Report Says Australia Needs Foreign Healthcare Workers

30 Nov 2013

A 450-page report claims that over the next 15 years, Australia needs more foreign nurses and doctors to fill the expected shortage of health workers.

Health Workforce Australia (HWA), the top health workers advisory body in the country, reports that by 2025, Australia will see a shortage of 109,000 nurses in mental health and aged care and 2,700 doctors. Doctors include psychiatrists, radiologists, pathologists, obstetricians and general practitioners.

Mark Cormack, the Chief Executive of HWA says the shortage of qualified aids and health practitioners is being felt in remote areas of Western Australia, Queensland and Northern Territory.

The government is offering generous employment conditions and higher compensation in an attempt to encourage more health and medical workers to migrate to Australia.

According to Andrew Arps, General Manager of the medical recruitment company Triple0, Western Australia and Northern Territory offer the highest salary range for nurses and doctors.

Doctors with no specialization or Graduate doctors can earn around $100,000 annually, and specialists can earn up to $400,000 per year. An annual salary range of $78,000 to $130,000 can be earned by registered Nurses.

One of the suggestions from HWA is to simplify the process of Visa application to attract more foreign nurses and doctors to migrate to and work in Australia.

After a meeting by the Territory, State and Federal Health Ministers in Canberra, the HWA report was released. The Ministers said in a joint statement they agreed that the report demonstrates the need for critical long-term, coordinated reforms by the higher education and training sector, professions and governments.