The Real Facts Behind Australia's Need For Nurses

Healthcare workers have always been welcomed into Australia, but just recently the Australian government revealed that nurses and midwives in particular are in high demand.  As the country’s population continues to grow, the shortage of skills in these areas are likely to increase even further over the next 10-15 years.

This is of course great news for nurses in the UK who are looking to make the move overseas as Australia are now looking to foreign workers to fill the demand in these essential services.  Qualified nurses from the UK should find it easy to transfer their skills to an Australian hospital – offering not only a rewarding career but a whole lifestyle change.

Why is the demand for nurses in Australia so high?

The population of Australia has more than doubled over the last 50 years and is expected to rise at a similar rate year on year.  Like the UK, the elderly population are living longer than ever before which in turn puts health services under increased pressure.  

To ease the pressure, the government is expanding their health offering and in particular are building a number of new hospitals.  These new hospitals require qualified, skilled staff, hence the need for an urgent recruitment drive to ensure that all services are staffed sufficiently. Whilst the government was initially trying to attract Australian nurses, the demand is such that the search has widened to skilled migrant workers.

Is the demand for nurses high across Australia?

Whilst nurses and midwives will be needed across the entire country, the real need is felt in the more rural and remote areas of Australia.  Smaller towns tend to find it difficult to recruit skilled workers with the right experience, so there are plenty of opportunities for UK nurses to fill these positions.

For UK nurses who are wishing to move to the larger hubs such as Sydney or Melbourne, there will still be opportunities however the greatest staff shortages remain in the rural areas.  For those filling these particular vacancies, generous salaries are typically offered as an incentive, as well as being able to experience the friendly, community feel which a small town can offer.

View our latest nursing jobs in Australia or register to apply for nursing jobs in Australia here