By profession
Side Hustles for Nurses and Shift Workers in Australia
Nurses and shift workers are unusually well placed for side hustles: your qualification is in demand, and rotating rosters leave usable blocks of daytime free when most casual work is advertised. The catch is that your registration, your employer’s secondary employment policy and fatigue rules all shape what you can sensibly take on. This guide covers the options that use your existing skills, what they commonly pay, and the rules to check first.
Key points
- Extra agency or casual-pool shifts are usually the highest hourly return — commonly advertised at $50–$85 per hour for RNs, well above most non-nursing side hustles.
- Independent support work through platforms like Mable lets you set your own rate (the platform floor is $39 per hour) but you work as a contractor, not an employee.
- If a side hustle involves providing or advertising a regulated health service, Ahpra's National Law advertising rules and your scope of practice apply.
- Check your employer's secondary employment policy before you start — many health services require disclosure or approval.
- Claim the tax-free threshold from one payer only, usually your main job — see our tax time guide.
The realistic options, compared
| Option | Typically advertised pay | Roster fit | Main hurdle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extra agency / casual-pool shifts | $50–$85+/hr (RN, casual) | You pick shifts | Fatigue, employer policy |
| Independent support work (e.g. Mable) | Set your own rate; $39/hr platform minimum, less a 10% platform fee | Very flexible | NDIS screening, contractor status |
| First aid / CPR training | Commonly $50–$55/hr casual | Mostly weekday daytime | Usually needs a Cert IV in Training and Assessment |
| Health writing and content | Per-article or hourly; varies widely | Fully flexible | Building a client base takes time |
| Tutoring nursing students | Commonly $40–$70/hr on tutoring platforms | Evenings/weekends | Demand is strongest near exams and placements |
| Seasonal immunisation clinics | Casual RN rates | Autumn-heavy (flu season) | State nurse immuniser requirements |
These figures are commonly advertised ranges, not guarantees — actual offers depend on your state, specialty and experience, and casual rates may or may not include loading and superannuation, so always check the breakdown.
Extra shifts: the boring answer that usually wins
Before adding a second employer, price up what you already have. Casual agency shifts for registered nurses are commonly advertised between $50 and $85 per hour, and averages reported on job boards sit around the mid-$60s. Night, weekend and public holiday penalties lift that further. Very few side hustles open to the general public pay anything close, which is why for many nurses the best “side hustle” is simply a fortnightly agency shift on a rostered day off.
The trade-off is fatigue. Under the National Employment Standards, full-time hours are capped at 38 per week plus reasonable additional hours, and your total workload across jobs affects what’s “reasonable” for your main employer to ask of you. Health services take this seriously: turning up to an ICU shift tired because of yesterday’s side gig is a clinical risk, not just an HR issue. Most public health services also have secondary employment policies requiring you to declare or seek approval for outside work — read yours before you commit to anything regular.
Independent support work
Disability and aged care support work is the fastest-growing flexible option for people with clinical backgrounds. On platforms like Mable you work as an independent contractor, set your own hourly rate (the platform enforces a $39 per hour floor and takes a 10% fee from what clients pay you), and choose your own clients and hours. Nurses can often command above-average rates for higher-needs supports.
Two things change when you contract rather than work casually. First, screening: NDIS risk-assessed roles require an NDIS Worker Screening Check clearance before you start — it’s valid for five years and recognised nationally. Second, tax: as a contractor you’ll generally need an ABN, no tax is withheld from your earnings, and superannuation is your problem. Our guide on whether you need an ABN walks through this, and the second job vs ABN calculator shows how the take-home compares.
First aid training, writing and tutoring
If you’d rather not do more hands-on care, your knowledge itself is sellable.
First aid and CPR trainer roles with registered training organisations are commonly advertised around $50–$55 per hour casual. Most RTOs require a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (or will take you on while you complete one), so there’s an upfront cost and study commitment — but courses run on weekdays in business hours, which fits neatly around a rotating clinical roster.
Health writing — patient education content, aged care documentation templates, CPD material — pays anywhere from modest per-article rates to solid hourly rates once you have a portfolio. It’s slow to start but genuinely roster-proof.
Tutoring nursing students (medication calculations, anatomy and physiology, placement prep) is commonly advertised at $40–$70 per hour on tutoring platforms, with demand spiking around exams and clinical placements.
Where your registration follows you
Ahpra registration doesn’t restrict you to nursing income, but it follows you into any side hustle that touches health. Three rules matter most.
Advertising: if your side business provides a regulated health service — a nurse-led clinic, cosmetic injectables, health coaching that trades on your registration — the National Law’s advertising rules apply, including the prohibition on testimonials about clinical aspects of care. Penalties for breaches can reach $30,000 per offence for individuals.
Scope of practice: you can’t offer services beyond what your registration and competence cover, even in a private side business. The Nursing and Midwifery Board’s guidance treats your individual scope as defined by your education and demonstrated competence, not by what a platform lets you list.
Social media: the NMBA’s social media guidance applies to your side hustle marketing too — no misleading claims, no breaching patient confidentiality, professional conduct standards apply even on your personal accounts.
A side hustle with no health angle at all — selling on Etsy, doing Airtasker tasks, food delivery — sidesteps all of this entirely.
Tax and Centrelink basics
Whichever route you take, the tax mechanics are the same as for any second income. Claim the $18,200 tax-free threshold from one payer only — the ATO suggests whichever pays you most — and let other payers withhold at the no-threshold rate so you don’t end up with a debt at tax time. Second-job income isn’t taxed at some special punitive rate; it just stacks on top of your existing income at your marginal rate. Our guides to side hustle tax time and how side hustle income is taxed cover the details, and if you receive any Centrelink payment, read our Centrelink guide before you start — reporting obligations apply from your first dollar.
Making it work around a rotating roster
The pattern that survives contact with real rosters is one anchor commitment plus one flexible filler: for example, a regular fortnightly agency shift (anchor) plus support work or tutoring you can scale up and down (filler). Avoid side work in the sleep window after night shifts, keep at least one genuinely free day per week, and reassess each roster cycle. The nurses who burn out on side hustles are almost always the ones who treated every free block as billable.
Frequently asked questions
Can a nurse legally have a second job in Australia?
Yes. There's no law against holding two jobs, but check your employment contract and your employer's secondary employment policy — many public health services require you to declare or seek approval for outside work, and you must manage fatigue and conflicts of interest.
Do I claim the tax-free threshold on my second job?
Generally no. The ATO says to claim the $18,200 tax-free threshold from one payer only — usually the one that pays you the most. Your second payer withholds at the no-threshold rate, which helps you avoid a tax bill at the end of the year.
Do I need an NDIS Worker Screening Check to do support work?
If you work in a risk-assessed role for a registered NDIS provider you need a clearance before you start. It's valid for five years and recognised in every state and territory. Platforms like Mable also require relevant checks before you can offer certain supports.
Does Ahpra registration limit what side hustles a nurse can do?
Registration doesn't stop you earning outside income, but if your side hustle involves providing or advertising a regulated health service, the National Law applies — including the ban on clinical testimonials in advertising — and you must stay within your scope of practice.
How much do agency nursing shifts pay?
Rates vary by state, specialty and shift timing. Casual agency RN rates are commonly advertised in the $50–$85 per hour range, with penalty rates pushing nights, weekends and public holidays higher. Confirm whether quoted rates include casual loading and superannuation.
Sources
- Ahpra — Guidelines for advertising a regulated health service
- Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia — Social media guidance
- ATO — Tax-free threshold
- ATO — Multiple jobs or change of job
- Fair Work Commission — NES: maximum weekly hours
- Victorian Government — NDIS Worker Screening Check
- Mable — Guide to Mable's minimum hourly agreed rate
- Indeed — Agency nurse salaries in Australia
This article is general information only, not tax, legal or financial advice. It doesn't consider your personal circumstances. For advice on your situation, speak to a registered tax agent or licensed adviser, and always check current requirements with the official source linked above.