department processing times.

While the above three options are the most common visa pathways, there are other options to consider that may better suit your circumstances.

The best pathway depends on your circumstances, and many factors impact what decision is best for you, so please book a consultant to receive professional advice on the best pathway for you.