OET For Nurses

If you are an internationally qualified nurse or midwife and planning to get registered as RN ( Registered Nurse), then you should know the following important information about immigration, registration and employment in Australia.

To work as an RN in Australia, you need to be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). You also have to apply for a visa issued by the Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection (Australian Immigration Department).

Both applications are totally separate and one successful application doesn’t guarantee the success of the other

Pathway to Australia

What is OET

OET is an international English language test that assesses the language communication skills of healthcare professionals who seek to register and practice in an English-speaking environment.

Immigration to Australia

The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) is an independent organization gazette by the Minister for Immigration (pursuant to the Migration Act 1958, Regulations Amendment 1999, 2.228) to perform skills assessment for migration purposes. ANMAC assesses the skills of internationally qualified nurses and midwives who want to migrate to Australia under the General Skilled Migration program – see International services on the ANMAC website.

Registration and employment as an RN in Australia

The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) assesses applications for registration from internationally qualified nurses and midwives on behalf of the NMBA.

International applicants must meet the registration standards and qualification criteria in order to be eligible for registration.

Employment

You must recognize the fact that AHPRA or the NMBA are not involved in employment matters and they are therefore unable to assist you in seeking employment or influencing employment outcomes. However, registration with the relevant National Board is compulsory for any health professional prior to taking up employment in Australia in their profession. You should not apply for work until your registration eligibility is confirmed.

What is a Bridging( IRON) program?

A Bridging(IRON) program is a program of study approved by the NMBA that enables internationally qualified nurses and midwives who do not qualify for registration under section 53(b) of the National Law to meet the requirements under section 53(c) by completing further study and assessment against the NMBA’s standards for practice. NMBA refers candidates to a bridging program to ensure that they meet these eligibility criteria.