How to get sponsored as a registered nurse in Australia

Which visa can a registered nurse be sponsored on?

482 Core Skills: available, up to 4 years. The visa English requirement is IELTS 5.0 in each band or equivalent, but AHPRA registration has its own higher English standard, which is the one that matters in practice.

482 Specialist Skills: available only where the position pays at least A$146,576. Registered nurses are in ANZSCO major group 2, which is not excluded from the stream; few nursing positions reach that figure.

494: available for employers in designated regional areas, including regional hospitals and aged care facilities; 5-year visa, 191 after 3 years.

186 Direct Entry: available. The Temporary Residence Transition stream is available after 2 years of full-time work with approved sponsors in the 3 years before nomination.

Occupation list status, ANZSCO code and assessing authority

• Registered Nurse (Aged Care): ANZSCO 254412. Lists: MLTSSL and Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL: yes). Employer visas: 482 Core Skills, 494, 186 Direct Entry. Assessing authority: ANMAC. Caveat: none recorded.
• Registered Nurse (Medical): ANZSCO 254418. Lists: MLTSSL and Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL: yes). Employer visas: 482 Core Skills, 494, 186 Direct Entry. Assessing authority: ANMAC. Caveat: none recorded.
• Both are also listed for 189, 190, 407, 485, 489 and 491.

Other registered nurse specialisations have their own ANZSCO codes; the employer nominates the one that matches the role. Personal care and nursing support roles are covered in the aged care worker guide.

Salary versus the threshold

The nominated position must pay at least A$79,423 and no less than an Australian registered nurse at the same classification, in the same facility, would be paid under the applicable award or enterprise agreement. Penalty rates and shift loadings only count where they are guaranteed. SponsorTalent does not publish average nurse wages; compare the written offer with the thresholds below.

Skills assessment and licensing

The assessing authority for both occupations is ANMAC (the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council). A skills assessment is required only where the Department's instrument lists the occupation for your passport country.

Registration is separate and applies to everyone. Registered nurses must be registered with AHPRA through the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia before they practise. AHPRA registration and ANMAC assessment typically add 3 to 6 months; the visa can be granted before registration is complete, but you cannot work as a nurse until both are in place. Check AHPRA's current requirements for internationally qualified nurses directly.

Work experience and English

• 482 Core Skills: at least 1 year of relevant experience in the last 5 years; IELTS 5.0 in each band or equivalent (tests from 13 September 2025); up to 4 years.
• 494: 3 years of experience, IELTS 6.0 in each band or equivalent, under 45 unless exempt; 5-year visa, 191 after 3 years.
• 186: under 45 unless exempt, IELTS 6.0 in each band or equivalent; TRT stream needs 2 years of full-time work with approved sponsors in the 3 years before nomination.

Step by step: registered nurse applying from outside Australia

1. Confirm you are inside the rules before spending money: you are a registered nurse in your home country, have at least 1 year of relevant experience in the last 5 years (3 years for a 494), and can meet AHPRA's English standard.
2. Sit an English test unless your passport exempts you (IELTS 5.0 each band for a 482, 6.0 for a 186 or 494). Registered nurses are assessed by ANMAC where the instrument lists the occupation for your passport country; AHPRA registration is required regardless.
3. Register at /register-candidate; employers searching /find/registered-nurse see your profile. Apply at /sponsored-jobs/registered-nurse and accept only a written offer of at least A$79,423.
4. The employer obtains Standard Business Sponsorship and lodges a nomination; you lodge the visa after that. Do not resign or travel until it is granted.

Step by step: registered nurse already in Australia

On a 485, 417, 462 or 500 visa you cannot move to a sponsored visa on your own: an employer must hold Standard Business Sponsorship and lodge a nomination before you can apply. A job offer is not a nomination.

1. Keep meeting your current visa conditions while the nomination is prepared.
2. Confirm your AHPRA registration status. If you completed an Australian nursing degree on a student visa and hold a 485, registration is usually the first thing an employer asks about.
3. If your employer will not sponsor you, register at /register-candidate and apply to sponsored registered nurse vacancies; employers seeking onshore candidates use /find/registered-nurse.
4. Apply for the visa before your current visa expires so you receive a bridging visa.

Already on a 482? You may be without a sponsor for up to 180 consecutive days, and 365 days in total across the visa, while a new employer lodges a nomination.

For employers: how to sponsor a registered nurse

1. Standard Business Sponsorship. A$420, once; half decided in 12 days, 90% within 4 months.
2. Nomination. A$330 for a 482; half decided in 5 days, 90% within 9 months. Show the position is genuine, pays at least A$79,423 and the market rate, and that the nominee holds or is on track to hold AHPRA registration before starting work.
3. Visa. Lodged by the candidate. 482 Core Skills: 69 days for half of cases, 10 months for 90%; 186 Direct Entry 10 / 14 months; 494 7 / 11 months (Department figures, 4 August 2026).
4. SAF levy. A$1,200 per year of the 482 if turnover is under A$10 million, otherwise A$1,800; one-off A$3,000 or A$5,000 for a 186 or 494. Levy and fees cannot be passed to the worker.

Search sponsorship-ready registered nurse candidates at /find/registered-nurse; profiles show visa status, location and experience before you unlock contact details.

Frequently asked questions

Can a registered nurse be sponsored on a 482 visa in Australia?

Yes. Registered Nurse (Aged Care), ANZSCO 254412, and Registered Nurse (Medical), ANZSCO 254418, are on the Core Skills Occupation List and eligible for the 482 Core Skills stream, the 494 regional visa and the 186 Direct Entry. No caveat is recorded.

Do I need AHPRA registration before the visa is granted?

The visa can be granted before registration is complete, but you cannot practise as a nurse until you are registered with AHPRA through the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. Registration and the ANMAC assessment typically add 3 to 6 months.

What salary must a sponsored registered nurse be paid?

At least A$79,423 for 2026–27 (CSIT for the 482 and 186, TSMIT for the 494), and no less than an Australian nurse at the same classification in the same facility.

Who assesses a registered nurse's skills?

ANMAC, the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council. A skills assessment is only required where the Department's instrument lists the occupation for your passport country; AHPRA registration is required in every case.

Can a nurse use the 482 Specialist Skills stream?

Only if the position pays at least A$146,576. Nurses are in ANZSCO major group 2, which is not excluded, but most nursing positions do not reach that threshold, so the Core Skills stream is the usual route.