How to Locum as a Nurse in Australia: The Jon & Jon Guide

If you've ever looked at your roster and wondered what it would be like to nurse on your own terms, choosing your shifts, your settings, even your postcode, you're not alone. Locum nursing has become one of the fastest-growing paths in Australian healthcare, and getting started is more straightforward than most nurses expect.

Locum nursing offers qualified nurses the opportunity to work in different healthcare settings, explore new parts of Australia and choose contracts that suit their availability and career goals.

Depending on your specialty and experience, you could work in a metropolitan hospital, a regional health service, an aged care facility or a remote community clinic. Contracts can range from several weeks to a few months, with travel and accommodation often included for regional and remote placements.

But what do you need before you can start?

In short: to locum as a nurse in Australia, you need current AHPRA registration, at least twelve months of recent clinical experience in your specialty, up-to-date compliance documents (police check, working with children check, immunisations, first aid), and a locum agency that can match you to suitable roles. From there, it's really about building momentum, one good placement at a time.

Here's how that journey usually unfolds.

What is locum nursing, exactly?

A locum nurse fills short-term or temporary gaps in a healthcare team, covering things like staff leave, unexpected shortages, or seasonal demand spikes. They are particularly important in regional and remote areas, where healthcare services may find it more difficult to maintain consistent staffing levels.

Some nurses choose locum work between permanent roles, while others build an ongoing career around a series of short and long-term contracts.

Unlike casual nursing, which may involve individual shifts with a local employer, locum nursing commonly involves accepting a defined contract at a particular facility or location. Placements can run from a single week to several months, and they can be local or take you somewhere completely new, a regional hospital, a community mental health placement or a longer assignment in a health service.

Depending on the contract, travel and accommodation may be arranged or subsidised. Pay rates and applicable penalties vary according to the role, location, roster, employer and the nurse’s level of experience.

Why do nurses choose locum work?

Every nurse has a different reason for considering locum work.

The appeal is control and greater flexibility around work. You decide how much you work, where, and when. Others want to experience a new clinical setting, spend time in another part of Australia or take a break from a permanent roster. Regional and remote placements can also offer broader clinical exposure and the opportunity to support communities experiencing workforce shortages. For many nurses, this means more variety and building a stronger, more versatile skill set over time.

Locum work still requires flexibility from the nurse. You will regularly enter unfamiliar workplaces, learn new systems and adjust to different teams, patient populations and clinical environments. Being adaptable and comfortable asking questions is just as valuable as being clinically capable.

Step 1: Get your AHPRA registration sorted

Nursing is a regulated profession in Australia. Everything starts with AHPRA. Before you can work as a nurse, you must hold the appropriate registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia through the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, commonly known as Ahpra.

You'll need current, unrestricted registration as a Registered Nurse or Enrolled Nurse, with no conditions that would limit the settings you can work in. Any conditions or limitations attached to your registration will be considered when assessing your suitability for a position.

Ahpra registration operates nationally, so you do not need to obtain separate nursing registration each time you work in another Australian state or territory. However, individual employers and health departments can have their own credentialing and compliance requirements. You can check your registration through the Ahpra Register of Practitioners.

Jon & Jon Medical can only assist nurses who already hold the Australian registration and working rights required for the position. If you are an internationally qualified nurse who has not yet obtained registration, begin with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia and Ahpra for current pathway information.

Step 2: Confirm your Australian working rights

You must have valid working rights for the duration of your nursing contract.

This might be through Australian citizenship, permanent residency or an appropriate visa with permission to work. Your agency or employer will need to verify your identity and working rights before you can begin a placement.

Ahpra registration and visa approval are separate processes. Holding nursing registration does not automatically give someone permission to work in Australia, and having a valid visa does not provide permission to practise as a nurse without the required registration.

If you are uncertain about your visa conditions, check them through the Australian Government’s Visa Entitlement Verification Online service.

Step 3: Build a solid foundation of experience

Locum nurses are usually expected to step into a team and begin working with a relatively short orientation. For that reason, healthcare organisations generally look for recent experience in the relevant specialty or clinical environment so that you can hit the ground running with minimal supervision.

The experience required will vary between roles. A medical or surgical ward placement may have different requirements from a contract in intensive care, emergency nursing, oncology, mental health, midwifery or remote primary healthcare.

Many positions request at least 1 - 2 years of recent and relevant experience, although this is not a universal rule. Some specialised and remote roles may require additional experience, qualifications or demonstrated clinical competencies.

Before applying, consider:

• How recently you have worked in the specialty
• Whether you can practise confidently within the required scope
• Your experience with the relevant patient group and clinical setting
• Whether your mandatory training and specialty certificates are current
• How comfortable you are working in an unfamiliar environment

Being open about your experience helps your recruitment consultant find a placement where you can work safely and confidently.

Step 4: Prepare your compliance documents

Credentialing confirms that you have the qualifications, identity documents, health clearances and current competencies required to work safely in a particular healthcare setting.

Although requirements can vary between healthcare organisations and jurisdictions, locum nurses will generally need to provide:

• Evidence of your current Ahpra registration
• 100 points of photo identification, such as a passport and driver’s licence
• A copy of your nursing degree or qualification
• Current professional indemnity insurance
• Nurse Immuniser Certificate  (Certificates from HESA-approved immunisation courses are highly preferred)
• Current vaccination evidence
• Working with Children Check. You may need to apply for a state or territory-specific check depending on the location of your placement
• Current National Criminal Record Check
• Current Advanced Life Support (ALS) or Basic CPR certification

Some facilities, specialties and locations may request additional documents or training. Remote, emergency, mental health, aged care and other specialised roles can have requirements beyond this general list.

Credentialing can take time, particularly if documents have expired or you need to apply for a state-specific check. Preparing your records before applying can help prevent delays once you find a suitable contract.

For a document-by-document breakdown, contact our team today. 

Step 5: Choose the right recruitment agency

This step matters more than people expect. A good agency should do more than forward job descriptions. The agency you work with shapes almost everything about your locum experience, the quality of roles you're offered, how quickly you get placed, and how supported you feel once you're on assignment.

Your recruitment consultant should take the time to understand your experience, availability and goals. They should explain the contract clearly, answer your questions and help coordinate the documentation and logistics required for the placement.

Look for an agency with:

• A genuine track record in your specialty, not just a general listing
• A consultant who understands the clinical setting they're recruiting for
• Support with compliance and credentialing, so you're not managing it all solo
• Transparency on pay rates and placement details upfront

It is also worth checking the agency’s reputation, privacy practices, communication and experience within your nursing specialty.

With Jon & Jon Medical, you get access to placements across a growing network of public and private healthcare organisations, with a dedicated consultant and candidate manager in your corner throughout. From credentialing to travel and accommodation arrangements, to ongoing support once you're actually on the ward, the goal is that you're never navigating a placement alone.

Don't just take our word for it though, read our Google reviews to hear directly from nurses we've placed.

Step 6: Review and accept your locum role

Once you choose an agency, you will usually be asked to provide your CV, registration and compliance documents, availability and placement preferences. Your recruitment consultant will speak with you about your clinical experience and identify opportunities suited to your skills and circumstances.

When reviewing a role, make sure you understand the clinical setting, expected duties, roster, pay, contract dates and available support. For regional and remote placements, confirm what is included for travel, accommodation and local transport before accepting.

After you accept a position, the healthcare facility may require additional forms, training or credentialing before clearing you to start. Requirements vary between organisations and jurisdictions, so even experienced locum nurses may need to complete new documentation for each placement. Your recruitment consultant and candidate manager should guide you through what is required and keep you informed of any outstanding items.

Step 7: Take your first placement and build from there

Before travelling, confirm your roster, accommodation, transport arrangements and first-day instructions. Keep the contact details for your workplace, accommodation provider and the Jon & Jon team easily accessible in case you need assistance. If you are heading to a small regional town or remote community, it is helpful to research local shops, weather, phone coverage, transport and essential services before leaving.

Once you begin, ask questions whenever you are unfamiliar with a local process or system. Every facility works differently, and clarifying expectations early supports both patient safety and a smoother placement.

During your contract, you will complete shifts according to the agreed roster and follow the policies, procedures and clinical governance requirements of the healthcare service. You will generally need to submit authorised timesheets so your hours and any applicable allowances can be processed. At Jon & Jon Medical, nurses are paid weekly, subject to receiving an approved timesheet within the required timeframe. Keep your consultant informed if there are changes to your roster, accommodation or placement conditions. You should also contact the Jon & Jon team if you experience a problem, need support or have concerns about the role.

Your first locum shift is really the start of a track record. Facilities remember reliable, capable nurses. Each placement you complete well makes the next one easier to secure, whether that's a rebooking at the same site or a referral to somewhere new. Many locum nurses find that after a few placements, they're no longer chasing work, work starts coming to them. That's the real shift: from proving yourself each time to being sought out because of what you've already proven.

Is locum nursing right for you?

Locum nursing can be a rewarding option for nurses who value flexibility, variety and the opportunity to experience different workplaces and communities.

It is best suited to clinicians who are adaptable, organised and confident working within their scope of practice. You need to be comfortable joining new teams, learning local processes and communicating clearly when you need information or support.

You do not need to commit to locum nursing as a permanent career decision. Many nurses begin with one carefully selected contract to see whether the lifestyle suits them.