From March 2025, nurses with relevant qualifications and experience from 'comparable countries' will no longer have to sit additional exams or upgrade their qualifications to gain registration to work in Australia.
The changes will apply to internationally qualified Registered Nurses who have practised for at least 1,800 hours since 2017 from 'comparable countries', which includes Canada (from the British Columbia and Ontario provinces only), Ireland, Singapore, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The changes will slash the time taken for qualifying nurses to begin working in Australia by six to 12 months, said the Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler in making the announcement.
“For too long highly-educated nurses with experience from countries like the UK, Canada and Ireland are left waiting on red tape approvals before they are able to work in our hospitals, aged care facilities and general practices," he said.
A record 16,622 internationally qualified nurses registered to work in Australia in 2023-24, many from the comparable countries. About 20,000 nurses have come to Australia from New Zealand over the last two financial years under a Trans-Tasman Agreement.
It's estimated the residential aged care sector will be short 1,490 Registered Nurses in 2024-25.
Govt funded aged care apprenticeships: HSU
With workforce high on the sector's agenda, the Health Services Union (HSU) has asked the Federal Government to fund 10,000 new aged care and disability support apprenticeships.
After Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced bonuses for residential construction apprentices if re-elected, HSU National Secretary Lloyd Williams said similar targeted incentives should be introduced for aged care and disability support.
“Without targeted funding, Australia risks inflaming the workforce crisis in aged care and disability which would have dire consequences in those critical sectors," he said.
"With an ageing population and growing NDIS, Australians’ access to quality care and support is at risk."
