New changes slash wait times for overseas nurses
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Australia will soon accelerate the registration process for internationally qualified nurses, with the goal of alleviating healthcare workforce shortages and reducing patient wait times across the country.
Latest government figures show that 16,622 internationally qualified nurses joined the Australian health system in the past financial year—nearly triple the 5,610 who did so in 2018/19, before the onset of COVID-19.
“For too long highly-educated nurses with experience from countries like the UK, Canada and Ireland are left waiting on red tape approvals before they are able to work in our hospitals, aged care facilities and general practices,” says Minister Butler.
Beginning March 2025, nurses who have practised for at least 1,800 hours since 2017 in comparable countries—Ireland, Singapore, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States, and select Canadian provinces—will see their registration wait time cut by 6–12 months. They will also be exempt from extra exams or upgrade requirements, as part of a broader reform to implement the recommendations of the Kruk Review.
“As a former nurse, I know all too well that Australia’s healthcare system is powered by the sweat, hearts and expertise of nurses,” says Assistant Minister Kearney.
The Albanese Government has committed $90 million in the 2024–25 Budget to pursue these reforms, which also include streamlined pathways for general practitioners (GPs) from New Zealand, the UK, and Ireland. That GP fast-track program launched in October 2024, and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) reports around 11 GP applications per week under the new system.
“From March, internationally qualified registered nurses who have practised for at least 1,800 hours in these comparable countries will be fast-tracked, cutting the application time by up to 6-12 months, in some cases,” adds Minister Butler.
These changes aim to maintain the same rigorous safety and quality standards set for Australian-trained nurses, ensuring patient care remains uncompromised.
“Streamlining the application process for the thousands of highly experienced nurses from comparable countries overseas will go a long way to ensuring Australians can get the best quality care, soonest,” says Assistant Minister Kearney.
“Combined with the many scholarships, placements and other programs the Albanese Labor Government provides to support our home-grown nurses, this will improve the availability of nurses in health settings around the country.”
Related: The role of overseas workers in Australian aged care
Welcoming the announcement, the Australian College of Nursing (ACN) praises the speedy new registration process while also emphasising the importance of training more local nurses and midwives.
“Australia has a long history of attracting nurses to work in Australia,” says ACN CEO Adjunct Professor Kathryn Zeitz FACN.
“Overseas nurses will now wait a shorter time for their registration and ability to practise here, but they must still meet the same regulatory requirements as Australian-trained nurses – ensuring the high standards of safety and quality of care in this country.”
Many of these newly arrived nurses are projected to fill high-demand roles in public hospitals and aged care—two sectors grappling with understaffing. “While improving the process to shorten the time for overseas nurse registration is a good move, our priority must still be to educate and retain more home-grown nurses and midwives,” adds Adjunct Professor Zeitz.
“ACN has made practical and achievable recommendations in our Pre-Budget Submission that will help all governments achieve their nursing workforce goals. The key is developing strategies to attract more people into nursing and providing rewarding life-long career pathways to keep nurses in the profession.”
Building on these reforms, the Albanese Government hopes that cutting wait times for highly trained overseas nurses will bolster frontline services throughout the country.
“Australian patients will ultimately benefit from these changes, since these highly educated nurses can start working and providing care to Australians sooner, without waiting needlessly on red tape,” said Minister Butler.
The ACN also highlights the long-term vision of allowing nurses, nurse practitioners and midwives to work to their full scope, as proposed in the Unleashing the Potential of our Health Workforce – Scope of Practice Review. Such reforms, experts argue, will help sustain the quality, capacity, and flexibility of Australia’s healthcare system for years to come.
“Enabling nurses, nurse practitioners, and midwives to work to their full scope will benefit patients, communities and the health system,” says Adjunct Professor Zeitz.
Ritchelle is a Content Producer for Healthcare Channel, Australia’s premier resource of information for healthcare.
