WORKING IN AUSTRALIA AS A NURSE – VISA OPTIONS
Nurses are in high demand in Australia, whether you have a high level of skills and experience or need to gain additional skills, there is a visa to suit you. There are excellent career opportunities with permanent and temporary work available. You can be in or outside Australia when you apply for a visa to work as a nurse.
Further information
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR INTERNATIONAL NURSES
International nurses, whether on temporary or permanent visas, have the same entitlement to basic entitlements, rights and protections as Australian nurses.
International nurses also have the right to join a union. The union for nurses in Australia is the Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) | View information sheet on the ANF
You can become a member of the ANF by contacting the ANF Branch in your state or territory:
If you require an interpreter please call: 131 450
PROTECTIONS AT WORK
The protections you are entitled to under Australian law include:
- The right to equal wages and employment conditions as Australian workers
- An employer cannot make deductions from your pay without your agreement
- The right to engage in industrial activities
- The right to be free from unlawful discrimination
- Protection through the Fair Work Act 2009
- Appropriate OH&S safety protection
- Support if you are injured at work
There are also a number of Fair Work Online (FWO) factsheets detailing the protections you are entitled to:
View FWO for international workers | View FWO outline of protections
DISCRIMINATION & HARASSMENT
Australian law protects all workers from discrimination and harassment in the workplace.
It is unlawful for an employer to take adverse action against you, such as termination, on the grounds of race, colour, sex, sexual preference, age, physical or mental disability, marital status, family or carer’s responsibilities, pregnancy, religion, political opinion, national extraction or social origin.
View further information on discrimination and harassment in the workplace.
YOUR RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS – IMMIGRATION FACTS FOR WORKERS
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) has produced an information booklet to assist workers from overseas to know their rights and help reduce the incidence of exploitation.
The information booklet entitled 'Your rights and obligations – immigration facts for workers', covers basic protections and entitlements, work rights, visa choices, employer obligations and using a migration agent for overseas workers.
The booklet also includes contact details for the department, Fair Work Australia, the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (Office of the MARA) and the Translating and Interpreting Service.
The information booklet has been translated into several languages based on the main nationalities of vulnerable or illegal workers in Australia.
See: Your Rights and Obligations – Immigration Facts for Workers
IMMIGRATION ASSISTANCE – ONLINE ENQUIRY FORM
The ANF works in partnership with the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) to assist in providing members with immigration assistance and guidance in the event that it may be required.
If you are an ANF member and you have an immigration enquiry of a general nature or if you have identified issues in the workplace relating to international nurses, this service is available to you.
Go to online enquiry form
Enquiries may relate to:
- Your rights as a visa holder
- Employer obligations / Business Monitoring Unit
- Temporary Business Long Stay (subclass 457)
- Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) / Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS)
- General Skilled Migration (GSM)
A DIAC Outreach Officer specialising in skilled migration can be contacted by lodging the following online enquiry form. Please allow up to 7 days for a response.