hopefuljesh

Hi, everyone! I am starting this thread for a cousin of mine who is interested in migrating to Australia. She has just graduated from her Bachelor of Nursing and was so smart enough to pass the nursing exams to be an RN. What is the best option for her to go to Australia? Any tips so far? I am still a provisional visa holder myself and barely have managed to settle here so I haven't had much resources to help her with yet in means other than doing the initial research and "asking around" for her. So, your replies would be very much appreciated. Cheers!

moneypenny20

She needs to read the DIAC site, do the wizard and work out the best way forward. Nurses are normally straightforward but with no experience it could be difficult. There is also the Nursing Forum with stacks of help and advice. It's a worldwide one but the Aussie support is huge.

hopefuljesh

Thank you for the response and the tips. I shall send my cousin the wizard as well as Nursing Forum links then. I had the inkling that lack of experience would be a concern. It is just that it has always been mentioned that nurses are in demand in Australia so I was hoping things would be a bit better for my cousin. Well, at least she has somewhere to begin with....thanks again to you, for that! Cheers!

hoofie2002

She should get a couple of years experience first. The Nursing migration pathway will be open for a long time to come.

hopefuljesh

Thanks for the reply. It was what I have initially advised her. However, she is now finding it hard to get a nursing job, even a volunteering one, in our country. I was just so surprised to know she has taken up real estate agent work, just so she could keep the cash flowing after years of spending money for her education. However, I do hope she gets to find a suitable position sooner than later.

newjersey

DIAC seems to have relaxed their requirements to work experience, so long as you meet the threshold on the points test, you are good in that sense, but the assessment authorities impose their own rules and she may have an issue there if she keeps on going as a real estate agent. Just saying.

hopefuljesh

The DIAC leniency on the work requirement is good news. Thank you for that. The remaining obstacle then would be the assessment authorities and it would be very logical indeed to have doubts on someone working on an entirely different field no matter what the reason may be.

Jilliebee

I think the main issue will be trying to get work over here with no post grad experience. Your cousin would definitely be better trying to get at least a post grad year under her belt to consolidate her skills x

hopefuljesh

Thanks for bringing that up. As the GSM route is quite a bit lengthy and with no clear prospects for her to get the job the soonest yet, one other option maybe taking a course that would prepare her eventually for a nursing job as well as add more points for her GSM visa application later on or possibly gain employer sponsorship.

I do know that engineers and accountants can apply for professional year in Australia. Is there one for nurses, too?

Dorothy

There are, but they are very competitive. Thousands of new nursing grads but not enough spots for them all to do a post-grad year. That's partly why I'm going overseas to do mine when I graduate.

hopefuljesh

Thanks for that information. I am just wondering why there are thousands of new nursing graduates yet the profession is still in demand in Australia. Is the demand due to the lack of graduates or of qualified people? Would doing the professional year overseas put one in equal stead as the ones who took theirs here? Would the professional year provide all the necessary skills to immediately put a graduate's foot in the door in the nursing industry here?

Dorothy

There are also thousands of nurses retiring or leaving the profession every year. That's why they're in demand.

I'm doing my post-grad year overseas because there is a wonderful program in the US which will fit very nicely with the very specialised area of nursing I intend to do. I'm also a Canadian citizen so can live/work in the US with a TN visa (all I need is a job) so it's easy for me to go there.

Your friend should really be looking at trying to get some work experience or a post grad year at home before looking at trying to emigrate. Or, she should at least sign up for her own account so she can ask the questions she has herself.

hopefuljesh

Dear moneypenny, I have gone to the Nurses Forum site myself as I thought I should check it out before passing it on through to my cousin. It had plenty of information re nursing in Australia. Thanks once again for the link you provided.

hopefuljesh

Thanks for the information, Dorothy. All the best to your future plans. A link to this thread would definitely be part of the comprehensive email I shall be sending my cousin later (as soon as I have completed all my initial research) to guide her around. Cheers!