Pathway to Migrating to Australia as a Nurse

Nurses are leaving Nigeria daily in search of better climes to practice. Many have thronged the UK and Canada, and if you’re nursing thinking of a country to migrate to, you might be thinking of somewhere different for a change. Australia could be that place. It ranks as one of the best countries to live and practice nursing. You might want to give it a shot. To work as a Nurse in Australia, here are a few requirements you would need to meet:

Proof of Identity

This is a requirement for everything. If you are serious about going anywhere you should have your proof of identity ready by now. You will need to provide a range of ‘proof of identity documents including:

1. Bio-data page of your passport
2. Change of name documentation
3. A passport-sized photo taken in the last six months

English Language Proficiency

You cannot go abroad to work as a nurse and struggle with communication. That would be counterproductive for you and your employer. Since Australia speaks  English as its official language, you have an advantage as a Nigerian. It shouldn’t be difficult for you to pass a proficiency test. You must demonstrate the required score in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Occupational English Test (OET) for Nurses, Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic or Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) iBT.

1. IELTS: The test comprises of four different categories to test your English Language Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing Skills and you would be expected to score a minimum of seven points in each of the components.
2. OET – You must achieve a minimum score of B in each of the four components – listening, reading, writing and speaking.
3. PTE – You must achieve a minimum overall score of 65 AND a minimum score of 65 in each of the four communicative skills – listening, reading, writing and speaking.
4. TOEFL iBT – You must achieve a minimum score of 94 AND the following minimum scores in each section of the test – 24 listening, 24 reading, 27 writing and 23 speaking.

You only need to pass one of these tests, not all of them. The results are only relevant for two years after examination.

You must meet Australian Nursing and Midwifery Education standards.

You have to meet ANMAC (Australian Nursing and Midwifery Education) standards; therefore, you must have an individual assessment of your skills by the board. To get your skills assessed by ANMAC, you would need to follow these steps:

1. Get a certified true copy of the following documents:
2. Coloured copy of the bio-data page of your passport.
3. Coloured copy of any change of name documents (e.g. marriage certificates).
4. Coloured Copy of your educational certificates (BSc. and any other certificates with dates of completion clearly shown.)
5. Any other professional registration certificate.
6. Professional references from an employer whom you have worked with for at least three months. You must have a total work experience of at least 5 years to qualify.
7. Take original copies to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja for certification, along with passport-sized photographs.
8. When you get your documents certified, fill out the Skills Assessment Application form online and submit it.

Within a few weeks, you would receive a Letter of Determination from the board informing you if you are suitable for migration or not.

Demonstrate that you are fit to practice in Australia

You must prove that there have been no previous proven disciplinary proceedings against you, that there are no restrictions on you arising from mental incapacity, that there are no restrictions on you arising from physical incapacity, that you have no criminal history which would preclude you from working as a nurse or midwife in Australia.

If you meet the requirements

If you meet the requirements, then submit your application for registration to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. Once you are registered as a nurse you then need a visa to be allowed to live and work in Australia. You can get work through a sponsor, or an employer who is willing to offer you a job to work in Australia before you begin your visa application process or under the General Skilled Migration programme.

If You Don’t Meet the Requirements

If you don’t meet the requirements because your qualifications or experience are not recognized, you might want to consider pursuing a ‘Training visa – subclass 407’ to allow you to undertake a bridging program to improve your skills.

Something to think about

Nurses are leaving Nigeria in alarming numbers. The available workforce is dropping. This is consequently creating a huge workload on the remaining workforce, and those who are available are stressed. You can be a hero, and seek the moral high ground by choosing to stay back at home and work for your people.

healttimes.com, travel.ng