Around the world, there’s a big problem in healthcare because there are not enough nurses. More people are getting older and sicker, and we need more nurses to take care of them. This situation creates chances for nurses to work in countries where they need nurses the most.
Knowing which countries are really short on nurses can help you think about where to look for nursing jobs in another country. We looked into the information and now we can show you 10 places where there’s a big need for nurses right now. This need is based on how many jobs are empty, how many people are old, and how much the healthcare business is growing.
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1. United States
The US has the biggest healthcare system in the world and really needs more nurses. The group called the American Nurses Association said that by 2024, the US will need 1.3 million new nurses. This is because lots of people from the Baby Boomer generation are getting old and more people have health insurance now. Every state will have a shortage of nurses, but some will feel it more than others.
Many things are making this shortage happen in America. Its people are getting older and living longer, often with many health problems. To save money, hospitals have to be careful about how many nurses they have. Many nurses are also about to retire themselves.
Some cities where jobs for nurses are really needed include Denver, Orlando, Phoenix, Seattle, and Tampa. Big cities usually pay nurses more money to get them to move there. For instance, nurses in San Francisco can make around $140,000 a year.
Nurses from other countries can work in the US if they pass the NCLEX-RN test and get a license to be a nurse in the state where they want to work. Nurses with special skills, like knowing a lot about heart care, cancer, or taking care of old people, are very wanted by US healthcare places.
2. Australia
Australia is also seeing more old people needing care and has a healthcare system that covers everyone. By the year 2030, a big chunk of Australia’s people will be over 65 years old. But just like the population, the nurses are also getting older.
It’s expected that by 2025, Australia will be short 85,000 nurses and by 2030, there will be more than 123,000 nursing jobs to fill. There are efforts to get more people into nursing school, but still, about half of the nation’s nurses will likely retire in the next 10-15 years.
It’s especially hard to find nurses for places that are not in the big cities. To fix this, healthcare employers in Australia offer really good money, flexible work schedules, and other perks to get nurses to work for them.
In Australia, nurses make around $73,000-$112,000 AUD ($50,000-$77,000 USD) per year. Emergency nurses, critical care nurses, mental health nurses, old-age care nurses, and operating room nurses are particularly in demand.
3. United Kingdom
The UK’s healthcare system, the National Health Service (NHS), is in a tough spot too because of an aging population and retiring nurses. England doesn’t have enough nurses – they’re short by over 36,000. By 2027, the UK will probably need about 190,000 more nurses.
The COVID-19 pandemic made things worse as a lot of nurses in the UK decided to quit because they were too stressed and tired. There’s a serious lack of nurses now, with one out of every ten jobs in the NHS not filled.
The places with the biggest shortages of nurses in the UK include big regions like London, the Midlands, Yorkshire, and also the South West, South East, and East of England. Nurses who specialize in emergency care, critical care, caring for babies (neonatal care), children’s health (pediatric care), mental health, community health, and ordinary family doctor practices are in great demand.
On average, nurses in the UK get paid between £24,000 and £40,000 a year ($29,000-$48,000 USD). If nurses become citizens or get a permit to stay in the UK, they can find lots of jobs with the NHS.
4. Canada
Canada is another country that needs a lot more nurses. By 2030, they’ll need over 199,000 extra nurses. Many nurses are leaving and retiring, so about a third of them won’t be working within the next decade.
Canada’s population is also getting older and people have more long-term health issues that need nursing care. There are job openings all over, but some provinces, like Ontario, need to find a lot more nurses – 77,000 more this decade.
Nurses in Canada get good money, with registered nurses making about $70,000 CAD ($52,000 USD) and nurse practitioners pulling in around $95,000 CAD ($71,000 USD). They get benefits like retirement plans, paid time off for vacations and when sick, health insurance, and help paying for more school.
Nurses from different countries can come to Canada if they pass the NCLEX-RN test and get a license to nurse in the province where they want to work. There’s a big need for nurses who know about heart care, kidney care (nephrology), cancer, child health (pediatrics), old age care (geriatrics), and intensive care.
5. Germany
Germany is getting ready for lots of nurses to retire soon. About 500,000 nurses, which is nearly half of them, will reach the age to stop working by 2029. It’s going to be a big task to find new nurses to take their places.
Germany is one of the countries with the oldest populations. By 2030, more than a quarter of Germans will be over 65 years old, which means they’ll need more and more good nursing care.
If nurses from other countries can speak German, it will be easier for them to find a job there. But now, even in bigger cities, you might only need a little bit of German to start. Some places even help nurses from other places learn German when they get there.
Nurses in Germany can make about €40,000-€50,000 a year ($43,000-$54,000 USD), or sometimes even more. Nurses with special skills in caring for old people (geriatrics), working in intensive care, heart care (cardiology), cancer care (oncology), kidney care (nephrology), and surgery rooms are really wanted there.
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6. Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia is another place with a serious need for nurses. It’s got a lot of young people, and its needs for healthcare are growing quickly.
Right now, only about 57% of nursing roles in Saudi Arabia have been taken. The government there has a plan to add more than 106,000 new nurse positions by the year 2030.
The need for more nurses is really high because the healthcare system in Saudi Arabia is growing very fast. They want to open lots of new places like hospitals and research centers as part of their Vision 2030 project. To make this happen, they need to bring in nurses from other countries.
Nurses from other places might like working in Saudi Arabia because they can make a lot of money without paying taxes, and they usually get a place to live as part of their job. Nurses with more experience can get paid between $70,000 and over $100,000 a year. They also get plenty of vacation time and get to travel.
Nurses come from places like India, the Philippines, and South Africa to work in Saudi Arabia. But first, they need to get a special license from the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties.
7. Singapore
In Singapore, they think they’ll be short by about 65,000 healthcare workers by 2030. Nurses will be hit hard by this. A big chunk of current nurses will probably retire around that time.
As people in Singapore are getting older, they get more health problems that last a long time. Also, because they keep making medical services better, they need more nurses. Jobs are available at both the public and private hospitals.
The normal nurse in Singapore makes around S$55,000 a year (which is like US$40,000), but nurses who are in charge or have special training can make more. They often get extra benefits like bonuses, medical insurance, paid holidays, and retirement money.
Since English is the main language in Singapore, nurses who speak it can adjust more easily when they move there. But if they’re coming from another country, they need to pass some exams and sign up with the Singapore Nursing Board to work there.
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8. New Zealand
New Zealand is looking for more than 12,000 nurses by the year 2027 to help with a shortfall caused by more people leaving the job and a bigger demand for healthcare. Nurses can find different types of jobs all over the country, like looking after the community’s health, working in hospitals, helping older people, or focusing on special kinds of healthcare.
A nurse who just got registered in New Zealand can expect to make between $37,000 and $56,000 a year, depending on their experience and where they work. New Zealand is known for its amazing nature and lively culture, which makes it a great place to live.
The healthcare system there cares about giving good medical care, making it a good place for nurses from all around the world. They want to make their healthcare services even better, welcoming nurses who love their job and want to be part of the growth.
9. Denmark
In Denmark, they’re worried they won’t have enough nurses because many people are getting older. About one out of every three nurses will soon be at the age to retire, which will really affect the number of nurses available. If nurses from other places are good at speaking English, they’ll find lots of opportunities to care for older people in Denmark.
If a nurse thinks about moving to Denmark, they can look forward to making a good amount of money, about $58,000 to $80,000 a year. The country has a great quality of life, there’s a good balance between work and life, and nurses get a lot of support.
The way Denmark does healthcare really focuses on the patient and trying new things. It’s a place where nurses can use their skills a lot. Denmark needs more skilled nurses as they try to meet the health needs of a population that’s getting older.
10. Ireland
Ireland also has a big need for more nurses. The healthcare system there needs more nurses for hospitals, the community, and special areas.
Registered nurses in Ireland usually make between $32,000 and $56,000 a year. It’s a place where nurses will find a rich culture and a warm welcome.
The healthcare in Ireland is always trying to get better, and it values what nurses bring to the job. The country is inviting skilled nurses to be part of taking care of its people and improving healthcare.
Conclusion
The shortage of nurses around the world means there are a lot of chances for qualified nurses to work in other countries, especially in places where there are old people. By looking for jobs where they really need workers, nurses can get good salaries, extra money for joining, and other good things they offer to attract skilled people.
To find a nurse job outside your country, look at places that are really trying to get nurses from abroad to work in both their public and private healthcare places. If you get the right training and can speak the language you need, you will have a better chance of getting a good job.
Deciding to work as a nurse in another country takes time and hard work. But if you do it, you can use your skills in a place that really needs them. Working in another country is a good experience. It helps you see the world in new ways, learn about different cultures, and grow as a nurse.
