Why do overseas nurses love coming to Australia?

So you’ve decided to go on an international working holiday. There’s just one question: with a literal world full of opportunities out there, where do you go exactly?

Choosing the right destination for your working holiday is the most important decision in the entire process. There’s a lot to take in: what are your job prospects as an overseas nurse? Will you have a hard time finding a place to stay? Who, if anyone, can you turn to for support?

Here’s a suggestion: why not come down to Australia?

Don’t let the distance scare you off – in our (possibly biased!) opinion, you really can’t go past what Australia offers as a place to live and work.

Here are just six of the reasons our international nurses decide on the great land down under, as well as some of the ways that You+Aus (You and Aus) can help you throughout your time here.

1) Familiarity

Working overseas for an extended period of time can be daunting. All your friends and family are back home, you don’t know anybody… and what happens if you accidentally cause a disastrous cultural misunderstanding?

While some of us may relish in the idea of engrossing ourselves in a completely foreign land and culture, for others, isolation and homesickness hit hard.

Does this sound like you? Fortunately, you have options. Choose a country that shares a similar culture and which spells the word “colour” the proper way.

Australia’s modern history is closely intertwined with the history of the UK. So for Brits or Irish citizens looking for somewhere foreign, but at the same time just familiar enough to stave off homesickness, Australia is a logical choice.

2) Fantastic weather

Tired of your own backyard? Feel like you’re stuck in a mundane routine, looking for something a little different?

Maybe you’re interested in spending some time soaking up an entirely different culture.

If there’s one thing Australia has, it’s the weather!

We know, we’re famous for welcoming all four seasons in a day sometimes, but there’s no denying that our winters are far more tolerable than those of our American, Canadian, and British friends!

We also enjoy drenchings of sunshine throughout not only summer but autumn and spring, too!

3) A great place to explore…

Australia is often referred to as “the wild continent”. If you style yourself as a sort of adventurer, backpacker or wanderer, there are few better places to explore than Australia.

Right off the bat, Australia has something few other countries can offer: our size. And with this comes a whole continent of sights and landmarks to explore!

Australia’s wildlife is known around the world for its uniqueness, beauty and exoticness. Our wildlife is completely unique: you’ve probably been warned about the vicious Dropbear, for instance.

Our continent is also home to natural wonders such as the Great Barrier Reef, the best golden beaches in the world (in our humble opinion) and lush rainforests. With over 500 national parks and 14 world heritage areas littered all over the continent, nature lovers are spoilt for choice.

There’s so much to see and explore – we’re an entire continent as well, remember? So if you’re a nature-loving nurse who’s always dreamt of packing everything into a bag, renting a van and going on an extended road trip, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better place to do it than Australia.

4) … and to live!

When you think of Australia, its unique wildlife and vast, stretches of untamed nature are probably the first things that come to mind.

One thing you don’t necessarily associate with Australia is some of the world’s liveliest metropolises. Yes, the liveliness of city life in Australia is one aspect of the country that many of our overseas guests are surprised by!

No doubt we’re all very familiar with Sydney’s iconic harbour and skyline. But Australia also boasts plenty of other fantastic liveable cities. Here’s a fact, though: did you know that four of Australia’s capital cities are represented on the Economist’s most liveable city index? Did you know that the city of Melbourne was recently crowned the most liveable city in the world for the seventh year running?

Yes, for fans of city life, Australia’s cities have everything: culture, food and music, you name it!

Of course, with high liveability comes high house and rent prices. Fortunately, You+Aus is here to help you find a place to live for the duration of your stay that won’t send your budget deep into the red.

5) Expansive training and education programs

Do you want to develop your nursing expertise? Maybe you’re interested in specialising in a specific subset of nursing?

For opportunities that develop your professional profile, our post-secondary education system is among the world’s best. Combined with the flexible work options you have through our family of boutique healthcare agencies with You+Aus, you can take the opportunity to turn your working holiday into even more!

Australian colleges and universities provide scholarships, training and certifications that will help you advance in your nursing career. At You+Aus, we connect international nurses on working holidays with education opportunities in specialties like mental health, neonatal and pediatrics!

6) Excellent job opportunities

Finally, one of the strongest arguments for taking a working holiday in Australia is your job prospects as a nurse.

One of the biggest hurdles when it comes to staying in another country for an extended period of time is the question of jobs. How will you go about finding one? Will there be one for you? Will you be forced to work in a field other than nursing?

How you’re going to support yourself overseas, far away from friends and family is arguably the most important consideration.

Fortunately, our economy is one of the strongest in the developed world at the moment: with a low unemployment rate, an economy that grew even throughout the GFC and solid relationships with its neighbours, Australia is positively ripe with job opportunities!

Nurses, in particular, are in very high demand in Australia thanks to rapid population growth.

On top of that, Australia offers lucrative pay rates even for international visitors on working holidays! In fact, our minimum wage ranking is one of the highest in the world.

Of course, that just leaves one small problem: getting all your paperwork sorted, your credentials tested and finding a nursing job that lines up perfectly with what you aim to get out of your working holiday.

Fortunately, however, you don’t have to confront this alone!

At You+Aus (You and Aus), we specialise in connecting international nurses with full-time, part-time, casual and temporary nursing work all over Australia in both urban and rural locations.

We know how daunting it can be to face the mountain of paperwork that comes with any trip overseas. That’s why we make it our mission to support you through every stage of the application process! From arranging a visa, accommodation, tax details and, of course, finding work, we’re with you every step of the way. 

Join You+Aus today for well-paid, flexible nursing work that can be tailored to your travel plans!