We welcome the diversity and wealth of
experience that overseas applicants bring to our hospitals and health services.
There are a number of visa options
available to nurses and midwives entering WA.
WA Health is able to assist with
sponsorship for temporary or permanent visas. However, please note sponsorship is currently only
negotiated with experienced nurses and midwives applying for positions in areas of critical shortage.
The State Nominated Migration Program criteria and the Western Australian skilled migration occupation
list can be found here (external
site).
To apply for sponsorship, you must do
the following:
- Get registered as a Registered Nurse or Midwife with the Nursing and
Midwifery Board of Australia (external site)
- Apply
for a job (once
eligibility for registration is established)
- When successful in being offered a job – negotiate sponsorship with the
employing hospital/health service.
Enrolled nurses are generally not
eligible for sponsorship with WA Health. Enrolled nurses are paid under the minimum salary set by the
Department of Home Affairs
as a requirement for sponsorship.
Overseas registered nurses and midwives
can view the range of non-sponsored visa options available to them, including Working Holiday Visas
at Department of Home Affairs
(external
site). However, WA Health encourages all
overseas nurses and midwives to follow the steps above, even if not applying for a sponsored
visa.
We are unable to assist with
sponsorship for a visa for nurses or midwives to complete bridging courses, English language testing or
any other training or education based in WA.