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For Brits moving abroad
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Healthcare and teaching jobs in Australia
Last checked: October 2026
Nurses, midwives, teachers and many other health professionals are on Australia’s Core Skills Occupation List, which is used for employer-sponsored visas. For qualified UK professionals, that means real opportunities.
But you can’t just arrive and start work. You’ll need a skills assessment for your visa, and separate registration before you can practise, and both take time.
See which healthcare and teaching jobs in Australia are on the skills list, the visa routes UK workers use, skills assessments, registration and moving with family.
Healthcare and teaching jobs in demand in Australia
All of these jobs are on Australia’s Core Skills Occupation List, used for employer-sponsored visas.
Nursing and midwifery
Registered Nurse (Aged Care), Registered Nurse (Mental Health), Registered Nurse (Critical Care and Emergency), Registered Nurse (Medical), Registered Nurse (Surgical), Registered Nurse (Paediatrics), Enrolled Nurse, Midwife, Nurse Practitioner
Doctors and paramedics
General Practitioner, Resident Medical Officer, Psychiatrist, Emergency Medicine Specialist, Ambulance Officer, Intensive Care Ambulance Paramedic
Allied health
Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist, Speech Pathologist, Sonographer, Medical Diagnostic Radiographer, Hospital Pharmacist, Clinical Psychologist, Social Worker
Teaching
Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher, Primary School Teacher, Middle School Teacher, Secondary School Teacher, Special Needs Teacher, Teacher of the Hearing Impaired, Teacher of the Sight Impaired
Further education and leadership
University Lecturer, Vocational Education Teacher, School Principal, Faculty Head
Childcare
Child Care Worker, Out of School Hours Care Worker
Other health roles
Dental Hygienist, Dental Therapist, Dietitian, Optometrist, Podiatrist, Audiologist, Retail Pharmacist
Visa options for UK nurses and teachers
Most healthcare workers and teachers move to Australia on one of a handful of visas.
Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482). An Australian employer sponsors you for a job on the Core Skills Occupation List. You can only work for that sponsor, but it can lead to permanent residency through the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186). Hospitals, health services and schools regularly sponsor staff from the UK.
Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189). A points-tested permanent visa. You don't need an employer or a state to sponsor you, but you do need an invitation.
Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190). Permanent residency with nomination from an Australian state or territory. States often prioritise nurses and teachers.
Regional visas (subclasses 491 and 494). For living and working outside Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, where demand for nurses and teachers is often highest. Both can lead to permanent residency through subclass 191.
Visa rules change often, so speak to a registered migration agent before you apply.
Skills assessment and registration for UK nurses and teachers
Before you can apply for most visas, you'll need a positive skills assessment. This is separate from the registration you need to actually work, and you'll usually need both.
Nurses and midwives. The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) assesses your qualifications for migration. To practise, you also need to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia through Ahpra. These are two separate processes.
Teachers. The Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) assesses early childhood, primary, secondary and special needs teachers for migration. To teach, you also need registration with the teacher regulatory authority in the state or territory where you'll work. Without it, you can't legally work as a teacher, even with a valid visa.
Other health professionals. Doctors, paramedics and allied health workers each have their own assessing body and registration requirements, so check the rules for your occupation early.
Start both processes as early as you can, as they can take months.
Moving to Australia from the UK with your family
The good news for families is that most skilled and employer sponsored visas let you include your partner and children in the same application, so they move with you rather than applying separately.
Your partner can be your husband, wife or de facto partner. Children usually need to be dependent on you, and older children have to meet extra conditions.
Everyone on the application normally has to pass health and character checks, so it’s worth starting early on things like medical appointments and police certificates.
Moving a whole family also means shipping your belongings, finding schools and sorting your money. Plan these alongside your visa, not after it.
Our free relocation app compares your job, age and priorities, and ranks the countries that suit you best. It takes less than a minute.
Questions about moving to Australia as a healthcare or teaching position?
Send us a message and we’ll get back to you within one to two days.
