” From my professional experience, I believe that international recognition of credentials affects the availability of the workforce and allows unsafe healthcare standards to be practised”
As Australia faces an increasing healthcare workforce crisis, international mobility and recognition of qualifications are more needed than ever before. My strategic view on how inclusive leadership, regulatory convergence, and international cooperation can contribute to future-proofing the healthcare workforce follows below.
1. Would you mind sharing your background in people and culture, and how that shapes your view of healthcare workforce development?
Throughout my People and Culture career, I’ve focused on developing ethical, inclusive, and forward-looking workforce strategies, firmly based in Australia’s national workplace relations scheme within the Fair Work Act 2009 and overseen by the Fair Work Commission and Fair Work Ombudsman. The framework provides legal regulation of employment terms, protections, and workplace rights—pillars for workforce planning and people management in healthcare, Australia’s most highly regulated and life- sustaining industry.
Like all sectors, Australia’s healthcare sector is also experiencing profound transformation. According to the PWC reports, the healthcare industry is now the largest emerging workforce sector in the country, with 14% of the country’s workforce, and the projected demand is set to rise by 14.9% in the next five years. Moreover, this staggering growth is due to exponential growth in the ageing population, and rising challenges in the retention rates among healthcare workers due to the tremendous pressure in the healthcare industry.
However, from my professional point of view, I feel that the healthcare workforce can be enhanced by focusing on:
- Developing workforce resilience via quality leadership and cultural capability enhancement.
- The healthcare sector must develop proactive and creative solutions to attract, develop, and retain the skills, capabilities, and talent required to provide services, with a strong emphasis on diversity and inclusion that reflects the community’s needs.
- Understanding future workforce needs and requisite technology skills allows for strategic planning that promotes coordinated, collaborative, and patient-centred care.
These results are consistent with PwC Australia’s Healthcare Workforce Matters report findings, which identify the need for healthcare organisations to develop their capability, form cross-sector partnerships, and integrate digital health solutions, but without compromising on the fundamental ‘human touch’ that is at the heart of patient care.
We have focused on developing collective leadership capacity. The healthcare landscape of today requires leaders to negotiate and solve intricate problems, design cultural change, and drive high-performing teams. As a result, to deal with the healthcare workforce shortages & an ageing workforce, we are providing education that is industry-relevant and focused and will allow future graduates to be well placed in the healthcare industry in Australia. Our retention of employees is through segmented employee value propositions, peer mentoring, mental health and stress management initiatives into our workforce wellbeing framework.
Moreover, as AI is rapidly revolutionising the healthcare diagnostics and delivery systems, we are building on initiatives that highlight digital literacy, flexibility, and patient-centred care. While automation may alter some work, we have an ever-growing demand for emotionally intelligent and empathetic healthcare workers who can provide complex and empathetic care, hence the emphasis on human skills such as resilience, creativity, and empathy.
Lastly, as a healthcare workforce development professional, life has re-emphasised that healthcare workforce development today can no longer be founded on traditional training. It must be underpinned by forward-thinking strategic workforce planning, culture change, contemporary leadership, investment in mental wellbeing and compliance with the law—underpinned by an organisational culture with a higher purpose. The challenges and opportunities we have require a health workforce that is not only competent, diverse, and resilient but compassionately connected to the human experience at the centre of healthcare.
2. Which particular workforce trends or challenges prompted you to first realise the importance of recognising credentials and enabling global mobility?
The Australian health sector is a highly regulated industry with high levels of employee rights and professional qualifications.
Moreover, with the increasing shortage of labour supply and demand in such priority areas as aged care, mental health, and rural services, it is clear that depending on local talent pools has its limits. In contrast, AHPRA and relevant boards’ credential recognition procedures, as important as they are for public safety, can be restrictive and slow. This contradiction initially prompted me to recognise the need for establishing equitable, effective, and ethical international mobility streams consistent with both industrial relations law and health profession regulation, without compromising standards.
For many foreign qualified professionals who are willing to offer their services to Australia’s healthcare sector, the complicated procedures of qualification recognition and absorption of manpower are significant challenges. Although Australia has in place a stringent regulatory system to protect the public, the foreign qualification recognition processes are often complex and fragmented.
The Australian Government Department of Education Qualifications Recognition Services (QRS), which falls under the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) umbrella, provides assessment services for those individuals who wish to have their foreign qualifications formally recognised against Australian qualification levels. The framework is important in regard to international workforce mobility while ensuring professional standards. However, delays, recognition channels uncertainty, and limited bridging opportunities are common obstacles to the timely deployment of skilled health professionals into critical roles. It was clear that the timely, fair, and open recognition of offshore qualifications is not only crucial for these workers’ professional development but also for avoiding endemic workforce shortages and high-quality care in Australian communities. Supporting ethical global mobility through effective credential recognition, education partnerships, and workforce development programs will be critical in ensuring that there is a future-proof and strong healthcare workforce.
3. What has been the role of global professionals in filling skill gaps in Australia’s healthcare industry in your experience at HCI?
The Australian healthcare industry is suffering from a critical shortage of skilled professionals, worsened by an aging population, increasing service needs, and rapid technological advancements. A recent Australian survey by Robert Half discovered that 72% of Australian employers have hired a skilled professional from overseas in the last two years, indicating increasing reliance on overseas talent to meet local skills shortages.
While these skilled experts from different nations bring different attitudes, abilities, and the ability to bring value immediately. The above study showed that 45% of employers seek diverse inputs to stimulate innovation, 39% value timely inputs of talented foreigners, and 39% require specialist skills that might not be readily available in the local environment.
However, the integration of foreign professionals into the Australian health care system must be handled with great care. Additionally, the key factors that need to be considered are the handling of complex visa processes, foreign qualification recognition, and cultural and professional adjustment assistance. Moreover, it is believed that formal induction programs, mentorship schemes, and continuous professional development need to be in place to enable foreign recruits to settle and thrive in the Australian health care system. Lastly, I also believe that the integration of these elements in the health sector in Australia can sufficiently employ foreign talent to meet its growing demands and enhance the quality of care provided to the public.
4. What are some common issues faced by foreign-trained professionals in seeking employment or registration in Australia?
There exist numerous internationally qualified health practitioners who face regulatory hurdles to bridging AHPRA’s registration, English language, and professional indemnity prerequisites. Moreover, the lack of understanding of the clinical placement and the lack of knowledge regarding Australian workplace legislation and health system practices are also barriers to seamless workforce integration. As a result, HR procedures under the Fair Work Act 2009 frequently struggle to confirm that visa sponsor constraints and industry- specific modern awards are also employment-related barriers, such as access to particular benefits and job categorisation.
5. Why is early and fair recognition of foreign qualifications important in filling up healthcare competency gaps?
From my professional experience, I believe that international recognition of credentials affects the availability of the workforce and allows unsafe healthcare standards to be practised. Furthermore, there are several challenges and complaint areas that foreign-trained nurses (and other graduates) face when registering with AHPRA. From the concerns outlined by the National Health Practitioner Ombudsman, it can be stated that overseas-trained nurses usually have several problems with the process of AHPRA registration in Australia. Some of the most frequent issues include delays in processing applications, which might be related to incomplete or incorrectly certified documents, waiting for international police checks, or insufficient evidence of English language skills. Many candidates are unable to meet the required IELTS or OET scores, and this can lead to significant delays. A further issue is the recognition of international qualifications, with some nursing programs not aligning with Australian standards, requiring further assessment or bridging courses. Inadequate communication from AHPRA, failure to provide adequate explanations for their rulings, and excessive registration fees have also been noted by applicants. These issues often result in dissatisfaction and formal complaints to the National Health Practitioner Ombudsman, and also create a workforce shortage in healthcare practitioners in Australia.
6. What is the institutional function of bodies like HCI in closing the gap between overseas qualifications and readiness for the Australian labour market?
While overseas qualifications and their importance in closing the gap in the Australian healthcare workforce are important, IHM Australia delivers a Graduate Certificate in Advanced Nursing (GCAN) program to support internationally qualified nurses to meet the clinical, academic, and regulatory requirements for safe and competent practice within Australia. Moreover, the program is AQF aligned and is specifically designed to prepare international nurses for the Outcome-Based Assessment (OBA) pathway with targeted preparation for NCLEX-RN and OSCE. The curriculum not only reinforces technical and clinical competencies but also covers cultural safety, Australian health law, and system-specific protocols, so that graduates are not just ready for registration but actually workforce-ready.
Lastly, we also advocate for safe and equal access to the workforce, especially for skilled migrants and internationally qualified health professionals who bring desperately needed diversity and expertise to Australia’s healthcare system. In so doing, IHM directly closes key nursing gaps to enable a more sustainable, diverse, and patient-centred healthcare workforce.
7. How do policymakers facilitate ethical and sustainable global labour mobility without reducing standards?
It is policymakers’ responsibility to ensure international workforce mobility structures are both ethically sound and compliant with Australian industrial relations and healthcare regulation standards. More precisely, this includes streamlining AHPRA registration processes, improving overseas qualification recognition through the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF), and maintaining visa and employment arrangements that are compliant with Fair Work and National Employment Standards (NES) requirements. Additionally, it is important to ensure that ethical recruitment arrangements with source countries through cooperation and investment are in place, and supportive channels will facilitate responsible management of global workforce flows.
8. How can online credentialing or technology simplify recognition and verification procedures?
Currently, there is much debate about whether secure digital credentialing systems, blockchain-based qualification verification, and integrated systems with AHPRA’s registration database can significantly reduce administrative lag and verification risk. Furthermore, it is argued that combining digital onboarding systems for employment with Fair Work regulations, such as digital Right to Work checks, award classifications, and contract management, optimises regulatory compliance and operational efficiency. Lastly, I also believe that online learning and assessment systems can continuously promote workforce development, allowing healthcare professionals to keep their registration and skills up to date.
9. What do you think of the projection of global healthcare mobility in the coming decade, and what does Australia need to do to stay properly prepared?
Global health mobility will increase over the next decade due to aging populations and increasing global health needs.
Additionally, Australia will need to enhance credential recognition systems, such as AHPRA’s mechanisms and fund electronic credentialing to be in a position to accurately verify overseas qualifications. Similarly, I believe that an enhanced workplace protection through the Fair Work Ombudsman and firm support for international health workers will be required to recruit and retain employees ethically.
Currently, Australia’s health system is underpinned by profound reforms spearheaded by leaders like Greg, the longest-serving Federal Member for Flinders and former Health Minister, who oversaw a $132 billion health budget and shepherded more than 2,000 medicines onto the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. To further implement this, the Australian government has invested 89.2 million in building towards the mental health workforce strategy. Moreover, the detailed plan also lays out a clear allocation of 4.2 million dollars to support and build headspace centres in rural and remote areas to attract and recruit GPs and provide enhanced delivery of primary care.
10. Do you think that of these support systems—orientation, mentorship, or cultural transition programs—have a considerable influence on internationally trained professionals?
Within the higher education and health education sectors, internationally educated staff, academic, clinical educators, or professional services personnel, need to be supported through a holistic, culturally appropriate process. Additionally, organised orientation, mentorship, and cultural transition programs are not only crucial for workforce integration but also for staff well-being, morale, and retention.
Moreover, it must cover in-depth information on Australia’s workplace legislation (e.g., the Fair Work Act 2009), labour rights and employment conditions in the tertiary sector, cultural expectations in Australian learning and healthcare environments, academic integrity requirements, student engagement, and healthcare collaborations. It does this to equip international staff to be able to navigate both their professional and social worlds successfully from the outset.
Mentoring schemes are especially important. Matching international staff with more experienced colleagues— preferably with similar cross-cultural experience—can give key information about scholarly and organisational habits, work expectations, student engagement strategies, and the operation of institutional mechanisms. In addition, mentoring relationships play a part in the building of social networks and emotional support, important to general well-being and the development of professional self-esteem. Cultural transition programs are crucial in order to enable sustainable adaptation and success. Some of the programs that can be incorporated include cultural competence workshops, peer-to-peer conversations, networking, and family settlement support services. Tailor-made programs allow the staff from abroad to build their resilience, cultural sensitivity, and knowledge of local communication practices and academic conventions. In our experience, integrating such programs within a strategic inclusive leadership and workforce wellbeing initiative ensures higher education institutions not only recruit the best global talent but also retain and develop them to excel. Embedding wellbeing check-ins, Employee Assistance Programs (EAP), and ongoing professional development opportunities also fosters a culture of care, inclusion, and career advancement—key characteristics in an internationally networked education sector.
11. Lastly, what do you want to communicate to HR and workforce leaders who want to create more inclusive, competency-based, and globally minded teams?
I call upon Human Resources and workforce leaders to embrace a balanced, compliance-focused, and people-oriented strategy in international recruitment. Maintaining Fair Work entitlements, meeting AHPRA registration, and ethical employment practices and respect for international professionals’ skills and experiences will guarantee the future of healthcare services. Building diverse workplaces is not merely filling positions; it involves a workforce equity commitment, ongoing learning, and meeting regulatory requirements. Applied effectively, this not only reinforces organisational culture but also improves patient care outcomes and builds public confidence.