Official nurses thread!

[Guest michelledenham]

Hi Claire,

Can I ask, did you do your Visa yourself.

I have been offered sponsorship but am now wondering if we should be applying for a skilled visa instead. I've been told that the expenses is the same as applying for PR once you are in OZ, so whats the difference! I just don't want to pay out on agent fees. As you are aware, its an expensive thing to move.

I've done the on line skilled assessment forms and passed. Both my husband and I already have our course transcripts and refrences. So how much more work is it?

 

Thanks for you help

Michelle

[ali]

Your employer may still be able to offer you a job without sponsoring you - I had already applied for the 136 visa and got offerred a job - they were happy to wait until the visa was approved.

 

ali

[Guest Donna0z]

Hello All,

 

Firstly thank-you to the founder of the "Official Nurse Thread" What a great idea!! I am currently in London and have a few questions that you experienced peeps may be able to help me with.

 

I have sent for my police checks as they can take 49days and up until recently was going to come over on the spouse visa, but due to complications that may now not be possible?? SO What should i do? I pass the skills assessment, but i hear a lot on the forums about people having to apply to the ANMC (I'm guessing i will not have to do that is i get my registration restored?) What VISA is my best option?Skilled or sponsorship? What are the cost differences? Am i right in believing an employer would take on some of the costs? Processing times Etc??

 

Could someone give me some advice?

 

Thank-you:wubclub:

[Guest paulhayleyswales]

Hi, I'm currently awaiting my visa to nurse over in Queensland. From my experience, being sponsored by an employer has been really straight forward. They do much of the admin process for you. All I had to do was await my TRN number (this relates to your sponsored visa and is given to you by the employer) Once you have this, apply on line for your visa, mine is the 457 visa. All I had to pay was the application fee of approx £89. You then have to arrange your xrays and medicals. My wife and I have two young children and the total cost of our xrays and medicals is max £500. Don't forget that by being sponsored, you may be able to negociate a relocation package which can come in very handy.

You could always start the ball rolling by researching possible employers in your chosen aussie state, email them with an 'expression of interest.' Thats what I did last September and all being well, should be in Queensland by June.

Hope this helps, best of luck.

 

Paul.

[Guest MelodyS]

Hi All!!

 

I have just read through all of these threads.....It's fantastic to know there are so many of us nurses out there all going through the same thing!!

 

My husband finally agreed to emigrate yesterday!! He has been 'Researching' for the last 3 weeks, and yesterday he said YES!!! Wahooooo!!!

 

We are both 31, with a 6 year old son.

 

I am the nurse in the family. Started training in 1997 ( Notts Uni ), Qualified in 2000. Worked on an Acute Medicine / Rheumatology ward for almost 5 years. I then went onto an Emergency Admissions Unit ( Like hell on earth most days!!! ) and have been working as a 'Band 6 ' ( The role formally known as sister! ) for the last 18 months.

 

I just don't know where to start!!! I spoke to an agent last week and he said that our best option is a 175 Visa. How long will this take? How much does it cost? Is there anything else we could be doing?? ie; medicals, police checks......

 

We are off to the expo in Leeds next saturday.......Anyone else been to the expo's? Any advice?

 

Too much waffling for now I think. I am making my own head spin!!!!!

:wacko:

Thanks in advance. xxxxx Melody. xxxxx

[Mongrel]

Hi, I'm currently awaiting my visa to nurse over in Queensland. From my experience, being sponsored by an employer has been really straight forward. They do much of the admin process for you. All I had to do was await my TRN number (this relates to your sponsored visa and is given to you by the employer) Once you have this, apply on line for your visa, mine is the 457 visa. All I had to pay was the application fee of approx £89. You then have to arrange your xrays and medicals. My wife and I have two young children and the total cost of our xrays and medicals is max £500. Don't forget that by being sponsored, you may be able to negociate a relocation package which can come in very handy.

You could always start the ball rolling by researching possible employers in your chosen aussie state, email them with an 'expression of interest.' Thats what I did last September and all being well, should be in Queensland by June.

Hope this helps, best of luck.

 

Paul.

 

Hi

457 visa are the best option or the only option for people who do not fit the age criteria, on the 457 you will find there are some negatives esp young families, no child benefit etc, you are tied to your sponsor and when you apply for pr the costs are the same, we came on a 457 because of the age croiteria.If you buy you miss out on 1st time buyers benefit for housing and need a hogher deposit. We found out Sat, you can`t get interest free credit on a 457 thanx mr r@@@@@ision man

[Guest scots-in-oz!]

Hi my name is Claire, My husband and i were in Australia last year and fel in love with the place. Hoping to move to brisbane as soon as possible!! Awaiting transcript from university (RGU) then skils assessment ready to go. i have my visa application completed as well, it's so frustrating having to wait for skills assessment 1st

 

Hi Claire, just read your post....i went to RGU too! March 03 (child) intake. It's not that many years ago that RGU took over the nursing couse, so you never know we might have been there at the same time at some point! So where do you work at the moment? I'm in RACH, Surgical. Same as you, on holiday Brissie/Gold Coast last year and fell in love with the place! We're off to GC once we het the all important visa! (oh, and once the house is sold!) Once you get your transcripts from uni check it very carefully! They had my maiden name spelt totally wrong, which could have caused problems if I hadn't noticed it before I sent it off. I know what you mean about the skills assessment, mine seemed to take forever! I was getting SO impatient!

Anyway, good luck, and give me a shout if I can help in anyway!

Mags:wubclub:

x

[The Cox's]

Hi all,we are both nurses;me ICU,hubby mental health.We got our PR visa in Dec 07,the whole process took 6months.We did it all by ourselves,the form is straightforward,no need to use an agent.PR visa gives you the flexibility as to which state would you go plus the benefits mentioned above and also some state charge school fees if you got temp visa.We will hopefully be in Oz by September.Confused as to where to go but surely everywhere in oz is better than where we are.First thought of Adelaide and Melbourne but they both have high stamp duty compared to NSW,QLD,and WA

[The Cox's]

hi mag

my name is danny, i,m not a nurse but my wife is (rgn) hope u or someone else can help, my wifes anmc assessment runs out in june, what is the quickest state to register to??

ta for the help

danny/kate

 

South Australia,just give ANMC a ring and they will forward your wife's document.They send docs every Thursday to your chosen state.Apparently,NBSA take max 3months.She doen't need to do anything,just fill the form with 20$ payment.I did mine Feb,Then,she can just do mutual recognition wherever you want to settle

[Guest scots-in-oz!]

Hi All!!

 

I have just read through all of these threads.....It's fantastic to know there are so many of us nurses out there all going through the same thing!!

 

My husband finally agreed to emigrate yesterday!! He has been 'Researching' for the last 3 weeks, and yesterday he said YES!!! Wahooooo!!!

 

We are both 31, with a 6 year old son.

 

I am the nurse in the family. Started training in 1997 ( Notts Uni ), Qualified in 2000. Worked on an Acute Medicine / Rheumatology ward for almost 5 years. I then went onto an Emergency Admissions Unit ( Like hell on earth most days!!! ) and have been working as a 'Band 6 ' ( The role formally known as sister! ) for the last 18 months.

 

I just don't know where to start!!! I spoke to an agent last week and he said that our best option is a 175 Visa. How long will this take? How much does it cost? Is there anything else we could be doing?? ie; medicals, police checks......

 

We are off to the expo in Leeds next saturday.......Anyone else been to the expo's? Any advice?

 

Too much waffling for now I think. I am making my own head spin!!!!!

:wacko:

Thanks in advance. xxxxx Melody. xxxxx

 

Hi Melody!

Firstly, congrats on getting hubby to say yes to going! lol! Next, I'd agree with the agent you spoke to, the 175 is probabally the best visa option for you. This is the type of visa we've applied for, and it's pretty straight forward once you've done your research on it! We're not using an agent and going it alone.

How long does it take? Good question! There seems to be a big back log at the moment, and I find one of the best ways to keep an eye on timelines. A lot of people on PiO put timelines on there signature (as I do), or you can check these sites:

 

British Expats - Australian Visa Time Line

 

timeline

 

As for cost, here's what it's cost us so far (family of 4 , 2 adults, 2 kids (aged 13 & 11(at time of application)).

 

Police checks (2 of) = £20

NMC Verification = £34

RGU transcripts = £30

IELTS = £95

Birth certificates (2 of) = £26

ANMC Skills assess = £289

QNC = £69

Visa = £916

Meds = £821 (inc 3 chest x-rays)

 

Plus courier costs for sending off skills assess (£30), bought a new scanner to scan docs for visa application (£40), new passport for Robert as his was water damamged after swimming with it in his pocket at Surfers Paradise! £72)

 

Is there anything else you could be doing? Well DON'T do you police checks or medicals yet!!! You only have one year from the date of which ever is first to validate your visa! (ie - if you get your medicals done say April 14th, and PC's come back May 20th, you only have till 14th April 2009 to get to Oz to validate!! Your skills assessment will probabally take about 10 weeks to come back, and that's before you even submit your visa application! Some people do frontload their meds and police checks, as we've done. Frontlaoding means doing them before reuqested to do so by your case officer. It is thought that by frontloading you can speed up the visa process slightly. but the ealiest you should get them done is once your visa aplication has actually been submitted. .........So, I would say, the first thing you need to do is start gathering you paperwork together for your skills assessment. For yourself this is done by the Australian Nursing & Midwifery Council (ANMC). Here's the link (this will also detail all the documents you need to gather together):

Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council - Assessment of Skills

 

If you did your training here in the UK you don't need to sit the IELTS test. I did this for the extra points. I was 5 points short of the 120 points required for a 175 skilled independent visa.

 

I don't know too much about the expo your going to, but they seem to be really useful for people like yourselves who are at the start of the process.

Any way, good luck!

Mags:wubclub:

x

[Guest MelodyS]

Thanks for that!!!!!!

Reading thrugh some of todays posts, we are going to stick by our guns and apply for the 175. I understand that this may take longer, but the best things come to those who wait!!!

Captain Research ( OH ) has just read your reply and gone on the other PC to read about the 175 Visa! Honestly!!

 

We are in a bit of a tricky situation with financing this at the moment, We have alot of money tied up and are just worried that if we start things now the cash won't be available instantly......Think I have alot of phonecalls to make tomorrow!!!

 

I am sure it will all sort itself out.....We are going come hell or high water! And while the iron is hot!!!!

 

A million thanks again.

 

xxxxxx Melody. xxxxx

[Guest itskaren]

Hi I would strongly recommend you not getting a e457 visa!!!!! 175 appears to be the best in your situation. You will have not trouble getting a job at all. The e457 visa is just a little bit more quicker to obtain. The e457 visa in my opinion benefits the employer more than the employee. kind regards karen

[mcauleycm]

Michelle, i thought it was easy to complete the form. the hardest work is getting references and getting getting things certified. it's not that these things are hard its just that you have to rely on others and i like things done yesterday and don't have the patience to wait on things coming back. I done my application on line, give it a go and see what you think. if you need advice i can try and help.

 

At least you are a step in front of me, if you have your transcript you just need a reference to go with your skills assessment. you can print your skills assessment application form of the ANMC website.

 

Goodluck

[mcauleycm]

Hi Mags

 

i had left RGU by the time you started, left in '01! (feel so old)

 

i'm working in Belfast as a hepatobiliary nurse specialist and love it, but not as much as i love Australia. Thanx for the advice on the transcript will give it a thorough check, when it arrives!! i phoned last week and i was promised mine was the next in the queue to be done and i should have it this week, fingers crossed.....

 

What is QNC?

 

Also do you know if a doctor can sign photos and verify documents or does it need to be a solicitor?

 

Thanks

 

Claire

[Guest scots-in-oz!]

Hi Mags

 

i had left RGU by the time you started, left in '01! (feel so old)

 

i'm working in Belfast as a hepatobiliary nurse specialist and love it, but not as much as i love Australia. Thanx for the advice on the transcript will give it a thorough check, when it arrives!! i phoned last week and i was promised mine was the next in the queue to be done and i should have it this week, fingers crossed.....

 

What is QNC?

 

Also do you know if a doctor can sign photos and verify documents or does it need to be a solicitor?

 

Thanks

 

Claire

Hi Claire!

Yes, you were long gone then!

QNC is Queensland Nursing Council. If your heading for Queensland you need to register with them in order to work as a reg.nurse.

For the verification I had a Justice of the Peace sign mine for free, but they stopped doing that in Aberdeen just after I got mine signed. Think it might have to be a solicitor, but I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong!

I've gotta go to bed now...working tomorrow!

But keep in touch & give me a shout if there's anything else!

Mags:wubclub:

x

[Guest paul08]

Hi Mags

Sorry new to this so hope I get this right. I just joined PiO to see how people are using the site and whether it is relevant to our business (free to access online relocations & settlement services), when I came across your entry. I have just come out of a State Manager role with a Healthcare recruitment company who has an office in Brisbane and Sunshine coast, happy to refer you to one of my ex colleagues Claire Benfield for employment opportunities om Gold Coast if this helps you get out here early. Let me know

cheers

Paul

I've noticed that there seems to be lots of us nurses on PiO , with more joining the site all the time! (everyone trying to escape the nhs?! lol!) Thought I'd start a thread for us nurses to keep in touch, and offer support to one another! We could keep up to date about where we're at in the LONG process of visa applications, and help one another out with any info. Or even if your a nurse in Oz already, please feel free to say hi. I'm sure you'll hold a wealth of info for us still in the uk.

 

So I'll start! I'm a children's nurse, married, with two daughters, aged 13 & 10. At this point in time I've applied for my 175 skilled independent visa, and we have our meds this week! House yet to go up for sale, but will hopefully be on the market in the next 2 weeks. We're hoping to head to the Gold Coast, July/Aug, but this depends on visa & house sale. I have no job there yet, but have submitted my cv th Queensland health, plus a couple of individual hospitals in the GC. Waiting for them to get back to me!

 

Right, your turn!

Mags:wubclub:

x

[mcauleycm]

can i registernow with QNC or do i have to wait until i have my skills assessment?

 

Thanks

 

Claire

[Guest joash1974]

Hi All,

 

I am new to this to please bare with me..... I am 33, have been a nurse for 4 years and have 3 girls - 8, 7 and 1. My husband and I are in the process of applying for 175 visa. We are planning on Perth. I am having trouble finding out what sort of pay I could expect to receive if working in Perth as a nurse? Any help appreciated...... Thanks! :wubclub:

[ali]

You'd probably be offerred level 1.4 (or above), it goes off your years of service for level 1. Level 2 and 3 are generally promotional positions.

[Guest michelledenham]

Hi All,

 

I am new to this to please bare with me..... I am 33, have been a nurse for 4 years and have 3 girls - 8, 7 and 1. My husband and I are in the process of applying for 175 visa. We are planning on Perth. I am having trouble finding out what sort of pay I could expect to receive if working in Perth as a nurse? Any help appreciated...... Thanks! :wubclub:

Hi,

I am a nurse from Essex who is hoping to go to perth also! I work at southend hospital on the cancer unit.

From what I can gather, the wages are slight less then what we get here, but then the cost of living is slightly less, it should feel like the same as here.

 

Sorry if I confused you.

 

Take care

Michelle

[maslyn]

Hi All,

 

I am new to this to please bare with me..... I am 33, have been a nurse for 4 years and have 3 girls - 8, 7 and 1. My husband and I are in the process of applying for 175 visa. We are planning on Perth. I am having trouble finding out what sort of pay I could expect to receive if working in Perth as a nurse? Any help appreciated...... Thanks! :wubclub:

Hi

welcome to the forum i got this website hope it helps Australian Nursing Federation Western Australia your pay will depend on how long you have been practising since qualifying some employers want you to bring a statement of service as proof from your previous employers

[Guest alison and Simon]

Hi All

I am Macmillan palliative CNS and have started process this week. Any advice regarding palliative care provision out in Brisbane area!?

Alison

[Guest michelledenham]

Hi everyone,

 

I am getting so confused, can anyone help?

I sent my Cv to several hospitals in Perth, all the ones with Cancer centres. I have now been offered 3 jobs and ? 2 more. 3 are public hospitals and 2 are private. All want to get me on the 'sponsorship' visa and want me there AsAp. Each hospital doesn't seem to understand that I am new so am keeping my options open. Why is that? If I was applying for a job in the Uk, I would check it out first. So why oh why do they think I would be stupid enough to just jump at any the first job.

They all make their hospital sound great!

 

To make things worse, we are know thinking of applying for the 175visa. My husband is a engineer, with alot of experience in aircon & electronics. So he could potentially find a great job, but we'll have no visa.

 

I can't work out the diffenece between public and private hospitals. In the Uk, this generally means the wages and conditions are better, but this doesn't seem the case in Oz.

 

ANY ADVICE IS WELCOME, PLEASE!!!!

[Mongrel]

Hi everyone,

 

I am getting so confused, can anyone help?

I sent my Cv to several hospitals in Perth, all the ones with Cancer centres. I have now been offered 3 jobs and ? 2 more. 3 are public hospitals and 2 are private. All want to get me on the 'sponsorship' visa and want me there AsAp. Each hospital doesn't seem to understand that I am new so am keeping my options open. Why is that? If I was applying for a job in the Uk, I would check it out first. So why oh why do they think I would be stupid enough to just jump at any the first job.

They all make their hospital sound great!

 

To make things worse, we are know thinking of applying for the 175visa. My husband is a engineer, with alot of experience in aircon & electronics. So he could potentially find a great job, but we'll have no visa.

 

I can't work out the diffenece between public and private hospitals. In the Uk, this generally means the wages and conditions are better, but this doesn't seem the case in Oz.

 

ANY ADVICE IS WELCOME, PLEASE!!!!

 

 

All i can say is that they are desperate for nurses which is why they want you on sponsorship visa, its quicker. Its up to you which route you take. I am on a sponsorship visa at a public hospital in Perth but that is because i am over forty five and had no choice. I personally would hold out for another visa as its more secure. However, 457 sponsorship visa is fine, the hospital will sponsor me for pr after 3 months service. :cool:

[Guest paul08]

Hi Michelle,

You may find Public pays better and has greater flexibility depending upon their roster rotation. Sponsorship is easier no doubt but does lock you into that facility. I think you will find the WA Nurses Board is a fair way behind in processing overseas applications at present so even if you did commit to one offer it may still be 6 mths before any confirmation could be given. I would request proposed work schedules to ascertain best conditions from each facility.

Good Luck, hope it goes well.

Paul

 

Hi everyone,

 

I am getting so confused, can anyone help?

I sent my Cv to several hospitals in Perth, all the ones with Cancer centres. I have now been offered 3 jobs and ? 2 more. 3 are public hospitals and 2 are private. All want to get me on the 'sponsorship' visa and want me there AsAp. Each hospital doesn't seem to understand that I am new so am keeping my options open. Why is that? If I was applying for a job in the Uk, I would check it out first. So why oh why do they think I would be stupid enough to just jump at any the first job.

They all make their hospital sound great!

 

To make things worse, we are know thinking of applying for the 175visa. My husband is a engineer, with alot of experience in aircon & electronics. So he could potentially find a great job, but we'll have no visa.

 

I can't work out the diffenece between public and private hospitals. In the Uk, this generally means the wages and conditions are better, but this doesn't seem the case in Oz.

 

ANY ADVICE IS WELCOME, PLEASE!!!!