Yes, you can work as a nurse on a Working Holiday visa, and stay with the same hospital for your whole visa. But the visa alone doesn't let you practise: you need registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board first. Here's the full route for 2026, by passport, with real pay figures.
Last reviewed 8 October 2026 against Home Affairs, NMBA/Ahpra, Fair Work, NSW Health and Queensland Health sources (listed at the end).
Which visa you get, your age limit, which NMBA registration route applies and whether you need an English test.
| Trained in | Visa | Max age | NMBA route | English test? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (adult nursing) | 417 | 35 | Fast-track, Pathway 1 | Usually no |
| Ireland | 417 | 35 | Fast-track, Pathway 1 | Usually no |
| Canada: British Columbia or Ontario | 417 | 35 | Fast-track, Pathway 1 | Usually no |
| Canada: any other province | 417 | 35 | Standard assessment (Self-check) | Usually no |
| United States | 462 | 30 | Fast-track, Pathway 1 | Usually no |
| Spain | 462 | 30 | Fast-track, Pathway 1 | Yes |
| Germany, France, Italy | 417 | 35 | Standard assessment (Self-check) | Yes |
| Argentina, Chile | 462 | 30 | Standard assessment (Self-check) | Yes |
For nurses who qualified in a comparable jurisdiction: the UK, Ireland, the USA, British Columbia, Ontario, Singapore or Spain. You need at least 1,800 hours of practice as an RN in a comparable jurisdiction since 1 January 2017 (about one year full-time), a statement from each employer, current or past registration there and a certificate of good standing. No NMBA exams and no qualification upgrade.
For nurses whose degree is from elsewhere but who passed a comparable jurisdiction's exam for overseas nurses (for example, an Indian or Filipino nurse registered in the UK or US). You need that registration and 1,800 hours there since 1 January 2017. UK nurses on this route must be registered in the adult field.
Start with the Ahpra Self-check. You're then placed in Stream A (apply directly), Stream B (portfolio, then the NCLEX-RN exam at a Pearson VUE centre, then a clinical exam, the OSCE, in Australia) or Stream C (you need to upgrade your qualification).
Scores changed for tests taken from 23 April 2026: IELTS Academic overall 7 (listening 7, reading 7, writing 6.5, speaking 7); OET listening 350, reading 360, writing 350, speaking 360; PTE overall 63; TOEFL iBT 91. Results normally need to be less than 2 years old. Nurses educated in English in the UK, Ireland, USA, Canada, New Zealand or Malta usually don't need a test.
| NMBA fee | AUD |
|---|---|
| Fast-track application | 60 |
| Application fee, general registration | 332 |
| Annual registration fee | 193 (NSW: 189) |
| Standard route assessment and orientation | 410 |
| OSCE clinical exam (standard route, Stream B) | 4,000 |
NMBA fee schedule effective 18 September 2025. NCLEX fees are set by the exam provider. The NMBA doesn't publish a fixed processing time.
It tells you whether you're on the fast-track or the standard route before you spend money on anything else.
Gather your employer statements, certificate of good standing and, if needed, your English test. Registration is what takes longest, so start it first.
The fee is AUD 840 for a first 417 or 462 (AUD 1,000 for a 2nd or 3rd). Home Affairs expects processing to take around three months, and says not to book flights until the visa is granted. You also need about AUD 5,000 in funds.
Anyone who intends to work or train as a nurse must do a medical exam, chest x-ray, HIV test and hepatitis B and C tests, whatever their nationality. If you're from a higher-risk TB country and will work in health or aged care, add a latent TB screening test.
Once you're registered and in Australia, you can take a job with a hospital, aged-care provider or nursing agency. Health work is exempt from the 6-month limit, so you can stay with the same employer.
Minimum rates. Casual work adds 25% under the national award, and nights, weekends and public holidays pay more.
| Role and source | Rate |
|---|---|
| Registered nurse, national award minimum (Level 1, first year, from 1 July 2026) | AUD 1,219.50/week · 32.09/h |
| Registered nurse, award Level 1 top pay point | AUD 38.57/h |
| Registered nurse in aged care (award, from 1 August 2026) | From AUD 41.36/h to 47.40/h at Level 1 |
| NSW public hospitals, RN first year (from 1 July 2026) | AUD 1,566.70/week (≈ 41.23/h); 8th year+ AUD 2,199.60/week |
| Queensland Health, RN grade 5 pay point 1 | AUD 87,790/year · 44.28/h · casual 55.35/h |
| Enrolled nurse, national award | AUD 30.00–31.56/h |
In NSW, overseas RN experience counts towards your pay year. NSW night shifts carry a 20% loading; Saturdays pay ×1.5 and Sundays ×1.75.
Many overseas nurses work in care roles while their registration is processed. These roles don't need NMBA registration.
| Role | Requirement | Minimum rate |
|---|---|---|
| Aged-care carer, Level 1 (Aged Care Award) | Less than 3 months' experience | ≈ AUD 32.61/h · casual ≈ 40.76 |
| Aged-care carer, Level 2 | 3+ months' experience | ≈ AUD 34.42/h · casual ≈ 43.02 |
| Aged-care carer, Level 3 | Cert III in Individual Support or equivalent | ≈ AUD 36.23/h · casual ≈ 45.29 |
| Assistant in nursing (Nurses Award, outside aged care) | Works under an RN's supervision | AUD 27.65/h (first year) |
| Assistant in nursing, NSW public hospitals | - | ≈ AUD 32.86/h |
| Assistant in nursing, Queensland Health | - | AUD 35.22/h · casual 44.03 |
We're not a migration agent or a recruiter, and you lodge your visa and registration yourself. What we do is make your first weeks easy: accommodation, bank account, tax file number, SIM, an Australian-format CV and support in English from our team in Melbourne.
See the landing packsSources checked on 8 October 2026: Home Affairs, 6-month work limitation · 417 specified work · First 417 · First 462 · Health examinations · NMBA registration standard for overseas RNs · NMBA Self-check · NMBA fees · Ahpra English tests · Nurses Award · Aged Care Award · NSW Health nurses award · Queensland Health nursing rates · Sponsorship salary threshold. This page is general information; we are not a migration agent. Always confirm current rules on the official sites.
