An Overview of Nursing in Australia:
⦁ The Career Pathway
⦁ Salary of Nurses in Australia
⦁ Working Conditions
⦁ How to Apply as a Nurse in Australia
⦁ FAQs
AUSTRALIA — the Land Down Under, is a country with magnificent landscapes and endless job opportunities for foreign nurses. Are you a foreign nurse who wants to work and live in Australia? You are a step closer to your dream by reading this post.
our team has collated all information on the steps and requirements to prepare for foreign nurses aspiring to work and live in Australia. All it takes is an ounce of courage and a bucket full of patience to achieve your dreams. Keep reading this article to learn more.
In a nutshell, if you’re a foreign nurse who wants to work in Australia, you must have/be:
⦁ 36 months of paid clinical experience for the past five years
⦁ Educational equivalence that meets the standards of APHRA
⦁ Pass an English Proficiency Test (IELTS/OET/PTE/TOEFL)
⦁ Pass the MCQ or OSCE exams
⦁ Professional references
Section A: The Career Pathway
As of 2020, there are more than 400,000 registered nurses in Australia. 30% of those are foreign nurses. That’s approximately 118,000 migrant nurses that moved to Australia. In the years to come, it is projected that more immigrant nurses will work and live in Australia.
The career way options for nurses in Australia include: Registered Nurse, Enrolled Nurse, Assistant in Nursing, and Nursing Practitioner. Each career has different educational attainment, but basically, the application process to Australia is similar. Here’s what you need to know about the different career pathways of nurses and their roles.
- Registered Nurse
A Registered Nurse (RN)is licensed under the Nursed and Midwives Board. Moreover, an RN holds a higher level of professional responsibility and accountability. An RN can fulfil the role of a unit manager, nurse administrator, or team leader. Their duties include patient assessment, medication management, and giving specialised nursing care. - Enrolled Nurse
An Enrolled Nurse works under the direct supervision of a Registered Nurse. An Enrolled Nurse may work directly or indirectly under the supervision of an RN but will still be responsible for their job responsibilities.
An enrolled nurse can provide nursing care by monitoring a patient’s vital signs and blood sugar levels, assisting in hygiene care, and providing first aid. An RN may also delegate tasks to an enrolled nurse as long as under their supervision. An enrolled nurse typically has a 2-year course Diploma in Enrolled Nursing.
- Assistant In Nursing
An Assistant in Nursing (AIN) is technically not a nurse. However, an AIN performs duties under the direct supervision of a Registered Nurse. The scope of work of an AIN may include assisting with personal hygiene, bathing, showering, sponge bath, managing toilet needs, bed repositioning, or mobility assistance.
Assistant in Nursing go by other names like personal care assistant, aged care worker, health service assistant, or care support employees. As for the qualifications of an AIN, a Technical and Further Education (TAFE) is required. - Nurse Practitioner
Lastly, a Nurse Practitioner is a registered nurse with an extended clinical role. Further education is required to become a Nurse Practitioner, typically 1-2 years of additional study such as a current practising certificate. As for the scope of work of a Nurse Practioner, this may include but is not limited to medication prescription and ordering diagnostic tests.
In addition, you should complete a minimum of 3 years of post-registration experience in a specialised area. There must be evidence of Clinical Support that the employer is willing to facilitate an extended clinical practice within the workplace.
Section B: Salary of Nurses in Australia
UK Source Link: https://www.payscale.com/research/UK/Job=Registered_Nurse_(RN)/Salary
Germany Source Link: https://www.payscale.com/research/DE/Job=Registered_Nurse_(RN)/Salary
Currency Convertor Link: https://xe.com
What Type of Nurses Get Paid the Most?
We know that there is a big difference between what an assistant in nursing is paid as compared to nurses who work at a higher level, but what do those differences look like? These loose figures represent a broad range of different nursing professions and experience levels.
The Fairwork Ombudsman includes the following guides for pay across the spectrum, including Nursing Assistant salaries, Enrolled Nurse salaries, and Registered Nurse salaries. We find that this breakdown provides great insight into what kind of pay you can expect at each stage of your nursing career.
Additionally, this pay guide from The Fairwork Ombudsman does not include salaries within nursing professions that go beyond Registered Nurse. These job roles may include Clinical Nurses, Consultant Nurses, Nurse Specialists, Practice Nurses, and other executive or directorial roles within hospitals and care facilities or organizations.
It is fair to say that if you wish to progress past the Registered Nurse role, you can expect to be paid much higher salaries than any other type of nurse. For example, our research shows that the hourly rate of a Nursing Practitioners’ salary is more than three times that of an entry-level Registered Nurse and still significantly more than a top-level Registered Nurse.
Salaries for these positions are generally calculated in proportion to the type and size of responsibilities involved in any given position, along with its location and associated facility. To give you some idea of the types of salaries these types of professionals may earn, we have listed some of the entry-level rates of those positions as quoted on the Queensland Health portal.
Salaries for Other Nursing Roles
We know that with such a broad range of roles available to nurses, it will come as no surprise that increasingly specialised skills and experience attract the best wages and benefits. In fact, specialised roles account for some of the highest salaries in Australia, with a range of highly skilled nursing roles in various sectors of the healthcare industry. Currently, the highest paying roles for nurses include:
Do Nurses Get Paid Salary or Hourly?
In Australia, how you are paid is dependent on the policy of the facility in which you work as well as your position. This can be calculated as an hourly rate or as an annual salary that is paid weekly, bi-weekly, or even monthly. Additionally, depending on where you work, you might be paid on a different day of the week or month.
From what we’ve seen, there’s no hard and fast rule for what day of the week you might be paid. The bottom line is that it is your employer who will decide how and when you are paid, so be prepared to factor that into your planning when you embark on your nursing career.
Can You Live Off a Nurse’s Salary?
The short answer is, of course, yes! We won’t lie to you, though: at the beginning of your career, things may be a little tight. Depending on how you enter the healthcare industry, the cost of living may be on par with your salary. But the good news is that Registered Nurses and above can expect to live relatively comfortably anywhere in Australia.
It’s no secret that the costs of living in Australia are high, and according to data we found, the average weekly spend for Australians is as follows:
As we have previously detailed, an entry-level Registered Nurse can expect to earn around $1084.10 per week, which is enough for a single person to easily cover living costs and leave a little leftover for savings. Obviously, as you progress through your career, things will become more comfortable.
What Can Registered Nurses Claim on Tax for Expenses?
We have more good news relating to nursing salaries, and that is that it may be possible to claim a number of deductions relating to Australian taxes in your profession. In fact, the Australian Taxation Office notes that nurses may be able to claim a broad range of work-related expenses. These may include but are not necessarily limited to:
Agency commissions and agency fees
Annual practising certificate fees
Car expenses
Childcare
Driver’s licence
Entertainment and social functions
Fines and penalties
First Aid Kits & Courses
FOB & Nursing Watches
Glasses, contact lenses and anti-glare glasses
Grooming expenses
Home office expenses
Laundry and maintenance
Meal and snack expenses
Newspapers and other news services, magazines and professional publications
Nursing Scrubs and Uniforms
Overtime meal expenses
Parking fees and tolls
Phone, data and internet expenses
Removal and relocation expenses
Repairs to tools and equipment
Self-education and study expenses
Seminars, conferences and training courses
Stationery
Stethoscopes & Equipment
Taxi, ride-share, public transport and car hire
Travel expenses
Union and professional association fees
However, what you can and can’t claim for as a nurse will depend on a number of factors. Firstly it must be you that pays out the money (without reimbursement), secondly expenses must relate to earning your income, and thirdly you must keep records to prove all of this—usually a receipt or invoice.
We recommend using the myDeductions tool on the ATO website to keep track of work expenses, or you can hire an accountant to help you compile a comprehensive tax return. Either way, a nurse’s salary can receive a significant boost through tax deductions, particularly when you are at the lower pay scales as a student or trainee nurse.
How Can I Become a Student Nurse?
If you wish to study to become a Registered Nurse in Australia, then the first thing you will need is to graduate from high school with the HSC or a state-based equivalent. Next, you will need to study a Bachelor of Nursing at an accredited university. At this point, however, it’s worth noting that some universities will require you to have completed prerequisite subjects at high school, such as science or maths, meaning it’s a good idea to plan your route into the nursing profession while at school.
There is a variety of different Bachelor of Nursing degrees available from universities across Australia, usually requiring at least three years of study and a requisite number of hours of real-world clinical experience. After you have completed your studies, you will need to complete your application to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). This is the professional body that grants you the certification to practice as a nurse.
For students wishing to study nursing in Australia, there are grants, scholarships and other awards available that can help you pursue your healthcare education goals. To register your interest in this type of financial assistance, you should consult the Australian College of Nursing website or speak to counsellor at your school about your potential eligibility.
Can Overseas Nurses Work in Australia?
There are plenty of opportunities for nurses to earn Australian salaries if they have qualified as a nurse abroad. Both proving your identity and meeting minimum English language requirements are the first steps you must take, but the good news for anyone who has qualified as a nurse in certain countries is that your degree will meet the Australian Nursing and Midwifery (NMBA) education standards. These countries are:
Canada
Hong Kong
Republic of Ireland
United Kingdom
New Zealand
United States of America
You will also need to meet certain visa requirements and register with the NMBA. You can find more information about the entire process and the requirements for eligibility on the NMBA’s Ahpra platform here.
What Does the Future of the Nursing Profession Look Like in Australia?
The bottom line is, there will always be a need for dedicated, professional nurses in Australia. However, it is likely that demand will outstrip supply when it comes to labour, with predictions suggesting a shortfall of 85,000 staff by 2025. This is, in part, due to rising populations and ageing demographics, with people living longer lives and requiring higher levels of healthcare as they age.
Today, in a comprehensive workforce modelling report, the Australian Government and healthcare system hopes to reduce this shortfall to approximately 35,000 by 2025 through a range of measures. It is hoped, that as demands increase more nurses can be encouraged to take up the profession at the beginning of their careers, more nurses can be retrained in areas of particularly high demand, and more student and fully trained nurses can be brought into the Australian healthcare system from abroad.
Whatever the direction the Australian government takes, for anyone looking to get started within the industry or retrain as a Registered Nurse, job security is a highly important consideration. Thankfully, with demand constantly rising and calls for nurses and other medical professionals to receive higher salaries, the nursing profession will always be a reliable option for anyone with an interest in healthcare.