Study nursing & health courses to secure skilled visa in Australia

Want to build a career in the Australian healthcare industry? Studying nursing and health courses in Australia will open a wide range of career opportunities for international students.

According to Jobs and Skills Australia, Australia has a shortage of healthcare professionals across all states and territories, primarily due to population growth, an ageing workforce, and health issues. In response, the Australian government plans to add 3,000 additional doctors and 3,000 nurses by 2028. So, studying nursing and health courses will promote career growth both in Australia and internationally.

Thousands of students choose to study nursing courses alongside other health courses in Australia for reasons such as:

• High employment rate due to a shortage of healthcare professionals. 

• Accredited by professional bodies such as ANMAC for nursing and OTC for occupational therapy. They are valued across all states and countries, including Canada, the UK, and New Zealand.

• 90% of healthcare-related occupations are featured on Australia’s Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), which makes you eligible for a skilled migration visa and provides a direct pathway to permanent residency (PR) in Australia.

• Health care workers are among the highest earners, with an average salary of AUD 85,000 to AUD 90,000 per year.

Let's thoroughly dissect and understand the entry requirements for nursing courses:

For Diploma and Bachelor of Nursing courses:

• Academic requirements: completed secondary education equivalent to the Australian Year 12 or a recognized higher education qualification.
• English proficiency requirements: overall IELTS score of at least 7.0 or equivalent.
• Should meet the requirements set by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA).
• Strong performance in biology, chemistry, and mathematics (depending on the course/university).

For Master of Nursing courses:

• You must hold an approved undergraduate degree in any discipline.
• Prior clinical or healthcare experience (if applicable).
• English proficiency requirements: Overall IELTS score of at least 7.0 or equivalent.

Let's thoroughly dissect and understand the entry requirements for other Allied health courses:

For a bachelor's degree:

• Completed secondary education equivalent to the Australian Year 12 or a recognized higher education qualification.
• Strong performance in biology, chemistry, and mathematics (depending on the course/university).
• English proficiency requirements: overall IELTS score of at least 6.5 or equivalent. Depending on the institution, you may need a higher score.

For a master's degree:

• Bachelor's degree in approved fields such as health science, biomedical science, nursing, psychology, etc.
• Prior work experience may be required (depends on the institution).
• English proficiency requirements: overall IELTS score of at least 7.0 or equivalent. Depending on the institution, you may need a higher score.

The costs for studying nursing courses in Australia vary, depending on the university, location, and degree level (undergraduate or postgraduate), but generally:

The costs for studying health courses in Australia vary, depending on the university, location, and degree level (undergraduate or postgraduate), but generally:

• Diploma of Nursing
• Bachelor of Nursing
• Master of Nursing Practice

Physiotherapy

• Bachelor of Physiotherapy
• Master of Physiotherapy

Occupational therapy

• Bachelor of Occupational Therapy
• Master of Occupational Therapy

Medical laboratory science (pathology)

• Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science (pathology)
• Master of Medical Laboratory Science (pathology)

Speech pathology (speech therapy)

• Bachelor of Speech Pathology
• Master of Speech Pathology

Medical imaging (radiography)

• Bachelor of Medical Imaging
• Master of Medical Imaging

Clinical psychology

• Master of Clinical Psychology

The following nursing-related occupations can open pathways to skilled migration visas:

To work as a nurse in Australia, you must apply for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA), which is administered by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). 

Once you're registered with AHPRA and the NMBA, you may be eligible to apply for a Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) if you completed a relevant nursing qualification in Australia. This visa allows you to live, study, and work in Australia temporarily, typically for up to 2 years, depending on your occupation and stream. 

The following occupations in the health profession can lead to pathways for skilled migration visas:

Upon graduation, you must register with the relevant Australian national board, which is part of the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency. AHPRA regulates the registration of all health professionals in Australia.

For instance, if you want to work as an occupational therapist, you must register with the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia, which is under AHPRA.

Nursing and other allied health occupations are on the MLTSLL list. After graduation, you can apply for several skilled migration visas, which could lead to PR.

Before applying for PR visas, you must undergo a skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority in Australia.

Look at the table above for the skills assessment authority for your occupation. After a positive skills assessment from the relevant authority, you can apply for one of the skilled migration visas, which leads to PR. The visas included are:

• 189 visa - Skilled Independent visa
• 190 visa - Skilled Nominated visa
• 186 visa - Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS)
• 494 visa - Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa
• 491 visa - Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa

Choosing the right education and migration partner can make all the difference. QEAC-certified and MARA-registered agents at Search Education are committed to providing honest advice, personalised guidance, and end-to-end support to help you achieve your study and migration goals in Australia.

• Over 10 years of experience – With more than a decade of experience in education and migration support, we've helped hundreds of students confidently begin their Australian journey.

• MARA-registered expertise – Our registered MARA migration agents have in-depth knowledge of Australian immigration laws and visa pathways, ensuring you receive accurate and reliable advice.

• Trusted by students worldwide – We are proud to have supported students from Nepal, India, Chile, the Philippines, Australia, and many other countries in achieving their education and migration aspirations.

• Personalised support – Every student's journey is unique. We take the time to understand your goals and recommend the education and migration pathway that's right for you.

Whether you're planning to study, apply for a visa, or build a long-term future in Australia, our team is here to support you every step of the way.