Department of Health Update
The Department of Health has been working closely with health services to support nursing and midwifery graduates who did not secure a graduate position through the 2025 GNMP Match.
While graduate programs in Victorian public health services are a popular option, they are not the only way to begin your career.
There are still plenty of rewarding opportunities across Victoria’s health system that offer valuable experience, including in rural and regional communities, mental health, aged care, disability services, and primary and community care.
The department is working to make sure available opportunities in public health services are easy to find for graduates. View the Late Vacancy Stage opportunities via the PMCV Health Service Directory and subscribe for job alerts on the Careers.vic.gov.au job site to get notified when new positions are published.
Applications must be submitted directly to Health Services, as GNMP match rounds have now closed for 2025. Job seekers are also encouraged to check other recruitment platforms for available opportunities in the private sector.
To create a job alert for Careers.vic.gov.au:
–Log in or create an account at https://www.careers.vic.gov.au/login
–Select “My job alerts and saved searches”
–Select “create new job alert”
–Enter your preferred job alert name, and then in the keyword field, enter “GNMP25”. These are the only fields you need to complete for the alert.
Late Vacancy Stage
Please check the Health Service Directory to view remaining vacancies, or explore the opportunities listed on this page.
Important Information:
- All late vacancy applications must be submitted directly to the Health Services with available positions.
- PMCV is not involved in the application process during the Late Vacancy stage.
- The PMCV Candidate Portal is not used during the Late Vacancy Process.
- You cannot add or update referee details, undertake video interviews, or modify applications or uploaded documents via the portal.
- Health Services will have access to unmatched candidate information, including:
- Referee reports
- Video interview recordings
- Note: Uploaded documents are not accessible to Health Services.
Offers:
- Health Services may make direct offers to candidates.
- All offers must be accepted or declined in writing to the respective Health Service.
PMCV’s Role:
- PMCV will not be holding a match or be involved in allocations during the Late Vacancy Process.
- PMCV will only maintain vacancy numbers in the Health Service Directory.
- For all application-related enquiries, please contact the relevant Health Service directly
Other opportunities
- Graduates are encouraged to explore the Health Service Directory on PMCV’s website to find available graduate positions.
- Graduates can enter the nursing and midwifery workforce through avenues outside of the acute hospital graduate programs offered in the GNMP match.
- There may be opportunities available in areas graduates have not yet considered, including the aged care, primary and community care, mental health and disability sectors.
- Graduates are encouraged to look for roles beyond metropolitan Melbourne – there are graduate positions available in rural and regional health services, this can be a meaningful and rewarding way to start your nursing/midwifery career.
- Graduates can pursue further formal postgraduate studies or participate in a Transition to Practice Program, including through Commonwealth initiatives in aged care and primary care.
- Interstate opportunities – Click here to view positions available in the Limestone Coast – South Australia
Further Support
- Contact your university course coordinator
- Nursing and Midwifery Health Program Victoria provides assistance to students on work or life events – it is free, confidential, independent and is provided by experienced nurses and midwives.
Opportunities
Aged Care sector opportunities
Rural and regional opportunities
Mental Health sector opportunities
Explore public sector job boards
Private sector jobs
Further study and transition to practice options
Frequently asked questions
Q. Can I still work as a nurse or midwife without completing a formal graduate program?
Graduate programs are not mandatory, and there are many other ways to enter the nursing or midwifery workforce. Nursing and midwifery graduates have full registration and can be employed in their first year of practice in any health, community or aged care setting in the private or public sector without undertaking a formal graduate program.
Q. Do all public health services in Victoria use the annual PMCV graduate match and/or offer all graduate positions via this process?
All public health services in Victoria can participate in the annual PMCV graduate match if they have positions available.
Q. Will I be disadvantaged if I don’t get a graduate program?
No. Graduate programs are not mandatory for employment as a registered nurse or midwife. Graduates can begin their careers in entry-level roles outside formal programs and still go on to build successful and fulfilling careers.
You might consider starting in:
- Aged care, disability, or primary and community health
- Private hospitals and health services
- Regional and rural health services
- Mental health or custodial services
Practical experience, adaptability, and a commitment to ongoing learning will place you in a strong position to begin your career. You can also pursue further study and professional development to support your progression. Your career path may look different, but it can still be rewarding and full of opportunity.
What study options are available to graduates to support career progression?
Further study
Further study can help graduates build specialised knowledge and explore new career pathways. Options include:
- Postgraduate nursing degrees in areas such as mental health, oncology, critical care, and paediatrics.
- Postgraduate or entry-to-practice midwifery programs for those looking to transition into midwifery.
University course coordinators can help graduates explore study options tailored to their interests and goals.
There are also several scholarship programs available to support further study:
- Australian College of Nurse Practitioners scholarships
- Aged Care Nursing Scholarship Program
- Primary Care Nursing and Midwifery Scholarships
- Full Course Fee Postgraduate Mental Health Nurse Scholarship Program – a fully funded initiative for those pursuing mental health nursing. More information is available at Full Course Fee Postgraduate Mental Health Nurse Scholarship Program | health.vic.gov.au
What study options are available to graduates to support career progression?
Transition to Practice Programs
These programs provide structured support as graduates transition from study into the workforce:
- Aged Care Transition to Practice Program – funded by the Australian Government, this program supports new aged care nurses with training and professional development.
- Nursing in Primary Care Transition to Practice Program – delivered by the Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association (APNA), this is for graduate nurses working in primary healthcare who have graduated in the past two years and haven’t completed a transition program.
APNA also offers a job-matching service to connect graduates with employers in primary care settings.
Dual Degree Pathways
Graduates with dual degrees may also consider career pathways that utilise both qualifications.
For example, for graduates of a dual degree in nursing/paramedicine, the Graduate Ambulance Paramedic Program offers a structured graduate year for paramedics. Students in their final semester of a Paramedicine Board of Australia-recognised qualification are encouraged to register their interest. Applications and enquiries are accepted year-round. This pathway can be a valuable option for those looking to explore the paramedicine side of their dual qualification.