Getting a job is competitive, getting a job as a graduate even more so.  Faced with proposed changes to the federal budget, it is a bleak outlook for the thousands of nursing graduates each year, who are desperate to be employed but are often losing out on job opportunities to experienced nurses recruited by hospitals/facilities on 457 visas.

There was a shortage in nurses, but now even skilled nurses are finding it difficult to find work.  Though this issue has many dimensions, graduate nurses are most at risk of losing out to foreign experienced nurses.  Graduate nurses are our future, initiatives need to be in place to ensure they are placed in employment upon completion of their degrees, otherwise the future of Australian nursing will again be faced with shortages of nurses.

The federal budget will make unemployed life very difficult, especially considering that many nurse graduates are under 30 years of age and will not qualify for unemployment benefits for 6 months.

The proportion of international nurses on 457 visas hired each year is comparable to the proportion of nurse graduates who find themselves unable to find work.  How are we meant to transition from graduate into experienced nurses, if the opportunities to work, experience and refine our skills is not available to us.    

The federal and state governments need to work out where our health and employment system is falling short and failing graduate nurses, who previously had excellent job prospects upon graduation.  Initiatives to hire graduates need to be implemented immediately, so we can get out foot in the door and have options for our futures.

We have studied and trained extremely hard to be there in your hours of greatest need… we know that you will help us now in ours.  Please support our petition to have this issue reviewed and action taken by the government. 

Nationally, a breakdown of unemployed graduates reveal the state of the industry:

SA: The ANMF estimates that in South Australia alone, 280 nurse and midwife graduates were unable to secure jobs after university last year.

QLD: Only 600 of 2500 nursing graduates were able to secure jobs this year.

TAS: 60 per cent of nursing graduates were unable to find work last year.

VIC: 800 nurse and midwife graduates were unable to secure employment last year.

NSW: The ANMF says the NSW public hospital sector is the largest employer of nurses on 457 visas.

(source Australian Federation of Nursing and Midwifery)