In 2025, the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) and AHPRA introduced a new Registration Standard for Internationally Qualified Registered Nurses (IQRNs) to make the registration process faster and simpler for experienced nurses from comparable jurisdictions.
This update aims to reduce processing times and strengthen Australia’s healthcare workforce by recognising the skills and experience of overseas-trained nurses who already meet Australian practice standards.
Eligible Comparable Jurisdictions
According to AHPRA, the approved comparable jurisdictions currently include:
United Kingdom,Republic of Ireland, United States, Canada (British Columbia & Ontario), New Zealand,
Singapore, and Spain.(Always check the official AHPRA/NMBA site for the most up-to-date list.)
If you are registered and practising in one of these comparable jurisdictions and can provide proof of
recent practice hours, you may be eligible for direct general registration under the new IQRN standard —
no full OBA required.
If you do not meet the eligibility criteria, you will follow the existing IQNM pathway (Self-Check → Stream
A/B/C → OBA if required).
For detailed guidance, visit the official site: www.ahpra.gov.au