General Nursing Q's - AHPRA, 189 and Jobs

[bergerac14]

Hey Everyone,

Wondering if anyone can shed any light of some of these issues I've run into whilst researching emigrating as a Registered Nurse to Australia. Some of this is probably wrong, but I am very much at the early stages of figuring things out - so bear with!

I am based in the UK, looking at a 482 / TSS Medium Stream for Registered Nursing Jobs in QLD.  I have 4 years experience as a Theatre Nurse.

So to apply for a job they first require you to be registered with AHPRA.

Thats cool, will apply for AHPRA. Once the provisional registration is approved, I can then get a job interview. Bearing in mind, you can never be totally sure when the registration will approved.

But now, the clock is ticking on the 3-Month window AHPRA gives you to present in person to an office in Australia.

So does anyone know how this works in practice? It seems crazy that the gun goes off when AHPRA grants you your provisional registration.

That means within 3 months, you have to:

1. Apply for job, interview and secure said job (fingers crossed!
2. Apply for 482 Visa with hospital (could this honestly be completed in time, or would you have to arrange a working holiday visa beforehand to get around this?)
3. Hand notice in at work / rented house / life admin etc etc
4. Book flights and secure accomodation in Australia
5. Arrive in Australia to complete the last part of the AHPRA ID check (present in person)
6. Hopefully start work?

Another question that came up - assuming on the 482, you dont have to have a full skills assessment beforehand by ANMAC?

Any info/experience/advice on any of this very much appreciated!

E

[Cobs_Ahoy]

In my case, I got a job offer before AHPRA reg, I think pre-pandemic this would have been unlikely but HCPs are so in demand that employers seem to be taking gambles they wouldn’t normally have done. My employer didn’t seem fussed at all about waiting.

However, I then applied for AHPRA reg and they gave me a 6month window to present in person, which again I think is a reflection of the time’s and might not be a permanent change.

pre-pandemic I think people tended to get registration in principle, ‘pop over’ to present and scope out where they wanted to, and then go home to hunt for jobs etc.

I actually switched to a different employer recently (my first offer wasn’t a sponsored visa offer) and they seemed surprised that I already had AHPRA in place, so I would guess that employers are open to giving offshore candidates an offer and waiting while you get provisional registration. Now is a very good time to find an employer and ask if they will sponsor you for a 186 visa - I would suggest checking the RCN international jobs board, international recruitment agents (my first offer was via Health Staff Recruitment Australia, and I believe they are still actively recruiting HCPs from U.K) and just pinging some emails out to see what they can offer.

Good luck!

[VERYSTORMY]

Is there at reason you are heading for a 482 visa given it is a inferior visa?

[bergerac14]

2 hours ago, VERYSTORMY said:

Is there at reason you are heading for a 482 visa given it is a inferior visa?

The first (and only) people we have spoken to was Healthcare Australia, and this was the first Visa the reccomended as they said it was the quickest route in. They said it also had a pathway to PR after 3 years. I've heard mixed reviews of the 482 though, in that it very much is a temporary visa sometimes.

After doing a little research and reading lots on here, im now aware there are lots more options available. I would of course much prefer a straight up PR route. Are there any Visas you would particularly reccomend me looking at, based on being a HCP?

I think I am also going to employ the services of a Migration Agent to better our chances amd make sure its all looked at properly. Are there any on here that you are aware of who maybe specialise in HCP / Nursing migration?

[bergerac14]

20 hours ago, Cobs_Ahoy said:

In my case, I got a job offer before AHPRA reg, I think pre-pandemic this would have been unlikely but HCPs are so in demand that employers seem to be taking gambles they wouldn’t normally have done. My employer didn’t seem fussed at all about waiting.

However, I then applied for AHPRA reg and they gave me a 6month window to present in person, which again I think is a reflection of the time’s and might not be a permanent change.

pre-pandemic I think people tended to get registration in principle, ‘pop over’ to present and scope out where they wanted to, and then go home to hunt for jobs etc.

I actually switched to a different employer recently (my first offer wasn’t a sponsored visa offer) and they seemed surprised that I already had AHPRA in place, so I would guess that employers are open to giving offshore candidates an offer and waiting while you get provisional registration. Now is a very good time to find an employer and ask if they will sponsor you for a 186 visa - I would suggest checking the RCN international jobs board, international recruitment agents (my first offer was via Health Staff Recruitment Australia, and I believe they are still actively recruiting HCPs from U.K) and just pinging some emails out to see what they can offer.

Good luck!

Thank you for sharing your experience - its much appreciated!

It's good to know the AHPRA window is potentially up for discussion. I also heard that they could extend it slightly so it ties in with when your visa is approved. Hopefully they can deal with that on a case-by-case basis.

Ha the 'popping over' to get the AHPRA finalised - I have considered this, but potentially couldnt stomach the horrendous carbon footprint I would leave on the planet!

Thank you for the info on the 186 visa - a PR route is definitely preferrential, and hopefully the ball will be in our court to negotiate these types of things.

Going to start casting out the CV's and Job EOI's and see where that takes us once we get talking.

Thanks again!

E

[Cobs_Ahoy]

I’d be wary of being sponsored by a nursing agency, a lot of government providers are offering nomination at the minute and you would be in a more secure situation hitching your cart to them.
 

For example, I looked on the individual websites for Townsville Hospital and Health Service, Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service, Gold Coast Health, Tasmania Health and  Northern Rivers Health Service - I found the contact details for their recruitment departments and emailed them all asking if they offered 186 sponsorship (I attached my CV and gave a brief overview of experience). I heard back from all them even if they were telling me they couldn’t offer 186/any sponsorship. Some of the state delivered health services (eg Queensland Health) will have a general international recruitment email address so you can express an interest in multiple regions.

[VERYSTORMY]

21 hours ago, bergerac14 said:

The first (and only) people we have spoken to was Healthcare Australia, and this was the first Visa the reccomended as they said it was the quickest route in. They said it also had a pathway to PR after 3 years. I've heard mixed reviews of the 482 though, in that it very much is a temporary visa sometimes.

After doing a little research and reading lots on here, im now aware there are lots more options available. I would of course much prefer a straight up PR route. Are there any Visas you would particularly reccomend me looking at, based on being a HCP?

I think I am also going to employ the services of a Migration Agent to better our chances amd make sure its all looked at properly. Are there any on here that you are aware of who maybe specialise in HCP / Nursing migration?

It is always a temporary visa. It does not come with any automatic path to PR. 

It has a LOT of issues. For example, it is tied to the employer. If you decide you don't like your employer or role? You can't just leave. 

If you lose your job, then bye bye visa. Nurses in Australia are usually working for a company and do get made redundant. 

There are possibly a range of visas available to you, a number of which would grant immediate permanent residence. 

A good migration agent would be a strongly recommended idea and there are a number of excellent ones who post on the forum. 

[Bluey128]

Us nurses are able to get 491/190/189 pretty easy these days. I personally would put in EOI'S for 190 and 189 and not bother with sponsored or 491. 491 makes it hard for you to buy a house and sponsored route is such a faff and obviously you're tied to an employer for a period of time 

[VERYSTORMY]

There are a number of excellent agents who regularly post on the forum. Have a look for Paul Hand and Raul and Wrussel. 

[bergerac14]

Thanks eveyone for your responses - its much appreciated!

189 and 190 look like golden tickets. I see the 190 for QLD has a minimum points total of 80 - does anyone know if that applies for nurses also? (It does say 'unless otherwise stated' - not sure where it would state this) I think i'd struggle to meet that points threshold unfortunately.

 

For the 189, I know for the EOI you are in a big pot with everyone else, but do certain skills take precedence over others? Say for instance, can an RN with 70 points be chosen over an Electrical Engineer with 85? Or are points always king?

[Marisawright]

23 minutes ago, bergerac14 said:

For the 189, I know for the EOI you are in a big pot with everyone else, but do certain skills take precedence over others? Say for instance, can an RN with 70 points be chosen over an Electrical Engineer with 85? Or are points always king?

To get a 189 visa, you need at least 90 points, regardless of occupation.  The 190 is flexible and points are not king -- the states look at what occupations they need most at the time. 

@Cobs_Ahoy gave you some excellent advice about trying for a 186 visa. Basically for that, you need to find an employer in Australia who is willing to sponsor you for the 186.  It is an employer sponsored visa BUT it gives you PR straight away.  It's the best of both worlds because it avoids the problem of points and they're being processed faster than other visas currently, I understand.

Edited September 1, 2022 by Marisawright

[letsgo123]

You should apply for the 189, I applied in May 2022 and got invited during the last invitation round Aug 2022 with 75 points. I am in healthcare too. :)

[DukeNinja]

Things to do:

1. Get your skills assessment (ANMAC)

2. Get your AHPRA registration.

3. Apply for 189/190

4. If granted 189, work for anyone in any state.

Edited September 6, 2022 by DukeNinja

[GeeBee]

On 26/08/2022 at 20:35, bergerac14 said:

Hey Everyone,

Wondering if anyone can shed any light of some of these issues I've run into whilst researching emigrating as a Registered Nurse to Australia. Some of this is probably wrong, but I am very much at the early stages of figuring things out - so bear with!

I am based in the UK, looking at a 482 / TSS Medium Stream for Registered Nursing Jobs in QLD.  I have 4 years experience as a Theatre Nurse.

So to apply for a job they first require you to be registered with AHPRA.

Thats cool, will apply for AHPRA. Once the provisional registration is approved, I can then get a job interview. Bearing in mind, you can never be totally sure when the registration will approved.

But now, the clock is ticking on the 3-Month window AHPRA gives you to present in person to an office in Australia.

So does anyone know how this works in practice? It seems crazy that the gun goes off when AHPRA grants you your provisional registration.

That means within 3 months, you have to:

1. Apply for job, interview and secure said job (fingers crossed!
2. Apply for 482 Visa with hospital (could this honestly be completed in time, or would you have to arrange a working holiday visa beforehand to get around this?)
3. Hand notice in at work / rented house / life admin etc etc
4. Book flights and secure accomodation in Australia
5. Arrive in Australia to complete the last part of the AHPRA ID check (present in person)
6. Hopefully start work?

Another question that came up - assuming on the 482, you dont have to have a full skills assessment beforehand by ANMAC?

Any info/experience/advice on any of this very much appreciated!

E

My GF went through similar thought process back in 2018, also a nurse, also job secured via a uk recruitment agency (recruiter will always push you down 482 because it’s quicker and easier they get their commission faster) 

At the time the 482 was about to replace the 457 (which had pretty lengthy waiting times). I discussed the APHRA present in person vs visa timescales with a migration agent and was told not to try and make sense of it because it doesn’t make sense; They just aren’t joined up. In the end she did a aphra run and booked a short holiday to present in person. you can approach this with a VISITOR visa not working holiday. 

You are extremely lucky as a nurse in that you’re on the priority list which really has a different set of timescales. With that in mind you probably are better skipping the temptation of a 482 and going for direct for PR options.  

as a nurse I would even suggest trying your luck at contacting hospitals speculatively and requesting sponsorship on a 186 DE. Either via recruitment email addresses on a hospital website or set up a linked in profile and look for ‘talent acquisition’ job descriptions at your target hospital and message them. 
 

another potential option (I would confirm with a migration agent)presuming you are relatively young and single: do your ANMAC skills assessment (not that laborious for a nurse) and IELTS (ugh!) from UK and then move to aus on your working holiday visa and apply for a 189 from there. Do your ahpra there, get on local agency books and start banking at local hospitals and live your aus life while you wait out the PR. 

 

[Marisawright]

 

Quote

1. Apply for 482 Visa with hospital (could this honestly be completed in time, or would you have to arrange a working holiday visa beforehand to get around this?)

Sorry, @bergerac14, I only just noticed this part of your post. 

If you are eligible to get a Working Holiday Visa, I'd be questioning what you are waiting for?  I can't see any point in applying for visas/jobs from overseas if you have that option.

I'm pretty sure your best strategy would be to apply for a WHV and come to Australia.  Present in person to complete the last bit of AHPRA.  I'm not sure how long it takes after that to get your full registration (worth checking) but as soon as it comes through, sign up to nursing agencies and start looking for work.  

You'll then have a year to find a hospital to sponsor you for a temp or perm visa, which will be much easier than doing it from overseas, because employers love it when  you're already in Australia.  It means they know they won't have to wait for you.  Or you could apply for a skilled visa onshore yourself. 

I'd suggest booking a one-off consultation with an agent like Suncoast Migration or Go Matilda just to check there are no snags to that idea.  You don't need to hire them to handle the whole visa.  The consult will give you confidence that the plan will work.

Edited October 28, 2022 by Marisawright