In April of this year me and my husband decided we wanted an adventure, so after looking through my RCN bulletin decided to apply to some agencies in Australia. It’s hard to believe that now in mid October we are settled here in Melbourne, where we hope to stay for the next few years. All thanks to the thanks to the amazing staff at Vital.
Joey (my consultant) was there for me every step of the way through the planning and application process. Regular e-mails and phone calls, to and from, kept us up to date with information and the next step to take. Phone calls to Joey were always free (even from my mobile) so we didn’t have to worry about that. She placed me where I requested and on a great ward within my speciality.
However, her help and support has not stopped there, she is still in regular contact, to make sure we are settling in ok. She has even arranged some social events with other new comers, a relief as it can feel a bit daunting at first not knowing anyone. Having Joey’s continued support, has been a great help as there are still preparations to do once you are here.
Vital has also been able to support my husband in getting a job too. We are about to move into a flat, from the temporary accommodation (that Joey had sorted out for us for on arrival, along with airport pick up). Melbourne is feeling more like home every day. The weather is great, and there is loads of exploring to do in and around the vibrant city.
I would not hesitate to recommend or use vital international again, a truly professional company, flexible to your needs, providing a friendly and personal service. Joey always responded promptly, and was always able to answer any questions or problems that arose, and what I have really appreciated is the fact that she is still supporting us even now, three weeks in.
A huge thank you to all the team, but particularly the star (of our story any way), Joey Cooney, for all her guidance, support, and kindness and for really helping us feel at home.
Hi, my name is Maddi and Vital helped me move to Australia 2 months ago from the U.K. Had been wanting to move to Australia some years ago, and at long last myself and my partner have done it. We chose Queensland for the weather and Australia for the lifestyle. Vital helped me find a job and I am currently working as a nurse at the Princess Alexandra hospital, Brisbane, in the Emergency Dept. Everyone is friendly and welcoming and I love where I am working. I have currently just completed an Advanced Life Support and Aggressive Behavioural Management course (photo) and now feel competent in handling the unexpected in ED. (These courses I have waited for over 5 years in the UK) Have found a wonderful place to live by the sea, which is peaceful and my partner and I are really settling well and are very happy. Thanks to Vital and Joey for making the transition goes so smoothly, will recommend Vital to my friends should they decide to follow me.
Madeline Heathfield, RN
Mark Croton, RN
I applied with vital recruitment and right from the start they were friendly, helpful and professional. From our very first conversation vital made me feel like I really mattered to them and showed a genuine interest in me and my application. Any question I had was answered promptly and no question I had was too small. Vital provided lots of information concerning the whole process which I could print off and this helped structure my application. They even helped in searching for a job for my partner, a service not offered by all recruitment agencies. They arranged interviews at hospitals that matched my skills and experience and now I am here working in Australia, I can’t thank Joey and her team enough. It was great to meet the vital team when we arrived and they were everything I expected. I now work in a hospital in Melbourne and Joey still phones me to see how I am in my new job. A big thank you to Vital Recruitment (especially Joey) for their time and hard work. It would have been a difficult, long process without you all. Mark croton
Testimonial- Sheeja Judin, working at The Mater in Brisbane
I was working as a staff nurse in UK for five years. On January of this year we decided to make a change and started to consider nursing in Australia because of the cold weather. Vital international was recommended to me by a friend who told me that they are very quick and reliable. I sent my CV through e-mail and the same day I had a message from Sophie Pelman. Sophie phoned me the next day and my application started to process. She advised me how to apply for registration and organized the interviews with various hospitals in Brisbane according to my choice. Sophie always updated me almost every day and made everything easier. Sophie is always available on the other end of phone to answer questions and things get tough.
Sophie found me an excellent employer and a wonderful place to live in Brisbane. I like my new job. The environment is good and it’s much more relaxed and less work load. Brisbane is one of the Australia's most livable and affordable capital cities with a sub-tropical climate providing sunny days almost all year round, with enough rain fall to keep the city and suburbs cool and green. This is a perfect place to raise a family, and a wide range of cultural attractions, numerous theatres, art galleries and a world class museum, universities and a range of other educational facilities. Just an hour's drive from famed golden beaches and the beautiful gold and sunshine coasts.
Now we are settled down in Brisbane and enjoying the beautiful life here. My husband and our two kids are so happy. Sophie supported me even in getting settled and she was in contact with me to make sure I am well settled. She is also a good friend for me. The vital international also provide me with free services including airport collection, temporary accommodation, and discounted private health insurance. I am extremely satisfied with your service. I highly recommend Sophie and the VIG to anyone who wishes to work in Australia as a nurse. I introduced Sophie to my friends in UK and some of them are already seeking advice from Sophie, I hope to see them soon in Brisbane.
AMY LU HAN TESTIMONIAL- WORKING IN RENAL DIALYSIS AT BAXTER HEALTHCARE
I Amy Lu Han (New Zealander) could not image how quick that my dream (doing a job as a registered nurse in Australia) can become reality when I first contacted Sophie, the Senior Recruitment Consultant of Vital International Recruitment. She helped me get an excellent employer who allowed me to come to Melbourne in just months. I'm very impressed with the quality and effectiveness of her work. Also she rang me on a regular basis to make sure that am I doing OK after I started new job here Melbourne. I am so appreciative of every thing she did for me.
CARMELA TORRES- TESTIMONIAL- ST ANDREWS WAR MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
My name is Carmela I worked in UK for 5 years. My husband and I decided to move to Australia when we realized that our children's life was getting so boring because of the cold weather. I heard feedback from my friends who were already in Australia that life is much better compared to UK. Australia also provides cheaper cost of living, better weather and good working environment. Vital International was recommended to me by a friend who told me that they do reply at once to your applications and my friend was right.
Sophie Pelman phoned me the next morning and my applications started moving. Sophie found me an excellent employer and finished all the paper works in less than a month. The only thing that delayed me was the immigration and that was beyond Sophie’s control. Sophie was always there sorting out the problems and even contacted immigration to find out what’s causing the delay. Sophie always updated me almost every week and Sophie made everything easier for me and my family. That’s why I also recommended VITAL INTERNATIONAL to all my friends who are applying to work here in Australia and they all have a good feedback for her. I never regret coming to Australia, I love my new job, my kids are also enjoying the place especially school, and my husband found a new job in less than a month.
Hi my Name is Tiia I was a Nurse at the Neo Natal Unit in Basingstoke UK before I came to Australia looking for a new life. That’s where Vital Recruitment came in; once the decision had been made we contacted various agencies in Australia. Vital it turned out had exactly what we wanted, a job for me in Brisbane, Queensland at the new Mater Mothers Hospital that opened June this year. I have now worked there for a month now and I am enjoying it a lot, I recommend for any other nurses coming here to work the longer days and get more time off there is a lot out there to see. Anyway our agent Sanja helped with all the paper work as and when it came up, and more importantly was on the end of a phone when things got tough or confusing after all moving from the UK to Oz is no walk in the park. The longest part of coming to Australia is the registration with the Queensland Nursing Council the Visa part is actually quite quick when they have all the paperwork. Again thanks to vital who helped out along the way with all the forms. So if you’re thinking of coming over definitely give Vital a call after all it is free and won’t cost you a penny... Me my husband and my two children are so happy here we now ask what took us so long to make the decision...
Thanks Sanja and all the rest at Vital for all your hard work...
Tiia-Conway-Oskar-Erika
(Picture was taken at the “Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary” about 20 mins from Brisbane CBD)
I was a Senior Staff Nurse working in UK for 7 years. Last September, I decided to move to Melbourne as I heard from my colleague that Melbourne is very beautiful and good place to live and work. I found many nursing recruitment agencies from nursing magazines, including Vital International Recruitment and applied via email… Vital International were the first agency to reply back the next day. Sanja called me and introduced her company and herself. I haven’t met her, but her voice gave me a feeling that this girl definitely could help me. She advised me how to apply for NBV registration and organized the interview with hospitals without any delay. She called me and sent emails regularly to check how everything was going and we sorted out every problem together. She worked so hard and tried her best to help me. Eventually, I had my NBV registration after 4 months. After that, Vital International also provided me with free services including visa advice, airport collection, temporary accommodation coordination and discounted private health insurance.
Vital International still contact me and check how everything is going with me and how my work and life are in Melbourne. While I am alone in Melbourne with not many acquaintances, every phone call means a lot to me.
To my experience, I am very happy with Vital International Recruitment. I recommend VIR to my friends in UK and some of them are already seeking advice from them now. Good luck to them and hope to see them soon in Melbourne.
Sairong Liu, RN
Cheri and her family arrived in Melbourne in early May and are very excited to be here. They are staying in the heart of the city of Melbourne and enjoying the sightseeing and wonderful mild and sunny Autumn weather we are having; playing sport and visiting the beach in St Kilda are keeping the family busy! Cheri commences work with Melbourne Health at the end of May. We wish her the best in her new role and new life in Australia.
My name is Robby; I used to work in the United Kingdom, London in a Nursing Home as a Registered Nurse before coming to Australia. I had the plans of moving to Australia to work as a Registered Nurse but didn’t know how to go about the nursing registration process in Australia and in 2007,I saw an advert for Registered Nurses employment positions in the (UK) RCN Nursing Standard Magazine from Vital international (octopus healthcare - at that time) Australia and on 21st March 2007 I sent an e-mail to Vital international regarding employment as a Registered Nurse in a hospital setting Australia (because in Zambia I used to work in the hospital setting). Sophie responded immediately and she was very helpful and kept me well informed,encouraged and supported me through the process (if she is not around the girls at Vital were there to help me) until Vital secured an employment placement for me at Greenslopes Private Hospital here in Brisbane,Queensland and Sophie made sure that I got a hospital Orientation before starting the work.
I finally I arrived on 24th March 2008 here in Australia and started work on an oncology/haematology unit (something I never thought of in the United Kingdom with all the workpermit restrictions on overseas nurses) on 31st March 2008 and the environment is good and staff are fantastic.And working in a private hospital is good as they have excellent standards and services and this is what I wanted because I prefer to work in private hospitals.The hospital is very supportive.
Sophie supported me even in getting settled and she was in contact with me to make sure am well settled.
I am happy here in Brisbane,people are more relaxed,helpful and welcoming than what you think before coming to Australia (Down Under) here.I have met many people from different countries who are happy and have settled well here.
I'd like to say thanks to Sophie and all the girls at Vital international for helping me move to Brisbane, they've all been very polite, supportive and welcoming. I'd recommend them as the agency to go with to make this move.
From Robby Musukuma, RN.
Betcy Varghese, RN
A simple THANK YOU is not just enough, because what we thought impossible to us, VITAL INTERNATIONAL made it easy for us.
In fact I got registration with both Nurses Board of Victoria and NSW and I was waiting for an opening. I contacted many recruiting agencies to get a job especially in Melbourne, but all my efforts were in vain.
When I thought my ambition to migrate to Australia would be dream, I saw the advertisement of VITAL INTERNATIONAL, recruiting nurses to Australia in the Nursing Standard. Without much hope I made a call to Joey Cooney, but never thought that call would be a life changing one.
From the first call until now the support I got from VITAL INTERNATIONAL, especially from Joey Coney, cannot express in words and a simple thank you is not enough
Along with my Husband and son now we settled down at Melbourne, and enjoying the beautiful life here.
For all the support from VITAL INTERNATIONAL thank you so much.
Wishing you All the Best Wishes,
BETCY VARGHESE, MELBOURNE
Cheryl, David, Kerrilyn and Travis Lumgair would like to say a special thank you to Joey Cooney from Vital International. From when i spoke to Joey in Feb 2007 whilst on holiday in Australia till we arrived in Feb 2008 she has been absolutely wonderful. She has gone far beyond her field of helping me find a position here. I feel she has become a friend and outdid herself on many occasions. She contacted me at least every 10 days and when emailed I had a reply within 10 minutes. She set up interviews with me at various hospitals within a few days of arriving here on holiday and I was accepted at St Andrews War Memorial in Brisbane.
Joey did absolutely everything pertaining to my career, she even had transport arranged for me for when I arrived at the airport late that night. The week we arrived in our new country I contacted Joey to say that all was well and she has been in touch on a regular basis to find out how we are going. We moved from South-Africa Durban and have been here for 3months and I can say that my family and I have settled in beautifully and enjoying touring / sightseeing our new home.
Joey once again Thank You for absolutely everything you have done for the Lumgairs from South Africa.
Bianca Tlou, RN
Being supported by Vital International has been a great experience, throughout the process of acquiring a job l wanted and the overall emigration process. My allocated manger Joey, was encouraging, enthusiastic and patient in helping me with necessary arrangements and paperwork. Upon arrival to Australia, l had warm welcoming that made me feel at home in good hands. If l had difficulties or questions, she was always readily available to help and support me. l would recommend Vital International for any of nurses abroad wanting a change and great experience here in Australia. Thank you Vital International Recruitment for making my move to Aussie a wonderful experience. Keep up the good work!!!!
Bianca.