Australia is set to face a staggering shortfall of 71,000 nurses by 2035, a crisis driven by an ageing population and rising healthcare demands. In a bid to stem the tide, the government has introduced a fast-track scheme for nurses from six countries, including Singapore, to work in the country starting April 2025. While the initiative has been broadly welcomed by healthcare workers, many warn that it is merely a temporary fix for deeper systemic issues plaguing the sector.
Announced by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) on 26 January 2025, the scheme targets registered nurses from Singapore, the UK, Ireland, the US, Spain, and specific Canadian provinces (British Columbia and Ontario). Nurses with over 1,800 practising hours since 2017 will benefit from a streamlined registration process, slashing application times from the current twelve months—or longer—to between one and six months. Critically, many may also bypass additional exams or assessments, enabling them to join the workforce sooner.
Health Minister Mark Butler hailed the policy as a way to cut through bureaucratic “red tape” that has delayed the integration of highly qualified foreign nurses. “Australian patients will ultimately benefit from these changes, since these highly educated nurses can start working and providing care to Australians sooner,” Butler stated on 27 January. The urgency of the move is underscored by stark statistics: in the year ending 30 June 2024, 43% of Australia’s 38,816 newly registered nurses—some 16,622 individuals—were trained overseas, out of a total nursing workforce of 504,049. 
A Warm Welcome, But Lingering Concerns
The response from nursing associations has been largely positive, with many seeing the influx of international talent as a much-needed relief for overstretched hospitals and aged care facilities. The NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association, representing nurses in Australia’s most populous state, described the new cohort as “extremely welcome.” Its head, O’Bray Smith, told local media, “We could learn from them and their different ways and policies. It would feel like a great addition to our workforce.”
Similarly, Ken Griffin, head of the Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association, which represents nurses in non-hospital settings, acknowledged the “urgent shortages” in the sector. He noted that overseas-trained nurses are “an important part of the mix” for addressing workforce gaps, particularly in aged care where demand continues to soar as Australia’s population greys.
Yet, beneath the optimism lies a chorus of caution. Many within the industry argue that while recruiting foreign nurses may plug immediate holes, it does little to address the root causes of the shortage. Kara Thomas, president of the Nurses’ Professional Association of Australia, labelled the fast-track scheme a “band-aid solution” that sidesteps “fundamental challenges.” She pointed to “dangerous under-staffing, workplace safety issues, inadequate pay, and bureaucratic inefficiencies” as key drivers pushing thousands of Australian nurses out of the profession.
Systemic Failures: Why Nurses Are Leaving
Australia’s struggle to retain both domestic and foreign nurses is not new. Experts trace the crisis back decades, with historical recruitment drives in the 1980s offering temporary relief before many overseas nurses returned to their home countries. Dr Nicole Blay, a nursing administration expert from Western Sydney University, highlighted the persistent issue of workload and workplace culture. “Australia is losing early to mid-career nurses due to workload and culture, and many senior nurses work part-time,” she explained. Without addressing these pressures, she warned, even newly arrived foreign nurses may not stay long-term.
O’Bray Smith echoed this sentiment, stressing the high stakes of the profession. “Nurses train for at least three years and have people’s lives in their hands,” she said. “Their working conditions and pay need to reflect that skill.” Yet, resources remain stretched thin. “There is not enough money to cover health resources,” Smith added, a frustration shared by many in the sector who fear that the fast-track scheme could deter long-term investment in systemic reform.
The government has experimented with incentives to bolster the workforce, particularly in underserved regions. A recent Queensland initiative, which concluded on 1 February 2025, offered up to A$20,000 (approximately S$16,700) to healthcare workers, including nurses, willing to relocate to regional areas. While such measures have helped fill immediate gaps, they are seen as stopgaps rather than sustainable solutions.
A Growing Reliance on Foreign Talent
Australia’s increasing dependence on overseas nurses reflects broader challenges in training and retaining local talent. An ageing population, coupled with rising chronic health conditions, has intensified demand for healthcare services, outpacing the country’s ability to produce enough nurses domestically. The projected shortfall of 71,000 nurses by 2035 looms as a stark warning of the scale of the crisis.
The fast-track scheme offers a pathway for foreign nurses to not only work in Australia but also pursue permanent residency and citizenship through various visa options. This could provide a long-term incentive for nurses to settle in the country, particularly those from Singapore and other targeted nations with comparable healthcare training standards. However, without addressing pay disparities and workload issues, there is a risk that many will view Australia as a temporary stepping stone rather than a permanent home.
While the fast-track initiative has been met with cautious optimism, the consensus among experts and industry leaders is clear: recruitment alone is not enough. Long-term solutions must focus on improving working conditions, increasing pay, and expanding domestic training programmes. Flexible study options, such as part-time or online courses, could encourage more Australians—particularly those with family commitments—to enter the profession.
There is also a need to tackle workplace culture, which many nurses cite as a key factor in burnout and attrition. High workloads, understaffing, and a lack of support have driven even seasoned professionals to reduce hours or leave the field entirely. If these issues persist, Australia risks repeating the patterns of past decades, where foreign recruitment provided short-term relief but failed to build a resilient workforce.
A Regional Perspective
For countries like Singapore, which is included in the fast-track scheme, the policy presents both opportunities and challenges. Singaporean nurses, renowned for their rigorous training and proficiency in English, are likely to be in high demand. Their integration into Australia’s healthcare system could foster cross-cultural learning, as highlighted by O’Bray Smith’s enthusiasm for diverse perspectives. However, Singapore itself faces nursing shortages and may need to balance the export of talent with domestic needs—a dynamic that could play out across other source countries as well.
Australia’s decision to fast-track foreign nurses is a pragmatic response to an escalating crisis, but it is not a panacea. The projected shortage of 71,000 nurses by 2035 serves as a sobering reminder of the scale of the challenge. While the scheme will bring much-needed relief to hospitals and aged care facilities in the short term, its success hinges on whether the government can pair it with meaningful reforms to retain both local and international talent.
For now, the arrival of nurses from Singapore, the UK, and beyond offers a glimmer of hope for a healthcare system under strain. Yet, as Kara Thomas warned, ignoring the “fundamental crisis” risks perpetuating a cycle of shortages and stopgap measures. Addressing workload, pay, and training will be critical to ensuring that Australia’s healthcare sector can meet the needs of its ageing population in the decades to come. Without such action, the fast-track scheme may simply delay an inevitable reckoning.
