Sean101

Hello all, I'm Sean - quite new here.

My wife is the nurse and I'm acting as internet monkey under her instruction!

We're just looking for a bit of advice regarding MH nursing in central Melbourne. Our intention is to spend at least a year in Melbourne before choosing whether to settle in UK or Aus.

OH has been strongly encouraged by one of the big hospitals in Melbourne to apply for a position - seems pretty much guaranteed. She has a few years experience and extra quals (and is often the only staff nurse on a large acute inpatient unit - NHS). We have no kids, are youngish and want to live in the city at first.

The hospital has suggested sponsorship on a 457 visa - we've read so many stories about agency pay being better, about the 457 being restrictive. To us it seems that the 457 is a low-cost way of trying Melbourne.

Can anyone suggest a better alternative, or simply offer their views on our current choices. We are due to begin the paperwork soon. Thanks in advance.

augigi

PR gives you the flexibility to be able to change jobs if you hate it. 457 just means that along with the stress of moving countries, if you hate the job you can't do a thing about it.

I'm sure some of the psych nurses will be along with more specific MH info

annqldau

You need to try and track down PaulB on here he's doing mental health in Melbourne area, he's been on here in January so still about.

He's post 23 on this thread http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...ighlight=PaulB

send him a PM.

Pinkybee

If you hate it you just approach another hospital and get them to sponsor you, happens all the time.

Kapri

Paulb and wierdstone are both mental health nurses working in Melbourne.

Weirdstone works agency and she knows which are the good places to work in Central Melbourne and where to avoid like the plague.

Sean101

Thanks Kapri

I've just had some great advice from weirdstone, and will be getting in touch with PaulB soon hopefully. This forum is magic - the interweb at its best!

Kapri

They both gave me some great tips too.
I'm also a mental health nurse - hoping to be in melbourne September time

Sean101

Thats great! We were hoping to be there in July (on 457), but other people on this forum are saying that the NBV are in chaos, with applications taking between 5 and 8 months to process - therefore causing a delay in visa being issued. So we could be September arrivals too.

We are just about to send our NBV registration, is yours already in the system? Any idea how long your NBV is likely to take in total?

Alison1967

I wonder if it is possible to enrol in another state and apply to transfer to Victoria whether it would be any quicker?

Ali

Sean101

Interesting! Will check it out, thanks

Kapri

My NBV registration only took 9 weeks but that was a few months ago.
I really can't see it taking 5-8 months

lil tinks

Hi there, I've just had the thrill of seeing my name on the NBV register online, after 12 weeks! still no hard copy of the certificate yet! I was due to start my job in Melbounrne on 30 November 07! Hey ho!

lil tinks

I understand that if another state has a mutual agreement then yes you can do it that way. My agent suggested I do it via Sydney, but apparently it's taking even longer there! lol (it's not funny really)

Grayling

All states are part of the mutual recognition agreement.

G

lil tinks

That's handy to know!