FIFO nurse jobs
What the work involves, what employers ask for, the rosters seen in real ads and which companies hire for FIFO nurse jobs. Every item links to the page it came from.
Last checked 10 October 2026. Requirements and rosters vary by employer and site, so read each job ad before you apply.
What the job involves
St John WA places registered nurses and medics in fixed-term and casual roles for its partners, including FIFO placements at remote and regional mine sites across Western Australia. Flights and accommodation are provided for FIFO positions.
Source: careers.stjohnwa.com.auThe St John WA ad for Rio Tinto Iron Ore sites in the Pilbara says it is not a traditional Emergency Department role. Emergency experience is used when incidents happen onsite, but much of the work is occupational health services for the site workforce, including pre-employment medicals and drug and alcohol screening.
Source: au.seek.comOn a Queensland coal mine, the ER24 Rescue Nurse ad describes managing the site medical centre, handling a wide range of presentations, liaising with emergency medicine doctors and retrieval services, and delivering occupational health education.
Source: au.seek.com
What employers ask for
Current AHPRA registration as a registered nurse
The St John WA careers page lists unrestricted AHPRA registration for nurses.
Source: careers.stjohnwa.com.auEmergency, mining or remote health experience
St John WA asks for at least two years of experience in emergency departments, correctional facilities or on mining sites.
Source: careers.stjohnwa.com.auSite nurse or emergency nursing experience
One occupational health nurse ad on a 2:2 roster asks for 3 to 5 years as a site nurse or emergency nurse, plus a current ALS qualification.
Source: au.seek.comAdvanced life support or advanced first aid
St John WA's Rio Tinto ad asks for a Provide Advanced First Aid certificate, or an ALS1 or ALS2 certificate.
Source: au.seek.comARC Advanced Life Support Level 1 or 2
Core HS lists ARC Advanced Life Support (ALS) Level 1 or 2 for its WA FIFO nurse and paramedic roles.
Source: au.seek.comPHTLS and ALS (Queensland coal)
The ER24 Rescue Nurse ad lists PHTLS and ALS certificates as mandatory.
Source: au.seek.comDrug and alcohol tester certificate (HLTPAT005)
Listed as Drug and Alcohol Tester Certificate (HLTPAT005) in the St John WA ad for Rio Tinto sites.
Source: au.seek.comCannulation competency
Listed as a requirement in the St John WA ad for Rio Tinto sites.
Source: au.seek.comManual driver's licence
The St John WA ad lists a Driver's Licence (C) Manual.
Source: au.seek.comNational Police Clearance
St John WA asks for a clearance issued within the last three months, plus a current Working with Children Check and full working rights in Australia.
Source: careers.stjohnwa.com.auCertificate III in Emergency Response and Rescue
The ER24 ad lists Certificate III Emergency Response and Rescue (RII30719) as a pre-requisite to work on a Queensland coal mine site.
Source: au.seek.comSite induction
A Rio Tinto induction less than a year old is listed as highly advantageous in the St John WA ad.
Source: au.seek.comQueensland coal: Coal Board Medical, Standard 11 and low voltage rescue
The ER24 ad lists the Coal Board Medical (Rescue and Underground), Standard 11 certification and Low Voltage Rescue certification as pre-requisites for a Queensland coal mine. It says pre-requisite training is provided before commencing shifts.
Source: au.seek.comHealth assessment before starting at a Queensland coal mine
The Queensland Government says coal mine workers must have a health assessment before starting work as a mine worker and when changing employers, then at least once every 5 years.
Source: business.qld.gov.au
Rosters seen in ads
8:6 and 7:7 rosters, with day and night shifts of up to 12.25 hours. Seen in the St John WA ad for Rio Tinto Iron Ore sites in the Pilbara.
Source: au.seek.com2:2 roster, FIFO from Perth, for an occupational health nurse in Western Australia. Seen in a Red Earth Health Solutions ad.
Source: au.seek.com7 days on, 7 days off, with FIFO and DIDO options, for a Rescue Nurse on Queensland coal mines. Seen in an ER24 ad.
Source: au.seek.com19/9 roster, DIDO or FIFO, with camp accommodation and meals, for an occupational health nurse at a client site near Miles in Queensland. Seen in a 4cRisk ad.
Source: au.seek.comRosters include coverage, shutdowns, and ongoing 8:6 and 2:1 rotations, across clients in mining, oil and gas and other industries. Seen in an Epigroup ad for emergency services officers and registered nurses.
Source: au.seek.comFIFO roster written as 8/6/7/7 for an emergency services officer at Kalgoorlie gold operations. Seen in a Fire & Safety Australia ad.
Source: au.seek.com
Work out days on site and days home for any roster with the roster calculator.
Who hires for FIFO nurse jobs
St John WA (Rio Tinto Iron Ore, Pilbara)
"St John WA has formed a partnership with Rio Tinto" to provide medical personnel across their sites in the Pilbara. Casual and fixed-term roles. Job ad seen 10 October 2026.
Source: au.seek.comCore HS
Seeking FIFO registered nurses and paramedics, with "short and long-term roster and relief opportunities throughout Western Australia". Job ad seen 10 October 2026.
Source: au.seek.comRed Earth Health Solutions
Full-time FIFO occupational health nurse on a 2:2 roster, FIFO from Perth, delivering onsite health services across Western Australia. Job ad seen 10 October 2026.
Source: au.seek.comER24 Australia
Rescue Nurse roles on Queensland coal mine sites, casual or full-time, 7 days on and 7 off, FIFO or DIDO. Job ad seen 10 October 2026.
Source: au.seek.comRisk 2 Solution (R2S Medical and Emergency Response)
Registered nurses and paramedics for Central Queensland coal mine sites. The role is DIDO from the Mackay area. Job ad seen 10 October 2026.
Source: au.seek.com4cRisk
Occupational health registered nurse at a client site near Miles in Queensland, "DIDO or FIFO", 5 year contract with potential to extend. Job ad seen 10 October 2026.
Source: au.seek.comFire & Safety Australia
Emergency services officers (not nurses) for a large Kalgoorlie gold mining operation, FIFO with accommodation and meals provided. Job ad seen 10 October 2026.
Source: au.seek.comBlack Cat Syndicate
Medical Emergency Services Officer for its Kal East operation, FIFO from Perth or residential from Kalgoorlie, negotiable roster. Job ad seen 10 October 2026.
Source: au.seek.com
Good to know
Many mine site nurse roles in current ads are run through medical service providers (St John WA, Core HS, ER24, R2S, 4cRisk) rather than directly by the mining company.
Source: careers.stjohnwa.com.auThe Black Cat Syndicate Medical Emergency Services Officer ad asks for Certificate III in Emergency Response and Rescue and Certificate IV in Healthcare or above. The Fire & Safety Australia emergency services officer ad asks for Certificate IV Health Care. These ads are for emergency services officers, not registered nurses.
Source: au.seek.comAhpra says a person who is not registered cannot use a protected health practitioner title, and that misusing a protected title is an offence.
Source: ahpra.gov.auAhpra points the public to its register of practitioners, to check that a health practitioner is registered and their current registration status.
Source: ahpra.gov.au
Pay
We keep pay on a separate page so every figure sits next to its source. FIFO nurse salary.
Before you apply
What we could not verify
We looked for these and did not find a primary source, so they are not stated above.
- No current nurse ad from BHP, Rio Tinto, Fortescue or Mineral Resources themselves was found. The ads read come from medical service providers working on mine sites.
- The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia registration standards (recency of practice, CPD) were not checked for this page. Read them on the board's website before applying.
- Roles in the Northern Territory, South Australia and offshore were not checked.
- Only the ER24 ad said pre-requisite training is provided before starting. Check with each employer who pays for ALS, PHTLS, Standard 11 and site inductions.
- Job ads close. Check each employer ad is still open before relying on it.
FIFO nurse jobs: questions answered
Do I need to be a registered nurse to work as a FIFO nurse?
For nurse roles, yes. The St John WA careers page and its Rio Tinto ad both ask for unrestricted AHPRA registration.
Source: careers.stjohnwa.com.auHow much experience do I need?
St John WA asks for at least two years of experience in emergency departments, correctional facilities or on mining sites. Its Rio Tinto ad asks for a minimum of 2 years as a registered nurse in emergency, remote or occupational health.
Source: careers.stjohnwa.com.auWhat extra certificates do the ads ask for?
St John WA's Rio Tinto ad lists cannulation competency, a Drug and Alcohol Tester Certificate (HLTPAT005), Advanced First Aid or ALS1 or ALS2, a manual driver's licence and a National Police Clearance issued within the last three months.
Source: au.seek.comDo I need a medical to work at a Queensland coal mine?
Yes. The Queensland Government says coal mine workers must have a health assessment before starting work as a mine worker and when changing employers, and then at least once every 5 years.
Source: business.qld.gov.auCan a paramedic do these jobs?
Some employers take paramedics as well as nurses. Core HS says it is seeking experienced FIFO registered nurses and paramedics.
Source: au.seek.com