AHPRA Registration for Nurses and Midwives (IQNM - Stream A Guide)
AHPRA - The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency. Responsible for regulating health professionals under the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme.
NMBA - Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. Sets the standards for nursing and midwifery registration.
IQNM - Internationally Qualified Nurses and Midwives applying for registration in Australia.
Registration Pathways
Qualification-Based Registration (Stream A)
This pathway applies to nurses who completed their education in AHPRA-approved countries such as:
o United Kingdom
o Ireland
o United States
o Canada
o Singapore
o Spain
Key criteria:
o Minimum 1,800 hours of practice since 2017
o Meet AHPRA registration standards
Direct Registration (No NCLEX / OSCE)
Eligible applicants from approved countries may apply for direct registration without NCLEX or OSCE, provided they meet experience and competency requirements.
How to Apply - Stream A (Step-by-Step)
All applicants must meet AHPRA standards, including:
o English language requirements
o Criminal history checks
Step 1 - Self-Check & IQNM Assessment
o Complete the self-check
o Pay the IQNM assessment fee: AUD $640
o This initiates your assessment process
Step 2 - Orientation Part 1
o Mandatory online course introducing:
Australian healthcare system
Cultural and clinical context
Important:
o Must be completed within 90 days of starting
o Required before progressing to registration
o Orientation Part 2 is completed after registration
Step 3 - Prepare Documents
You will need to provide the following:
o Proof of identity
o Name change documents (if applicable)
o Academic qualifications
o Registration history
o Employment/work history
o Criminal history check (if required)
o English language test results
English Language Requirements
Accepted tests include:
o IELTS Academic
o OET
o PTE Academic
o TOEFL iBT
o Cambridge C1 Advanced / C2 Proficiency
You must achieve the required minimum scores in all four components:
Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking.
(Refer to AHPRA for current score requirements.)
Important Accreditation Requirement
Your university must provide evidence that:
o The programme was externally accredited at the time of study
o Education standards were formally assessed and monitored
Certifying Documents for AHPRA
AHPRA requires certified copies of original documents.
Who Can Certify Documents?
o Notary Public
o Justice of the Peace
o Australian Consular or Diplomatic Officer
o Commonwealth/Trade Commission official (overseas)
Certification Requirements
The authorised officer must:
o Sight the original document
o Confirm the copy is identical
o Write:
"I have sighted the original document and certify this to be a true copy of the original"
o Sign and date the document
For photographic ID:
o Must confirm it is a true likeness
Each Certified Document Must Include:
o Full name of certifier
o Occupation/profession
o Contact details
o Signature and date
Multi-page documents must:
o Be initialled on every page
o Be correctly numbered
Additional Requirements
International Criminal History Check (ICHC)
o Required if you have lived outside Australia for 6+ months in the past 10 years
Disclaimer
Professional Connections has summarised the above information from AHPRA guidelines. While we aim to keep this information accurate and up to date, applicants are responsible for reviewing the official AHPRA website and requirements. We cannot accept responsibility for any changes or updates made by the regulatory authorities.
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