The UK, India and the Philippines remain Australia’s top feeder countries for nurses arriving on temporary long stay visas, writes Natasha Egan.

The number of nurse practitioners coming to work in Australia on 457 visas is up this year, with the majority originating from the Philippines, the latest immigration data shows. 457 visas granted to nurse practitioners have grown from 11 in 2010-11 to 20 in the first eight months of this financial year. Nine of the 20 arrived from the Philippines followed closely by 8 UK nurse practitioners who chose to hit our shores. The majority settled in NSW and Victoria, followed by QLD, WA and the NT. Helen Gosby, president of the Australian College of Nurse Practitioners, says the economic downturn...