Hire nurses who already have the right to work in Australia
CrossNation recruits registered and enrolled nurses who are already in Australia with work rights, so you can hire without sponsorship. Before a nurse starts, check their registration on the Ahpra public register and their work rights in VEVO. Our fee is 12% for roles under $50k, 15% for $50k–$90k, 18% above $90k, 20% executive, charged on first-year remuneration (salary plus super), plus GST, no placement, no fee, with a 90-day replacement guarantee (replacement, not refund), subject to our agreement.
Updated . See our terms
12% for roles under $50k, 15% for $50k–$90k, 18% above $90k, 20% executive.
Fees are charged on first-year remuneration (salary plus super), plus GST. Charged only when a placement succeeds. No placement, no fee.
Christmas offer: sign our agreement by 11:59pm AEDT, Friday 27 November 2026 and pay 12% on every role. See offer terms.
90-day replacement guarantee (replacement, not refund), subject to our agreement
See our terms.
Who in Australia can usually work as a nurse?
The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia says a person has to be registered with the Board before they can start working as a nurse or midwife, and Ahpra keeps the public list of every health practitioner registered to practise in Australia. For an onshore hire that gives you a check you can do yourself on the day: search the Ahpra register by name or registration number and confirm the nurse's registration and any conditions before the first shift.
Work rights are the second check. Citizens, permanent residents and New Zealand citizens have no work conditions. Nurses on temporary visas, such as working holiday makers, students, graduates and partner visa holders, can work within their own conditions, which VEVO shows.
What should you check before a nurse starts?
These are the official statements behind the two checks, as published on the day we read them.
| Check | What the official page says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Registration (NMBA) | Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia: "Before you can start working as a nurse or midwife you have to be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (the NMBA)." | Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia: Applying for registration (read 31 October 2026) |
| Ahpra public register | Ahpra "keeps a list of every health practitioner who is registered to practise in Australia" in the listed professions, nursing included. Its stated role is "making sure that only health practitioners ... who are suitably trained and qualified and who practise in a competent and ethical manner, are registered." | Ahpra: Register of practitioners (read 31 October 2026) |
| Searching the register | Ahpra says that if a practitioner uses a different name, "you can ask for their registration number and search the list using that number." | Ahpra: Register of practitioners (read 31 October 2026) |
| VEVO | Home Affairs: Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) "allows visa holders, employers, education providers and other organisations to check visa details and conditions." | Home Affairs: Check visa details and conditions (VEVO) (read 31 October 2026) |
| Hours | Home Affairs: "A visa holder must not work more hours than their visa conditions allow." | Home Affairs: Hiring someone in Australia (read 31 October 2026) |
Which visa rules name nursing?
Home Affairs names nurses in one work rule for Working Holiday Makers. This is general information, not migration advice. Speak to a registered migration agent.
| Rule | What the official page says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Working Holiday Makers in health | Health is one of the five critical sectors where a Working Holiday Maker can work for the same employer for more than 6 months without asking permission. Home Affairs says health "includes all work carried out in hospitals" and lists nurses among the examples. | Home Affairs: 6 month work limitation (Working Holiday Maker visas) (read 31 October 2026) |
| No work conditions | Home Affairs: "Only Australian citizens, permanent residents and New Zealand citizens holding Special Category (subclass 444) visas have no conditions placed on working in Australia." | Home Affairs: Work restrictions (read 31 October 2026) |
What are the award minimum rates for nurses?
Under the Nurses Award 2020, a registered nurse at level 1, pay point 1 earns at least $1,219.50 a week ($32.09 an hour) and an enrolled nurse at pay point 1 earns at least $1,139.90 a week ($30.00 an hour), from 1 July 2026. These are award minimums for nurses who are not aged care employees; aged care nurses have their own table. Superannuation is paid on top at 12%.
Award figures were read from the Fair Work site on 27 October 2026 and checked again on 31 October 2026. They are minimums; check the award for your classification before you make an offer.
Registered nurse minimum rates (not aged care employees)
| Classification | Weekly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Pay point 1 | $1,219.50 | $32.09 |
| Pay point 2 | $1,244.50 | $32.75 |
| Pay point 3 | $1,275.00 | $33.55 |
| Pay point 4 | $1,309.00 | $34.45 |
| Pay point 5 | $1,349.20 | $35.51 |
| Pay point 6 | $1,388.10 | $36.53 |
| Pay point 7 | $1,428.30 | $37.59 |
| Pay point 8 and thereafter | $1,465.50 | $38.57 |
| Pay point 1 | $1,504.40 | $39.59 |
| Pay point 2 | $1,528.30 | $40.22 |
| Pay point 3 | $1,554.80 | $40.92 |
| Pay point 4 and thereafter | $1,580.30 | $41.59 |
| Pay point 1 | $1,631.20 | $42.93 |
| Pay point 2 | $1,661.10 | $43.71 |
| Pay point 3 | $1,689.80 | $44.47 |
| Pay point 4 and thereafter | $1,720.10 | $45.27 |
| Grade 1 | $1,861.70 | $48.99 |
| Grade 2 | $1,995.10 | $52.50 |
| Grade 3 | $2,111.60 | $55.57 |
| Grade 1 | $1,878.60 | $49.44 |
| Grade 2 | $1,978.40 | $52.06 |
| Grade 3 | $2,111.60 | $55.57 |
| Grade 4 | $2,243.10 | $59.03 |
| Grade 5 | $2,474.10 | $65.11 |
| Grade 6 | $2,706.90 | $71.23 |
About $63,414 a year for Registered nurse—level 1, Pay point 1 (the weekly award rate x 52, before tax and super; our calculation, not an award figure).
Nurses Award 2020 [MA000034], clause 15.1(c)(i), in effect from 1 July 2026. Source: Fair Work Ombudsman.
Enrolled nurse minimum rates (not aged care employees)
| Classification | Weekly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Pay point 1 | $1,139.90 | $30.00 |
| Pay point 2 | $1,155.00 | $30.39 |
| Pay point 3 | $1,170.40 | $30.80 |
| Pay point 4 | $1,187.20 | $31.24 |
| Pay point 5 | $1,199.20 | $31.56 |
About $59,275 a year for (ii) Enrolled nurse, Pay point 1 (the weekly award rate x 52, before tax and super; our calculation, not an award figure).
Nurses Award 2020 [MA000034], clause 15.1(b)(ii), in effect from 1 July 2026. Source: Fair Work Ombudsman.
More on nursing recruitment
Nursing roles CrossNation is recruiting for
How to choose a nursing recruitment agency in Australia
These checks work for any agency. Each one is something you can ask for or verify before you send a brief.
Fee basis in writing
Ask for the percentage, what it is charged on and the event that makes the fee payable, in writing, before you send a brief.
CrossNation: CrossNation's fee is 12% for roles under $50k, 15% for $50k–$90k, 18% above $90k, 20% executive, charged on first-year remuneration (salary plus super), plus GST, and only when a placement succeeds.
Guarantee terms in writing
Ask for the guarantee period and how it applies in the agreement you sign, not only on the agency's website.
CrossNation: CrossNation placements carry a 90-day replacement guarantee (replacement, not refund), subject to our agreement. See our terms.
How candidates are screened
Ask what the agency checks before it shortlists a candidate, and what record it keeps, such as qualifications, registration or licence status and work rights, so you can verify each one yourself.
CrossNation: CrossNation records each candidate's qualifications, registration or licence status and work rights so employers can verify them.
Migration agent involvement
If you are considering an overseas hire, ask who gives visa advice. Only a registered migration agent can give migration advice, and the register of migration agents is public (https://www.mara.gov.au/). This is general information, not migration advice. Speak to a registered migration agent.
CrossNation: CrossNation is a recruitment agency, not a registered migration agent. The employer holds or obtains its own approval.
References
Ask for referee details for a candidate you are shortlisting, call the referees yourself, and ask the agency how it checks references and what it passes on to you.
Questions about hiring nurses in Australia
How do I check a nurse's registration before they start?
Search the Ahpra public register of practitioners. Ahpra says it keeps a list of every health practitioner registered to practise in Australia, and that you can search it by name or by the practitioner's registration number. Check the registration status and any conditions on the day you make the offer.
Can a working holiday maker work as a nurse for more than 6 months with one employer?
Yes, if the work is in health. On the Home Affairs page read on 31 October 2026, health is one of the critical sectors where a Working Holiday Maker can work for the same employer for more than 6 months without asking permission, and nurses are listed as an example. Home Affairs says this applies until the Government makes further decisions. This is general information, not migration advice. Speak to a registered migration agent.
What is the minimum pay for a registered nurse in Australia?
Under the Nurses Award 2020, a registered nurse at level 1, pay point 1 earns at least $1,219.50 a week ($32.09 an hour) from 1 July 2026, for nurses who are not aged care employees. Higher levels and pay points earn more, and superannuation is paid on top.
Do I need to sponsor a nurse who is already in Australia?
Not if their work rights cover the role. Citizens, permanent residents and New Zealand citizens on a subclass 444 visa have no work conditions, according to Home Affairs. Other visa holders can work within their conditions, which VEVO shows. This is general information, not migration advice. Speak to a registered migration agent.
Can CrossNation find overseas nurses as well?
Yes. Tell us in the brief if you also want overseas candidates. Overseas nurses go through registration and visa steps that CrossNation does not control, the employer is the sponsor, and CrossNation cannot promise a visa or an approval.
What does nursing recruitment cost with CrossNation?
CrossNation's fee for nursing recruitment is 12% for roles under $50k, 15% for $50k–$90k, 18% above $90k, 20% executive, charged on first-year remuneration (salary plus super), plus GST, and only when a placement succeeds. If no placement is made, there is no fee. Placements carry a 90-day replacement guarantee (replacement, not refund), subject to our agreement. Wages, superannuation and other employment costs stay with the employer.
How long does it take to recruit nurses through CrossNation?
It depends on the candidate and on bodies CrossNation does not control, such as registration boards, licensing regulators and the Department of Home Affairs, so CrossNation does not give a timeline. For nursing, those steps can include registration assessed by the Nursing and Midwifery Board. Many employers ask for both onshore and overseas candidates so an urgent vacancy is not held up.
What happens if a nurse placed through CrossNation leaves?
Placements carry a 90-day replacement guarantee (replacement, not refund), subject to our agreement. How it applies is set out in the agreement between CrossNation and the employer, so ask for the guarantee terms in writing before you sign. See our terms at https://crossnation.com.au/terms. The guarantee is not a promise of any offer, visa or migration outcome.
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Sources (accessed 31 October 2026)
- Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia: Applying for registration
- Ahpra: Register of practitioners
- Home Affairs: Check visa details and conditions (VEVO)
- Home Affairs: Hiring someone in Australia
- Home Affairs: 6 month work limitation (Working Holiday Maker visas)
- Home Affairs: Work restrictions
- Fair Work Ombudsman: Nurses Award 2020 [MA000034]
- Australian Taxation Office: Super guarantee