The ultimate guide to finding nurse jobs in Australia for working holiday makers

How to find a nursing Jobs in Australia - Part One

When planning your working holiday in Sydney it’s important to do your research so you can start your nursing jobs in Sydney when you arrive. To work as a nurse in Sydney there are a few important things to consider and prepare before you arrive.

How long does it take to prepare to Nurse in Australia? 

The full timeline to prepare to find nurse jobs in Sydney depends on where you are in your career. If you’re currently a student nurse you may need to wait 12 months. To be eligible to work in Sydney as a nurse legally in the healthcare sector you’ll need a minimum 12-month paid full-time, post-graduate practical nurse experience (unfortunately internships don’t count towards the 12 months required). You will also need to have your AHPRA registration which in some cases can take 6 months to secure from the start of lodging your application. It’s also a good idea to have police clearance from your country of residence. This can take anywhere from 14-30 days.

Nursing in Australia - Key Preparation Timeline 

• Minimum practical, paid work experience - 12 months (1,983 hours minimum)
• AHPRA Registration - 6 months (up to)
• Police Clearance - 14-30 days

How do you set out your CV for Nursing Jobs in Australia? 

Like any job application, you’ll need to have a C.V. or resume to apply for work as a nurse in Australia. The better prepared you are, the more chance you have of finding work quickly and securing your ideal role. Consider the structure of your C.V. by putting the most current jobs first rather than starting with your first job. It’s also a good idea to add a brief cover letter or personal statement that summarises your skills, personal qualities and other key factors that make you stand out. Remember, employers and recruitment agents potentially have hundreds of applications to go through and they are all scanning for highlights that identify those most likely to be successfully recruited and placed.

NURSE JOB TIP: Always ask someone to read your C.V. for you before you submit it.

Another extremely important thing to remember about preparing your C.V. for your Australia job application is to check your spelling and grammar. Keep in mind that you’re competing against other nurses who may have more experience and skills (on paper) than you. For this reason, you need to try and tick as many boxes as possible to ensure your resume stands out.

When you do submit your CV, tailor the email and introduction to the company or agency that you are applying to. If you can, find out the name of the recruiter or head of the department who you’re sending your C.V./resume to. Include your personal statement/cover letter in your email and attach your C.V./resume as a pdf. Check before you hit send that your documents are attached.

Preparing your C.V. For Nurse Jobs in Australia Summary

Structure your C.V. in a way that covers key points first

Full Name

Email:

Mobile Phone Number/Skype/WhatsApp:

Personal Statement or Cover Letter Summarising your skills and personal interests

Always highlight of qualifications starting with industry achievements, university and college in that order (GCSE/School Grades are not important)

Summarise Work History starting with the most recent first and work your way back

Proofread your CV and ask someone to check the spelling and grammar

Find the name of the person you’re submitting your application to or at least add a cover letter to your email.

Attach a copy of your C.V./resume to your email.

How and where to apply for Nurse jobs in Australia

Now that you have confirmed you have your 12 months experience, have your visa application in hand, you’ve received your AHPRA registration (notification of approval) and your CV is prepared it’s time to apply for your first nurse job in Australia. So what’s the process and where do you start? This guide is dedicated to working holiday nurses so the plan may vary slightly so do take this into account when reading this guide.

How, where and when you apply for nurse jobs in Australia will vary depending on your travel plans. One of the first things you should do is plan your year in advance and consider if you’re likely to want to stay for a second or third year in Australia. By planning your working holiday in advance, you can take advantage of where and when you work in various states.

Another thing to consider is seasonality, as agency nursing work availability may vary during the year around the country.

The other great advantage of being a traveling nurse is that you can gain extra experience that will prove invaluable to your C.V. Just think of the experience and skills you can pick up working in hospitals across Australia.

"In this article, we’ll summarise a few scenarios to consider and suggest some different options for your trip."

Nurse jobs in Australia: Working Holiday in Australia’s ultimate work/travel adventure

Choosing when to do your agricultural work to help you qualify for your 2nd or 3rd year working holiday visa.

When you’re planning your Working Holiday in Australia, it’s worth considering if you would like to do your second year early in the 12 month period. If you’re planning on staying for 2 years in Australia you should seriously consider doing your agricultural farm work at the start. By starting your 90 day agricultural work at the start you’ll have 18 months clear to work without the drama of this hanging over your head.

The other option is to spread out your 90 days work over the first 9 months. You can actually break up the 90 days period over the year but you’ll want to leave plenty of time to make your application for your second year before the period is up. Remember to always do your research and make sure the area, job and place you do your agricultural work is registered and covers the criteria for the agricultural scheme. You definitely don’t want to have done the work and then find out you don’t qualify for the second year visa.

Bower YNA have some approved farm work partners and we’ll be happy to recommend you to some farms or factories that will mean you would qualify if you follow the checklist.

Converting a Working Holiday Visa to Permanent Residency Visa or Skilled Migrant Visa

Nurses who want to work in Australia for up to three years may want to carry out additional agricultural work. By working for an extended period of time you may be eligible to stay in Australia and work as a nurse for up to three years. After this period you may qualify for a skilled nominated visa which will allow you to stay in Australia on a permanent residency visa which will last up to four years. This could also put you on a pathway to Australian citizenship.

(Always seek migration and visa advice from a registered MARA approved Migration Agent)

Where and when to apply for nursing jobs in Australia.

One of the best ways to find working holiday jobs for nurses in Australia is by registering with a recruitment agent. By working for an agency you’ll have the ability to work selected shifts and work as much as you want or at selected times across the country. At Bower YNA, we have partnerships with hospitals across Australia and can help you and your traveling nurse friend and colleagues find work in all the major towns and cities, as well as regional and rural locations.

Apply for Registered Nurse Jobs in Australia 

Apply for registered nurse jobs in Sydney

Apply for midwifery jobs in Australia

Apply for mental health nurse jobs in Australia

Apply for acute care nurse jobs in Australia

Apply for community nurse jobs in Australia

Apply for operating theatre nurse jobs in Australia

Australian Working Holiday For Nurses - Work & Travel Your Way Around Australia

The traditional working holiday route in Australia runs from Sydney to Cairns but thanks to new flight routes offering competitive rates and working holiday packages new routes are becoming more popular including starting in Perth, Adelaide or Melbourne. If you want to explore Australia before you start working you may want to consider starting in Perth and working your way around the country and ending your trip in Sydney. Here’s one of our suggested itineraries for traveling nurses.

Search for working holiday Round The World flight prices

How much should you save for your working holiday in Australia?

$10,000 AUD / £5600 / $7200 USD / €6300

Traveling Nurse Tip: Before you arrive in Australia, register your C.V./resume with Bower YNA so you can start work when you land.

Working Holiday Nurse Itinerary - Perth to Sydney and everywhere in between

Starting your working holiday in Perth

Work in Perth for 10-14 days potential earning - $1800-3000 AUD

Arrive in Perth and we’ll have to recommend staying at least ten days Northbridge which is a popular town for students, backpackers and young professionals to hang out near Perth CBD. There are loads of great hostels that are located within walking distance of the main town and from here you’ll be able to explore the city and surrounding suburbs easily.

After taking a few days to relax and get over your flight you can meet the Bower YNA team in Perth who will get you signed up and lock in some shifts at one of the local hospitals or healthcare centres in Perth. This is a great way to meet some new friends and other travelling nurses who you may even end up cruising the country with.

Nurse your way around Australia Starting Perth

Key Highlights

• Perth
• Pinnacles
• Monkey Mia
• Coral Bay - Ningaloo Reef
• Exmouth
• Cable Beach
• The Kimberly

Recommended Tours

West Coast Cruiser: 14 Days Perth to Broome - Broome to Perth return from $2095 AUD

https://westcoastcruiser.rezdy.com/247019/14-day-perth-to-broome-explorer-return-fully-accommodated

Integrity Coach Lines: Hop On Hop Off Pass 3000 km Pass - $465 AUD

On arrival back in Perth, we recommend staying in Fremantle for 5-7 days. After your next round of nursing in Perth, head down South to explore Margaret River and Wave Rock for three days.

• Perth
• Margaret River
• Albany
• Wave Rock
• Perth

46 Days

Recommended Tour

Nullarbor Traveller: Perth to Margaret River return to Perth - From $685 AUD https://nullarbortraveller.com.au/our-tours/margaret-river-tour/

Next, on the to do list, pick up some farm work in the Margaret River Region. You can find casual work all year round in this region with the peak season being June to September.

Recommended stay: 4 weeks

Recommended stay: Margaret River YHA

After you’ve completed your first round of farm work you’ll have clocked up 30 days of farm work and you’ll be roughly 76 days into your Australian Working Holiday. Next stop Adelaide via the South.

76 Days

Recommended route

Perth to Adelaide 10 days from $1595 AUD

• Perth
• Wave Rock
• Esperance
• The Nullarbor
• Eyre Peninsula
• Coodlie Park Farm Retreat
• Port Lincoln
• Cowell
• Flinders Ranges
• Adelaide

86 Days

Work in Adelaide 10-14 days

Recommended accommodation: Hostel 109 Flashpackers

On arrival in Adelaide, you’ll most likely need a couple of days to catch up and relax. After you’ve had some time to explore the city you can drop by our Adelaide recruitment office or give us a call when you arrive and we can start looking for shifts.

Work in Adelaide for 10-14 days potential earning - $1800-3000 AUD

2 day tour suggestion: Kangaroo Island Adventure Tour from $459 AUD

100 Days

Farm Work Opportunity 2: Farm work in South Australia - 30 days

Search for jobs at bbmlive.com: South Australia Farm Jobs for second year working holiday visa

130 Days (including 60 days of agricultural work)

Next stop Melbourne. The next stop on your Travelling Nurse adventure around Australia will take you to Melbourne via the famous Great Ocean Road.

Key highlights

Learn to Surf on the Great Ocean Road: 2 Days from $275 AUD

Recommended Tour 2 Days Adelaide to Melbourne with Wildlife Tours

• Brambuk Aboriginal Culture Centre
• Bushwalks in the Grampians / Gariwerd National Park
• Hike to the base of Mackenzie Falls
• Boroka Lookout or Lake Bellfield
• Aussie Wildlife Guaranteed
• Overnight in Halls Gap
• The world famous Twelve Apostles
• Loch Ard Gorge and the Shipwreck Coast
• Bushwalk through the Otway’s Rainforest
• Koala and wildlife spotting
• Surf Coast beaches, seaside towns and stunning coastal views
• Historic Great Ocean Road Memorial Arch

132 Days (including 60 days of agricultural work)

Melbourne’s a city that was voted the most liveable city in the world seven years running from 2011-2017 and there’s a good reason for it. Melbourne is awesome! Melbourne is the cultural hub of Australia and somewhere you’ll want to stay for a while. We’re going to recommend at least 30 days in Melbourne but we’ll let you discover why for yourself. Call or drop by the Melbourne Bower YNA office to confirm your shifts.

Recommended areas to stay: St Kilda, Windsor, South Melbourne, Fitzroy, Carlton

Find temporary flats in Melbourne and surrounding suburbs from 1 week to 1 year or longer at flatmatefinder.com.au

Work in Melbourne for 30 days potential earning: $4000-6000 AUD

Things to do in Melbourne

• Eureka Skydeck
• Watch an AFL match with locals
• Explore Melbourne’s many rooftop bars
• Watch live bands and DJ’s regularly at some of Australia’s best music venues
• Discover the laneways around Chinatown
• Drink the world’s best coffee
• Escape to Phillip Island and meet the little penguins
• Head out to the Yarra Valley to explore Melbourne’s wine region
• Go Skiing (in winter)
• Learn to Surf on the Great Ocean Road

162 Days (including 60 days of agricultural work)

Part 2 - Finding Nursing Jobs in Australia for Working Holiday Makers is coming soon including 30 more days agricultural work, Sydney, The Great Barrier Reef, Rainforests, Kakadu, Uluru, and the amazing Northern Territory.