How to become a Travel Nurse

What is a travel nurse?

In Australia, “travel nurse” generally refers to an experienced Registered Nurse (or Midwife) who works short-term contracts in different locations, usually through an agency. These contracts:

• Are typically 6–12 weeks (sometimes as short as 4 weeks) with full-time hours.
• Are based in regional, rural and remote facilities – from larger regional hospitals to multipurpose services and small community health sites
• Offer higher hourly rates than metro agency casual shifts, plus allowances and benefits for being away from home

With First Choice Care, travel nursing also usually includes:

• Accommodation provided or coordinated (often free in QLD, NSW and TAS, with small charges in some NT locations)
• Return travel covered – flights arranged for you, or fuel caps if you drive
• Living Away From Home Allowance (LAFHA) to help with food and incidentals (applies to certain contracts only)
• Dedicated Consultant - and access to extra training and perks

Step 1: Get the right nursing qualification

To work as a travel nurse in Australia, you must be a nurse first – usually a Registered Nurse (RN).

Most travel roles require:

• A Diploma or Bachelor of Nursing (or equivalent) from a recognised institution
• Completion of your graduate year (or equivalent transition program)

If you’re an overseas-trained nurse, you’ll need to meet Australian standards – this can involve bridging programs or additional assessment before you can register.

Step 2: Register with AHPRA / NMBA

You must hold current registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) via AHPRA to work as a nurse here – including in agency or travel roles.

For most travel nurse contracts, agencies will require:

• Unrestricted AHPRA registration
• Evidence of recent practice hours

Step 3: Build your clinical experience

Travel nurses are brought in to “hit the ground running”. That means you’re expected to be confident and safe with minimal orientation.

Most agencies – including First Choice Care – look for at least two years’ post-graduate clinical experience before you head out on Rural & Remote contracts.

For example, our Rural & Remote roles typically require:

• Minimum 2 years post-graduate experience in your specialty
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and adapt to new environments.

If you’re early in your career, focus first on:

• Completing a graduate year in a hospital or health service
• Gaining exposure to different wards (e.g. medical, surgical, ED, paediatrics, maternity, aged care)
• Volunteering for extra shifts in regional facilities if available – great preparation for rural work

Step 4: Choose your specialty and upskill

Rural and remote facilities often need nurses who can cover more than one type of care. The most in-demand specialties for travel nursing include:

• Emergency & ED
• ICU / HDU
• Paediatrics & Neonatal
• Theatre & Recovery
• Aged Care
• Remote Area Nursing / Primary Health

To be competitive for Rural & Remote contracts – and to meet site requirements – additional training and certifications are a must. Common examples include:

• Advanced Life Support (ALS) – often mandatory for ED, ICU and remote roles
• Triage training, such as WACHS Triage or equivalent, particularly for WA emergency and multipurpose sites
• Paediatric or neonatal life support (e.g. PALS, NRP) for paediatric and maternity placements
• Remote area courses (REC, MEC, primary health skills) for remote nurse roles

If you know where you’d like to work (say, paeds contracts in the NT or ED roles in WA), it’s worth targeting your professional development towards those expectations.

Step 5: Get your compliance sorted

Every travel nurse role will require a stack of compliance documents. Getting these organised early makes it much easier to take contracts quickly.

Agencies and facilities typically expect:

• Current National Police Check (often within the last 12 months)
• Working With Children Check (state-specific)
• NDIS clearance for certain aged care or disability roles (e.g. aged care roles in QLD)
• Immunisation evidence (e.g. Hep B, MMR, Varicella, dTpa, COVID-19, influenza)
• Basic Life Support / CPR currency
• Proof of identity and work rights (passport, visa, etc.)

Your agency will help you navigate what each state, territory and facility requires – but if you love being organised, assembling a “compliance folder” (digital and physical) will save you a lot of hassle.

Step 6: Build the non-clinical skills travel nurses rely on

Rural and remote nursing is as much about who you are as what’s on your CV. The nurses who thrive on contract usually share traits like:

• Adaptability – you’ll walk into new teams, systems and rosters regularly
• Confidence with autonomy – particularly in smaller sites where you may be the most senior nurse on shift
• Strong communication – with local teams, visiting doctors, retrieval services and your agency
• Cultural safety and respect – especially when working with First Nations communities and diverse regional populations
• Resilience and self-care – you’re away from your usual support network, so routines and boundaries matter

Many nurses say the lifestyle is incredibly rewarding but also honest about the trade-offs: frequent moves, time away from family/friends, and the need to constantly adapt.

Step 7: Register with a travel nursing agency

Here’s what partnering with a specialist agency like First Choice Care offers:

• Access to contracts across Australia – QLD, NSW, WA, NT, TAS and more
• A dedicated consultant who learns your preferences (locations, contract length, specialty) and matches you to the right roles
• Travel and accommodation organised for you, including flights or fuel caps and housing
• Living Away From Home Allowance to help with food and incidentals while you’re on contract (applies to certain contracts only)
• Higher pay rates for Rural & Remote work, with superannuation and employee perks
• 24/7 clinical and wellbeing support (including EAP) – so you’re never on your own if something doesn’t feel right

Step 8: Plan your first travel nurse contract

Once you’ve got your qualifications, experience, compliance and agency partnership sorted, it’s time to plan your first contract.

1. Choose your destination and contract length

Talk to your consultant about:

• States/regions you’re excited to explore
• Whether you prefer 6-week “taste-test” contracts or longer 12-week placements
• What kind of facility and specialty you’d like to start with

Many nurses begin with a contract that’s adventurous but still within their comfort zone clinically – for example, a regional paeds ward rather than a tiny remote clinic.

2. Understand what’s included

Clarify:

• What level of accommodation is provided (type, location, costs if any)
• Travel arrangements – flights booked on your behalf vs. driving with fuel caps
• Any site-specific requirements (e.g. ALS within 12 months, specific triage certificates, on-call expectations)

Ready to start your travel nurse journey with First Choice Care?

If you’re an experienced nurse looking for high-paying contracts, new clinical challenges and the chance to see more of Australia, Rural & Remote travel nursing could be the perfect next step.

First Choice Care offers:

• 4–12 week travel nurse contracts across QLD, NSW, WA, NT and TAS
• Higher hourly rates, accommodation and travel support
• Living Away From Home Allowance and a supportive, nurse-led team to back you every step of the way

You can explore current Rural & Remote roles or register your interest on our Travel Nurse Jobs pages and one of our consultants will be in touch to talk about your experience, preferences and first contract.

Your next adventure and your next career step could be just one contract away.