Thousands of nurse graduates locked out of jobs

Ged Kearney, Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) president, claims the number of graduates who are turned away is about the same as the number of 457 temporary workers who are hired by our public and private hospitals and aged care providers each year.

“Each year thousands of local nurse graduates complete their degrees and can’t find an employer who will give them a chance yet these same employers are hiring staff on 457 visas instead,” Ms Kearney says.

“These vital young workers can’t even get a foot in the door and in most cases they are forced to give up on their nursing dream and change careers.

“They are told they lack ‘experience’ which is outrageous considering they are graduates.”

This comes as the federal government has demanded young workers ‘earn or learn’.

“The harsh federal government budget demands more from our young workers and yet offers no solution or increased job opportunity,” Ms Kearney said.

The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) conservatively estimates that in 2013/14:

• 60% of Tasmanian nursing graduates were unable to find work;
• Only 600 graduates out of 2,500 where employed in Queensland;
• Victoria 800 graduates could not get a job;
• 400 nurses graduates were turned away in Western Australia; and
• 280 nurse graduates could not secure a position in South Australia.

Annie Butler, ANMF acting federal secretary, says the use of temporary workers in nursing has risen.

“The number of 457 visa nurses has increased by around 400 per year since 2005 and most recent figures show it’s reached nearly 3,100 temporary workers brought in to fill nursing positions annually,” Ms Butler says.

“We must support and invest in the next generation, not send a message that we don’t need them because, quite frankly, we do.

“The nursing and midwifery workforce is ageing.  Almost 53% of the nurses are aged over 45 years and 23% are over 55 years old.”

As these experienced individuals start transitioning towards retirement, Ms Butler says opportunities for nurse graduates to work and learn side by side need to be created.

“We have an ageing population that will require more care and yet we are not investing in those workers. You have to ask what the health workforce of the future will look like if this is allowed to continue.”

Ms Kearney adds that the number of graduates completing their studies had increased by more than 3,000 per year since 2001 raising questions about the integrity of the 457 visa scheme.

“The 457 visa scheme was created as an emergency and temporary stop gap.  Obviously, it’s not being used correctly and we are very concerned that if the Abbott Government has their way visa regulations will be loosened even further.

“Unions support the geographic movement of nurses but only with adequate labour market testing that gives local workers a fair go.”

Ms Kearney urges for regulation to be tightened, stating that the 457 visa scheme must only be used when evidence shows that local workers are not available to do the work.