Nursing is one of the strongest career-plus-migration pathways available to Nepali students today. Every Anglosphere destination has structural nursing shortages and a defined path from student to registered nurse to permanent resident. This guide sets out how it actually works.
The four common destinations
- Australia: 3-year Bachelor of Nursing at a CRICOS-registered university, then registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) under AHPRA.
- United Kingdom: 3-year BSc (Hons) Nursing at an NMC-approved programme, or the Registered Nurse Adult Nursing pathway. Registration through the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
- Canada: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) at an accredited institution, then licensing through the provincial regulator (for example CNO in Ontario, BCCNM in British Columbia). Registered Nurses take the NCLEX-RN.
- New Zealand: 3-year Bachelor of Nursing at an NZQA-accredited provider, then registration with the Nursing Council of New Zealand.
English test requirements
- NMBA (Australia): Standard evidence includes IELTS Academic 7.0 in each of the four skills, or OET grade B in each skill, taken in one sitting (some combinations across two sittings are also accepted — confirm on the AHPRA website).
- NMC (UK): IELTS Academic overall 7.0 with writing 6.5 and other skills 7.0, or OET grade B in all four skills.
- CNO (Ontario) and other Canadian provincial regulators: acceptable English evidence varies by province. IELTS Academic and CELPIP-General are common; OET is accepted in some provinces.
- Nursing Council of New Zealand: IELTS Academic 7.0 overall with no band below 7.0, or OET grade B in each skill.
PR and skilled migration
- Australia: Registered Nurse occupations appear on the current core skills list. After the Bachelor and Subclass 485 post-study work, nurses have PR pathways via employer-sponsored routes and independent points-tested streams.
- United Kingdom: nursing sits within the Health and Care Worker visa (a stream of the Skilled Worker route), with concessional rules and a defined route to settlement after 5 years.
- Canada: RNs are in high demand across provinces; PNP streams often prioritise nursing occupations.
- New Zealand: Registered Nurse is on the Green List, giving a streamlined residence pathway.
What we tell Nepali applicants considering nursing
- The English test threshold is the biggest single filter. Plan 3 to 6 months to get to the NMC or NMBA level.
- Choose a bridging pathway carefully if you already have a nursing qualification from Nepal. The OSCE (UK) and the outcomes-based assessment (AHPRA) are the routes for overseas-qualified nurses.
- OET is often faster to reach the required level than IELTS for nursing candidates. Consider taking OET rather than pushing IELTS if you have plateaued.
- Nursing programmes have clinical placement components. Confirm the placement structure with the specific university before enrolling.
Related pages: Study in Australia, Study in UK, Study in Canada, Study in New Zealand.