sweetpea8610

Hi everyone.

Looking for some advice about emigrating to Australia. I’m a 35 (nearly 36) year old nurse with 10 years experience. The majority of that being in critical care however currently not working in that field. Looking to make the big move with my fiancé and 3 year old.

I am aware it will involve a lot of planning and money and willing to make sacrifices. Looking for advice anyone may have, such as what steps to take and what order, when to apply to Ahpra for my registration, visa advice etc. Any advice welcome Thank you!

Amazulu

There is currently a massive shortage of nurses across Australia, so your skills will be in demand. Then again, one of the reasons there is such a shortage is that many nurses are not happy with their pay, conditions and working situation. But nursing is not the best paid occupation all over the world - especially in those countries with publically-finded health systems. Many nurses enter the profession knowning these facts, so it's not like they've been tricked or lied to. Those systems are always under pressure - just look at the NHS today for instance. There is talk in the media of fast-tracking the applications of medical professionals into Australia in order to try and help with this shortage. I would suggest that you have a look at the health department website for the state that you are interested in moving to and maybe make some queries through that. I reckon you'd currently find them most accomodating

Good luck

Beoz

Hundreds of thousands of new skilled migrants on their way. Some won't like that.

Amazulu

Maybe but I doubt that Australia will attract the skilled migrants that they need - the head of BHP was saying recently that they're looking overseas and can't find many skilled people available as there is a lot of opportunity all over the world at the moment. In my gig in the UK, there is HUGE demand - the kind of demand I've never seen before. And for the first time in ages, I can see rates rising rapidly over there. Essentially, right now, across the world, if you're skilled, you're set

Business say that they want skilled migrants, and to an extent that's true but what they really want is unskilled or semi-skilled people to do the grunt work and they can can pay them less. Great for them but not great for the nation

I'm no fan of Albanese but his idea to make TAFE free is an excellent move. Even Australia-hating red Dan Andrews, who struggles to have a sensible thought, wants to make nursing degrees free. That's where we need to focus on developing skills

abner

We have a close family friend who started the emigration process 3 years ago. She ended up very well placed, but it took her some effort to get there at the time, e.g. she was a Filipina degree nurse, with several years operating-room experience in the Emirates, but still needed some Australian Uni post-grad work before Aussie hospitals became interested in taking her on at all. But once someone did recognise how good she was in practice, that hospital paved the way for early, all-employer-paid immediate PR status, and put her back in the OR.

And that was before CoVID truly started affecting hospital nursing workforces.

I'd suspect the path is much easier today, if you start from a similar position. You haven't given much detail about your qualifications, aside from your age, and number of years of nursing practice. But the world is your oyster in Australia if you can back it up, and even more so if you have specialist qualifications, degrees, and experience.

sweetpea8610

Thank you so much for your reply. I’ve heard there is a huge shortage of nurses from other sources. As you say nursing isn’t the best paid of careers and politics of the job can be tough to deal with. I currently work in the NHS and luckily I love my job despite the pressure the healthcare system is under. I never knew there was talk of fast tracking visas for medical professionals. I will look into that. From further research I think it would be best to get nursing registration in Aus before contacting potential employers (however I have sent a CV to one clinic just to explore whether they’d be interested).

sweetpea8610

Hi! Thank you so much for reply. It’s greatly appreciated. That’s great your friend found a great employer and fantastic she got immediate PR status. I have an adult nursing degree but also post graduate certificates in critical care nursing and sexual and reproductive heslth. Currently working as a nurse specialist in sexual health. I have been in contact with a healthcare employer however I do think I need my AHPRA before any employer takes me seriously, so that’s the next step. However I also think no harm on seeing if they would potentially be interested in employing me.

Mrs M

Hi Sweatpea
I love giving advice! But as many will say free advice is worth what it costs!
From my view.... My Australia idea came about early 2000s Good old days from many as £1;00 was equal to $2:40 dollars ! Australian property was cheap compared to the U.K. And the produce etc although a but more expensive was good quality. To be fair people who moved here then had a good deal going.

O.K. Now £1:00 around $1.60. House prices are out of reach to be honest and so are rentals in many areas. I am on the Gold Coast and it is dire. I built a house in North lakes 2011 for $286,000 it was sold 2007 for $700,000 current estimate in excess of $900,000.

I watch the news here and I am dumbfounded re- the need for skilled migrants. As mentioned all nations appear to have vacancies for employment but the big difference here is people can't find anywhere to live or even afford it. It really is crazy! Some are asking $700.00 a week for 1 bed apartments (at the moment ) So I cannot even imagine where these migrants will live or how they can as the cost of living is ridiculous. If you like a barbecue at home great but forget the beer! The costs are crazy! Bottle of Whisky u.k. around £18 Here £ 40.00 plus!

I don't want to rain on anyones parade but do your homework and don't burn the boats at home if possible immerse for at least 4 -6 months to get a good idea.

Where's my tin hat ! Lol!

Moses2013

You make some very good points and I've said it before, a well paid job is worth nothing if it's in the wrong location at the wrong time. I'm in Ireland now and remember from family and friends that a lot of people left with nothing and came back from Australia loaded with cash. The last 10 years has been the opposite and now I see many return with nothing as Australia was too expensive. Unfortunately those who returned in recent years face the same challenges here and can't find suitable housing, so for them it's a dead end. Houses here were around €90K when I arrived in 2011 and now the same house will cost €300K. I looked online and within a 20km radius there are only 22 rentals available. These days you can count yourself lucky if you have a job and housing that's affordable (regardless which country).

Mrs M

Yes my friend you can say that again! Times are a changing globally and it is scary I think best not to read news anymore (I still do) Lol! I just get annoyed so better if I give it up especially political news. I think if we look at it more deeply... States cannot guarantee anything in the future wether it be supply of Food, Energy, Security, Health. Or a standard of living I believe the future won't be a world or wealthy or poor nations but rather a world of wealthy and poor people wherever they might live.

The state wishes to put the full responsibility on the individual. Good luck to you !

Amazulu

Australia's COL is higher than the UK's but not by much, so it's swings and roundabouts basically. Alcohol cheaper in the UK but many other things cheaper in Australia - petrol and diesel, meat, consumer electronics, insurance, many new cars etc. Exchange rates are a double edged sword - when they are in your favour, they're not for someone else. Right now the advantage is with those who hold AUD and want to deal with GBP - great for me but not for a migrant to Australia

What's happening around the world is shortages of everything due to supply/demand issues. The main causes of this are pandemic and Ukraine. As the world emerges from the kung flu overreation, demand is increasing but supply is struggling to keep up - labour, computer chips, fuel, accomodation, building materials, many food items etc. The lack of supply means that manufacturers and producers will be moving to try and meet this demand and supply will eventually catch up with demand. Because everyone is trying to make a buck, it always does. The world has been through this before many times and it's sorted itself out. The same will happen today. I agree that housing is hard to get ATM so migration here would be difficult for many but that's not always going to be the case. Interest rates are going up, and will continue to rise for the foreseeable future. That's already having an effect on house prices, it has to as that's the point of raising them

I've heard these doom and gloom stories so many times before - this one is different, it's never been this bad, we're stuffed this time etc. This is never the case though, it's always a load of bollocks

Anyway, the economy is strong, everyone has a job and summer's coming. Life's good

Mrs M

I beg to differ on many of your points. Petrol is cheaper but then mileage is generally higher. Ukraine/ pandemic No. Thats a great excuse but the truth is there are too many people who all want a bite of the cake and the power axis is shifting.

I can't be arsed to answer further. As we don't need to squabble ! Just have another expensive beer

Mrs M

I just had a look at very recent data....... U.K. Is 18.30% cheaper than Australia and after rent 17.00% Cheaper.

Moses2013

Regardless if cheaper or not, I would make sure that the employer provides accommodation or can at least give you cheaper accommodation options.
It doesn't matter if Australia, Canada, Germany etc. and if there's such a shortage, you would at least expect them to provide the basics.

Amazulu

Are you replying to me? If so, use the quote system so we can follow the conversation. It's also kind of rude not to

COL depends on many factors, but one of the easiest ways to compare it is to work out how long you have to work to be able to afford something. Everyone also has different experiences of COL - someone earning $500k will have a different COL experience to someone earning $50k. We all buy and consume different things

Salaries are higher in Australia, that is indisputable. Levels of disposable and discretionary income are also higher. In almost every metric that measures a nation's economic and fiscal performance, Australia is ahead of the UK. Basically, when you boil it down, Australia is wealthier than the UK. Go to a really poor area of the UK, and then one in Australia - the difference is stark. Interestingly, at the top, it's pretty much the same. Australia has a more equitable society than the UK

Hope this helps