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How long does AHPRA take? – Nursing Careers Australia

Ever dreamed of working as a nurse in Australia? The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) handles the approval process for overseas nurses, and understanding the timeframe can be a huge help. While getting your AHPRA national registration approved typically takes 4-6 weeks, it can vary depending on several factors. This guide will not only explain the process but also offer some helpful hints to get you started on the right foot and potentially expedite your application!

The typical wait time to get approved as a health care worker in Australia (AHPRA) is 4-6 weeks, but it can take longer. Here are some things that can slow down the process:

Gathering documents

This can be a long step. You’ll need things like proof of who you are, your education documents, and letters from your past employers. Getting these documents from other countries can take extra time but having them all in order will help with your national registration. More info on what you need here.

Make sure your documents are certified for AHPRA Australia

This means a special person needs to check your documents and make sure they are real. There are specific people who can certify documents for AHPRA, and you’ll need to go to them in person. For more information to get your documents certified follow this link

How long it takes to mail your application

Sending documents internationally can take a while. It can take about a week and sometimes more.

If your application is complete.

AHPRA won’t look at your application until they have everything they need. If something is missing, they will contact you and you’ll need to send it in. This can add weeks or even months to the process. This is a great reason to make sure you have everything ready before you send it off. More info on what you need here.

How busy AHPRA is.

They get more applications at certain times of year, so it might take longer to get someone to look at your application during those times.

Overall, it’s important to be prepared to wait for a while to get approved to work as a healthcare worker in Australia. The more organized you are with your documents, the faster the process will go.

Helpful Links

Want more info to help make your application even smoother?
Visa Application Essentials This will give you all you need to know to make the application process seamless.
Resumes How do you write a winning resume?
Nursing Salaries An overview of nursing salaries here in Australia.

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