Nursing job opportunities in Australia in 2015 - less than previous years?

[cazann100]

Hi,

 

I have been looking at nursing jobs in Australia over the past few years from the UK and have noticed a decrease in job opportunities being advertised on web-sites. I understand that Australia's economy is having a hard time at the moment and that there have been job cuts etc as in the rest of the world. I have also read that there is a possible looming recession! So I was just wondering if those of you already out there are finding nursing jobs harder to come by? Are there many more jobs advertised on shore only? Also what do you think the likelihood of nursing being removed from the SOL in future is, if there is no longer a shortage?

 

Thanks for any info x

[xxlornaxx]

I don't know what it was like years ago but there are certainly no shortage of mental health nurse jobs...and I can't see it coming off the skilled list due to the different way mh nurses are trained outside aus and au nurses being reluctant to go into mental health after finishing general training at least not straight away anyway

[ali]

There are less jobs available/advertised in part that will be because of the number of graduates entering nursing that have been trained here, there is also a change (where I work) in that advertisements are now going out saying that preference will be given to Citizens and PR holders. The overseas recruitment trips have lessened if not ceased and relocation packages in some places have either been greatly reduced or ceased.

 

I don't think that nursing will come off the lists in the next few years, but like all professions it always remains a possibility.

[movingback]

I work with a girl who is just finishing her nurse training. She has said that there has been an explosion in the number of students studying nursing (due to increasing places/increased universities offering the course) and now it is very hard to get a graduate job. She is not sure what she is going to do as she has nothing lined up after many applications. This is Sydney however; it may be different in more rural area.s

[cazann100]

thanks for the replies! I will have to just wait and hope that recession is staved off and jobs become more abundant again in the next few years, in time for me to cease the opportunity! Even better if they start actively recruiting again!

 

I've already had 1 career removed from the SOL just as I was about to apply for my visa. Lets hope this is not another one.

[kyliedonut]

Just home from Broken Hill completing an elective placement. There was a huge turn around of nursing staff there, and staff shortages clearly evident. However they told me that sponsorship is very unlikely within NSW at all now unless for very specific nursing roles. The Aus nursing students I met were interviewing for their graduate year programmes, and were all very stressed as there are not enough places on these programmes for the amount of students each year. I am looking at it with the view of a newly qualified nurse though. I think an experienced UK nurse would be very sought after as skill-mix issues seem to be a problem in Aus too. It just seems that you would need to have Australian registration to be considered.

[Chortlepuss]

My daughter graduated last year and got the first job she applied for. It was very competitive but I think what won over her recruiters was not just the quality of her application, but the fact that she had been working part-time in an old people's care home for a couple of years whilst doing her degree. Speaking to an experienced nurse here, she said that a lot of the graduates she interviews do not have relevant experience, or have worked in Maccers, clothes shops etc to supplement their student income so working in aged care (although tough) would be a real demonstration that you would be up to the job. There seems to be an oversupply of graduates, but I don't hear much about experienced nurses being out of work and I think you could always pick up agency if you weren't too fussy....