AHPRA’s New Streamlined Registration Pathway

Australia is facing a serious nursing shortage — with a projected demand for up to 123,000 nurses by 2030. To address this, AHPRA (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency) has announced a new, easier registration process for internationally qualified nurses, starting April 2025.

Previously, nurses from countries like the UK, Ireland, US, Canada (British Columbia & Ontario), Singapore, and Spain could register with AHPRA easily. But if your degree was from a non-comparable country, even if you worked in those nations, the process was costly, complex, and time-consuming.

Now, AHPRA will allow nurses who studied in non-comparable countries but have work experience in comparable countries to apply through a streamlined process.

To apply under the new pathway, you must:

• Hold a relevant nursing qualification

• Have completed 1,800 hours of work experience (approx. 1 year full-time) in a comparable country

• Meet AHPRA’s English language requirements

Example: A nurse trained in the India, who worked in UK for a year, can now apply more easily without needing to travel to Australia for further study or competency assessments.

• An ageing population with chronic conditions

• Lack of funding for local nursing education

• Shortages are worse in regional and remote areas

1. General Skilled Migration (GSM) Visas
These are points-tested visas that lead to permanent residency, without needing employer sponsorship.

• Registration with AHPRA makes it easier to get a positive skills assessment (a key requirement).

• 18 nursing occupations are on the GSM list.

• Some, like Registered Nurse (nec), were invited with just 70 points in November 2024.

Example profile for 70 points:

• Age: Late 30s – 25 points

• Bachelor’s degree – 15 points

• 8 years of experience – 15 points

• Proficient English – 10 points

• Partner with competent English – 5 points
  ➡️ Total: 70 points

If you don’t have enough points, state nomination can boost your score by 5 or 15 points.

2. Employer-Sponsored Visas
The popular Skills in Demand Visa requires an offer from an Australian employer. It’s a 4-year work visa and leads to PR through the Employer Nomination Scheme.

🔹 Employers usually need nurses to be AHPRA registered before hiring — this new pathway makes that much easier!

Though the update officially begins in April 2025, there’s already been a surge in interest from overseas nurses. As awareness grows, expect even more applications under this streamlined process.

Let SOL Edu & Migration help you with your course enrolment, skills assessment, AHPRA registration, and visa application.

📞 Call us at 07 3003 1899! or 📩 Email us at [email protected]