Step 2 of 9 · IE → AU
Complete the Ahpra Self-check first — Ireland to Australia
The online Self-check is the compulsory first step for every internationally qualified nurse. Its outcome routes you to Pathway 1, Pathway 2 or one of the assessment streams, and that outcome controls what happens next, whatever your own reading of the rules suggests.
- Pathway hub
- Registered Nurse: Ireland to Australia
- Jurisdiction scope
- Australia (national). Applies to all internationally qualified registered nurse applicants, including NMBI registrants.
- Last verified
- Relevant official-body pillar
- Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia / Ahpra
Purpose
Why this decision point exists
Get Ahpra's routing decision before spending money or time on any assessment.
Who needs it
Check whether it applies
All NMBI-registered nurses, whether trained in Ireland or trained elsewhere and later registered by NMBI, before any application or booking.
Requirements
What to check at this step
- Create an Ahpra account and complete the IQNM Self-check, answering the questions about your qualification, registration history and practice truthfully and in full. — Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (external site)
- Wait for the Self-check outcome and the portal's next-step instructions before assuming a pathway or stream. Bookings and payments follow the outcome, never the other way round. — Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (external site)
Common mistakes
Where applicants trip up
- Skipping the Self-check because a colleague from the same Irish hospital received a particular outcome
- Entering approximate NMBI registration dates that later conflict with the Certificate of Current Professional Status
- Paying for assessments before the outcome is issued
One fact at a time
Official facts
Each value appears with its effective date and cited source. We never assume an optional fact applies to you, and we never convert currencies.
No confirmed numeric fact is shown for this page. Check the linked official pages for current fees, timing, and requirements; a missing value is not zero.
The order of decisions
Where this step sits in the reviewed pathway
Work through the decision points in this order, and expect the responsible body to change, add, or remove requirements for your circumstances.
Step 1
Separate NMBA and Home Affairs tracksRegistering as a nurse in Australia and getting permission to work there are decided by two different authorities under two different laws. Neither one follows automatically from NMBI registration.
Step 2
Complete the Ahpra Self-check firstThe online Self-check is the compulsory first step for every internationally qualified nurse. Its outcome routes you to Pathway 1, Pathway 2 or one of the assessment streams, and that outcome controls what happens next, whatever your own reading of the rules suggests.
Step 3
Check Pathway 1 for Irish nursesPathway 1 is the streamlined route for nurses whose qualification and practice sit inside NMBA-approved comparable jurisdictions, and the NMBA's published requirements name the Republic of Ireland among those countries. Being from a listed country does not, on its own, place you on Pathway 1; the Self-check and a full Ahpra assessment do.
Step 4
Check Pathway 2 if trained elsewherePathway 2 is a second streamlined route. It is for nurses who qualified outside the NMBA-approved comparable jurisdictions, then gained general registration in one of them through a regulatory examination process, and have since practised for at least 1,800 hours in approved jurisdictions since 1 January 2017.
Step 5
Follow the stream Ahpra assignsWhen the Self-check finds that neither Pathway 1 nor Pathway 2 fits, it assigns Stream A, B or C. Each stream has its own assessments, and the portal lists exactly which ones apply to you.
Step 6
Meet the NMBA registration standardsWhatever route the Self-check assigns, the NMBA registration standards still apply: English language skills, recency of practice, criminal history, professional indemnity, identity and supporting documents. Irish evidence does not always fit the Australian formats.
Step 7
Request your NMBI CCPS certificateAhpra will want evidence of your registration status from NMBI. NMBI supplies this as a Certificate of Current Professional Status, which it also calls a Certificate of Good Standing, requested through MyNMBI. This is also the moment to decide whether you keep renewing your Irish registration or remove your name voluntarily.
Step 8
Apply to the NMBA and do orientationAfter the pathway or stream steps are done, you lodge the registration application with the NMBA through Ahpra, respond to requests through the published application stages, and complete orientation when directed.
Step 9
Get work permission from Home AffairsNMBA registration carries no right to enter or work in Australia. The Department of Home Affairs decides visas and work rights through its own processes, whether the route is a skilled visa, an employer-sponsored visa or, for Irish passport holders aged 18 to 35, a Working Holiday visa.
Evidence record
Official source ledger
Each entry records who published the source, what it covers, and when it was last checked.
- Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia
Completing the Self-check
- Scope
- Australia-wide internationally qualified nurse routing
- Last verified
- Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia
Steps after Self-check
- Scope
- Australia-wide internationally qualified nurse routing
- Last verified