CrossNation recruits overseas-qualified nurses for Australian employers alongside nurses who already live here. An overseas-qualified nurse must be registered by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA), through Ahpra, before practising, and usually needs a visa as well. CrossNation is a recruitment agency, not a registered migration agent. 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, with a 90-day replacement guarantee (replacement, not refund), subject to our agreement.
AudienceFor hospitals, aged care providers, community health services and clinics that are considering overseas-qualified registered nurses (RNs) and enrolled nurses (ENs).
CoverageOverseas-qualified registered nurses (RN) · Overseas-qualified enrolled nurses (EN) · Nurses with aged care, acute or community experience, matched to your setting
For hospitals, aged care providers, community health services and clinics that are considering overseas-qualified registered nurses (RNs) and enrolled nurses (ENs).
Process
5
Structured steps from brief to onboarding support.
Readiness
4
Compliance and fit checks before employer time is spent.
International Nurse Recruitment
Roles CrossNation recruits
Overseas-qualified registered nurses (RN)
Overseas-qualified enrolled nurses (EN)
Nurses with aged care, acute or community experience, matched to your setting
Hiring process
1
Brief: you tell us the setting, shift pattern, location, start date and whether you also want nurses who already live in Australia.
2
Search: we look at overseas-qualified nurses and at nurses based in Australia, depending on your start date.
3
Screen: we talk through each nurse's experience against your brief and record where they are in the NMBA registration process, which you can verify on the public Ahpra register once registered.
4
Interview: you meet the shortlist and choose who to offer.
5
Offer and start: we coordinate the offer; registration and any visa steps must be complete before the nurse starts.
Readiness and compliance checks
NMBA registration through Ahpra, which is required before an overseas-qualified nurse can practise.
Work rights: usually a visa, which is a matter for a registered migration agent and the Department of Home Affairs.
English language evidence as the NMBA requires.
Award or enterprise agreement coverage, usually the Nurses Award [MA000034] where no agreement applies.
Sector insights
How long does an overseas nurse take to start?
It depends on the individual. Registration is decided by the NMBA, and visa processing is decided by the Department of Home Affairs, so neither CrossNation nor the employer controls the timing. Nurses who already live in Australia with current registration can usually start sooner, which is why many employers ask us for both pools.
Registration comes first; the NMBA publishes its pathways.
Visa steps need a registered migration agent.
Tell us your start date and we will say which pool fits it.
What are the current award minimum rates for nurses?
The Nurses Award 2020 [MA000034] sets minimum pay for registered nurses, enrolled nurses and nursing assistants when no enterprise agreement applies. The figures below were re-read on the Fair Work award pages on 27 October 2026. These are award minimums for full-time employees, the same in every state. An enterprise agreement can apply instead of the award, and employers can pay more. Superannuation is paid on top at 12%. Check the Fair Work pay guide in force on the start date before you set a salary.
Registered nurse level 1, pay point 1: $1,219.50 a week ($32.09 an hour) from 1 July 2026, Nurses Award clause 15.1(c)(i).
Enrolled nurse, pay point 1: $1,139.90 a week ($30.00 an hour) from 1 July 2026, Nurses Award clause 15.1(b)(ii).
Official data
Key facts from official sources
Health care and social assistance: job vacancies
Hiring demand in this industry group: 54.3 thousand vacancies were advertised in August 2026, and 55.3 thousand a year earlier. Across the six quarters to August 2026 the count ranged between 54.3 thousand (Aug 2026) and 59.6 thousand (Nov 2025), so expect competition for staff to move with the season. Nursing sits inside this ABS industry group.
Enrolled nurse, pay point 1: $1,139.90 a week ($30.00 an hour) (Nurses Award 2020, clause 15.1(b)(ii), pay period commencing 1 July 2026). This is the award minimum, not an average or a going rate. Check Fair Work for the latest rates.
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.
Where an overseas-qualified nurse is in registration
For an overseas-qualified nurse, ask where the nurse is in the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia process, because registration must be in place before the nurse can practise.
CrossNation: CrossNation tells you where each overseas-qualified candidate is in that process.
Registration you can verify
For enrolled and registered nurses, ask for the Ahpra registration details and check them yourself on the public Ahpra register before you make an offer.
CrossNation: CrossNation records each nurse's registration status, and anyone can verify a registration on the public Ahpra register.
Frequently asked questions
Does CrossNation give migration or visa advice?
No. CrossNation is a recruitment agency, not a registered migration agent. Sponsorship is the employer's decision and visa applications need a registered migration agent. This is general information, not migration advice. Speak to a registered migration agent.
Do overseas nurses need Ahpra registration?
Yes. Nurses must be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, which works with Ahpra, before they practise in Australia. The NMBA publishes the requirements for internationally qualified nurses.
Can you promise an overseas nurse will be registered or get a visa?
No. Registration and visas are decided by the NMBA and the Department of Home Affairs, and CrossNation cannot promise either, or a job.
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 are an employer's responsibilities when sponsoring overseas nurses?
The Department of Home Affairs says a standard business sponsor has obligations to meet while it sponsors someone. They include telling the department in writing when certain events occur, such as the sponsored person ceasing employment or a change in their duties, making sure the person works only in the occupation nominated, giving terms and conditions of employment that are not less favourable than those of an equivalent Australian worker, keeping records, and cooperating with inspectors. The sponsor must also pay the costs of the recruitment process itself, including recruitment agent fees, and must not charge them to the sponsored worker. A sponsor that does not meet its obligations can face sanctions. The employer is the sponsor. CrossNation is a recruitment agency, does not sponsor and cannot promise a visa or an approval. This is general information, not migration advice. Speak to a registered migration agent.
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.
Send a hiring brief, get a shortlist plan within the fee terms.
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, with a 90-day replacement guarantee (replacement, not refund), subject to our agreement.
