Midwife Jobs in Australia 2026: Registration, Visa & Salaries

Midwife jobs in Australia cover antenatal care, labour and birth, postnatal care and newborn support. In hospitals you work in birth suites, antenatal clinics and postnatal wards, often in caseload or team models. In birth centres and community services you may provide continuity of care, home visiting and education for women and families through pregnancy and the early weeks after birth.

Models of care vary by state and service. Caseload midwifery, where one midwife follows a woman through pregnancy, birth and postnatal care, is growing, while team midwifery and standard hospital care remain common. Rural and remote midwifery often involves broader scope, on-call work and travel, with extra allowances and support.

• Hospitals: birth suites, antenatal and postnatal wards, and special care nursery liaison.

• Birth centres: low-risk births, water birth support and continuity of care, where available.

• Community and rural: home visits, antenatal clinics, and broader autonomous practice.

Midwives must be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia through AHPRA before practising. Internationally qualified midwives generally apply through the outcomes-based assessment pathway, which checks qualifications, identity, English and fitness to practise. The pathway typically includes a self-check, portfolio assessment and examinations where required, similar in structure to the nursing pathway.

Most internationally qualified midwives complete the relevant examinations set by the Board, which may include a knowledge examination and an OSCE-style clinical examination in Australia. Some applicants may follow a different pathway depending on qualifications and assessment outcomes, so confirm the current route for your background with AHPRA. Keep certified documents, transcripts and registration history ready.

• Qualifications assessment: midwifery degree or diploma, transcripts and clinical experience.

• Examinations: knowledge and clinical examinations where required by the Board.

• Registration: apply once assessment, examinations and other requirements are complete.

English is tested separately from clinical assessment. AHPRA generally accepts IELTS, OET, PTE Academic or TOEFL iBT at set scores, with rules on combining results and validity periods. Midwives need strong English for history-taking, counselling, consent, emergency communication, documentation and handover, so prepare thoroughly and check the current English language standard before booking.

Visa-related skills assessment for midwives is generally handled through ANMAC for some visa streams, separate from AHPRA registration. You will also need good standing certificates from every regulator you have been registered with, plus criminal history checks. Keep names and dates consistent across every document.

• English tests: IELTS, OET, PTE Academic or TOEFL iBT, at the scores set by AHPRA.

• ANMAC assessment: required for some skilled visa applications, separate from registration.

• Good standing: certificates from each midwifery or nursing regulator you have held registration with.

Common visa routes for midwives include employer sponsorship through the Temporary Skill Shortage visa and the Employer Nomination Scheme, and skilled migration through state-nominated and independent visas. The right route depends on registration status, employer sponsorship, points and state demand. Many midwives start on a sponsored temporary visa and later seek permanent residence, but confirm current rules with the Department of Home Affairs or a registered migration agent.

Hospitals and health services in regional areas often recruit midwives actively and may offer relocation support. Compare offers on registration help, relocation, allowances and on-call expectations, not salary alone. Never pay a recruiter for a visa or job, and confirm sponsorship details in the written offer.

• Temporary Skill Shortage visa: employer-sponsored, commonly used by hospitals and health services.

• Employer Nomination Scheme: employer-sponsored permanent residence, where eligibility is met.

• Skilled migration: points-tested and state-nominated visas for eligible registered midwives.

Midwife pay in Australia is set by state awards and enterprise agreements, varying by state, employer and experience. Public hospital midwives generally progress through annual pay steps, with penalties for nights, weekends, overtime and on-call work. Caseload and community roles may have different allowances, reflecting on-call and travel expectations.

Regional and remote roles often include allowances, accommodation support or extra leave, which change the value of the package. Agency midwifery may pay higher hourly rates but without the same stability and benefits. Always confirm whether a quoted figure is base pay or includes penalties and allowances.

• Registered midwife, public hospital: typically around AUD 85,000 to AUD 115,000 per year, varying by state and experience.

• Caseload midwife: typically around AUD 90,000 to AUD 120,000 per year, varying by service and on-call load.

• Rural and remote midwife: base pay plus allowances, which vary by employer and remoteness.

• Private hospital midwife: typically around AUD 85,000 to AUD 110,000 per year, varying by provider and location.

Start AHPRA registration and English preparation in parallel, because both take time and employers ask about both. Prepare a CV listing qualifications, registration history, birth and postnatal experience, models of care, emergency skills and referees. In interviews, use examples showing safe assessment, escalation, woman-centred communication and teamwork in emergencies.

Check every offer for registration support, visa sponsorship, relocation help, on-call expectations and the applicable award. Avoid agents who charge placement fees or guarantee registration or a visa, because those outcomes are decided by the authorities. Honest timelines and written terms matter more than fast promises.

• Begin with the AHPRA self-check and book an accepted English test early.

• Apply to hospitals and health services that sponsor visas and support registration.

• Confirm pay, award, allowances, on-call duties and sponsorship in the written offer.

Applying on SteadStaff is free for candidates, and SteadStaff never charges candidates for applications, interviews or placement. If you are ready to explore midwife roles in Australia, apply at steadstaff.com/apply.