If you’re a nurse living and working in the UK, there’s a good chance you arrived there before getting full registration. Maybe you passed the CBT first, then the OSCE later—after you’d already started working in a hospital.
That model worked fine for the UK. But Australia doesn’t work that way.
In Australia, you need to be fully registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) before you can legally practise as a nurse—and before you can apply for most migration visas that are based on being a nurse.
So if you’re planning to move to Australia and “sort out the registration later,” you’re in for a rude shock. Here’s what you need to know.
❌ No Registration = No Legal Right to Work
Let’s start with the basics: In Australia, nursing is a regulated profession. That means you cannot legally work in any nursing role—Registered Nurse, Enrolled Nurse, or midwife—unless you’re registered with AHPRA.
- Even if you hold a visa that gives you general work rights (like a partner visa, working holiday visa, or student visa), you still need AHPRA registration before you’re allowed to work as a nurse.
- It’s no different from your home country. You wouldn’t expect to show up and start working without first holding a licence or PIN. And in Australia, practising without AHPRA registration isn’t just frowned upon—it’s illegal.
That kind of breach of professional standards could seriously impact your future ability to stay in Australia. If you violate Australian law—especially healthcare regulations—it can affect your current visa status and your eligibility for future visas.
📄 You Can’t Get a Visa Without It (If You’re Coming as a Nurse)
Most nurses we support are aiming to migrate through either:
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Skilled visas, such as the:
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189 Skilled Independent
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190 Skilled Nominated
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491 Skilled Work Regional (Provisional)
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Employer-sponsored visas, such as the:
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482 Skills in Demand
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494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional
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186 Employer Nomination Scheme (PR)
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All of these require you to already hold AHPRA registration before applying.
Why? Because these visas are based on your occupation. And if your occupation is “Registered Nurse”—you must be registered in Australia before you apply.
To qualify for these visas, you must provide:
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a valid skills assessment, and
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proof that you’re licensed to work in Australia as a nurse
If you apply without registration, your visa will be refused—and you won’t get your money back.
🧑⚕️ No AHPRA = No Job Offer
Some nurses assume they’ll find an employer in Australia and get a job first—and then deal with the registration part later.
But here’s the reality: no employer or recruiter will make you a job offer until you are registered.
In fact, most won’t even speak to you until they can verify your AHPRA registration. And for good reason—without it, you’re not legally employable as a nurse.
And AHPRA registration isn’t instant. You may face long processing times, document requests, and even be required to complete additional clinical exams before you’re granted registration.
Employers aren’t going to wait for that.
That’s why if you’re serious about moving to Australia, the first step is getting registered.
⚠️ Practising Without AHPRA Is Illegal—And Risky
We’ve seen some nurses get dangerously close to breaching the law—working in clinical roles without realising that their registration hasn’t come through yet.
This is not something you can risk.
In Australia, practising as a nurse without AHPRA registration is a serious offence under national law. It places both you and your employer at risk of penalties—and even worse, it can affect your ability to get or keep a visa in the future.
If you’re found to have breached Australian health laws, the Department of Home Affairs may take that into account when deciding any future visa application. It’s simply not worth it.
🇦🇺 Why Australia Does Things Differently
Australia takes patient safety very seriously. That’s why there’s no grace period and no workaround. You must be registered before you can work.
This is different to countries like the UK, where nurses can enter on a temporary visa and finalise their registration after arrival. They may be able to work in healthcare settings under supervision or in different roles before receiving their PIN.
In Australia, that’s not possible. You can’t get a skilled or sponsored visa as a nurse unless you’re already AHPRA registered—and you can’t legally work in any nursing role unless you’re registered either.
👩🏾⚕️ Six Complex Registration Pathways—Which One Is Yours?
AHPRA registration isn’t one-size-fits-all. In 2025, the registration process became even more complex, with six different pathways depending on:
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your qualification (Bachelor or Diploma)
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your country of education
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your country of registration
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your clinical experience, and
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how recent your qualification and practice are.
It’s easy to choose the wrong pathway—or waste months preparing for the wrong requirements. That’s why we’ve created a streamlined guide to help you navigate this step.
💡 Need help getting your AHPRA registration started?
Enrol now in our Nurse Registration Course—designed to guide you through the process and avoid costly mistakes.
💼 Ready to map out your migration options once you’re registered?
Book a legal consult with our expert team to explore your visa options or get advice on the correct nurse registration pathway.
