The country “down under” needs skilled people to fill general care positions as well as specialty areas such as emergency room and anesthesia, midwifery, cardiac care, rehabilitation and other skills. Medical workers from other countries will find it relatively simple to search for jobs.
Begin by looking for jobs online. Placement agencies, job boards and recruitment companies can be found online by simply placing the term nursing jobs Australia in the search engine. One agency that can be found under Nursing Work Australia recently advertised 200 nursing jobs in and around Sydney. Some agencies will travel to your home country to conduct interviews while searching for good candidates.
The country requires overseas all workers to obtain a work visa in order to be legally employed. Medical workers must apply for a visa if they were trained outside the country, or if they are were trained in the country, but are not permanent residents. Because of the great need for medical professionals, immigration authorities gives priority to their visa applications. While obtaining a visa can often take a year or more, visas for healthcare workers may be expedited and obtained in a much shorter period. Medical professionals can apply for a visa while residing in their home country or obtain one while visiting overseas.
Various types of visas are available. A temporary visa allows you to work for up to four years if you are sponsored by an employer. The Skilled Migration program allows you to work without a sponsor if you pass tests conducted by the Australia Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMC). The ANMC conducts skills assessments of nurses who want to migrate and work in Australia.
The country requires that applicants follow additional steps to be allowed to work. Nurses must pass a basic health exam and have achieved a particular level of skill and education to be eligible for nursing positions. Before beginning work, each must register with a special regulatory body that oversees the Territory where they will work.
Trained general care professionals earn average salaries of about $62,000 annually, with some making up to $71,000 according to the website, MyCareer.com. Management or specialist positions are likely to earn more. Cardiac experts, hygienists, and those who direct a department have the potential to earn between $120,000 and $200,000 annually.
Overseas applicants should be aware that accepting jobs overseas may involve additional personal costs such as plane fare, moving expenses and the cost of obtaining a work visa. Some employers may offer to pay relocation expenses and even offer free rent to help attract qualified workers.
