Living and working in Sydney: Opportunity and lifestyle in one of the world’s great cities

For anyone, but especially healthcare and support workers, seeking a vibrant, diverse and supportive environment to grow their careers, Sydney offers an unmatched combination of opportunity and lifestyle.  As Australia’s largest city and the economic heart of the State of New South Wales, Sydney is home to world-class hospitals, research institutions, and community health services — all set against a stunning backdrop of beaches, bushland, and a vibrant urban culture.

Whether you’re arriving from interstate or overseas, this city invites you to make a difference, feel valued, and enjoy a life that balances work and wellbeing.

Sydney’s growing population, which now exceeds 5 million, fuels constant demand for healthcare professionals and support workers across public, private, and community settings. Nurses, doctors, allied health professionals, aged care staff, youth and disability support workers, as well as mental health specialists are all in demand.

Whether you’re new to your profession or highly experienced, Sydney supports entry-level staff and graduate nurses, internationally qualified health professionals, senior clinicians and managers and offers temporary, casual, locum and full-time placements across most roles.

However, Sydney is more than a place to work; it’s a city built for living. Imagine starting your shift after a sunrise swim at Bondi beach, finishing your day with a harbour walk, or grabbing world-class coffee on your break. Sydney is a cosmopolitan and multi-cultural city which offers:

• Urban culture, typified by art galleries, theatre, music, and multicultural festivals
• Outdoor lifestyle, famously including surfing, bushwalking, fitness, and weekend escapes
• Community, which pivots around family-friendly neighbourhoods, LGBTQI+ inclusive spaces, and strong multicultural networks

Sydney is a major city, and that can be reflected in housing costs, especially near the city or the beaches. However, many people live in well-connected suburbs offering good value, such as:

• Western Sydney, which offers more affordable housing and growing healthcare hubs, think suburbs like Blacktown, Penrith or Campbelltown.
• The Inner West is trendy, walkable to the city, and has a great café culture.  If that’s your thing, consider Marrickville, Enmore or Newtown.
• Southwest is a multicultural and family-friendly hotspot, typified by suburbs like Liverpool and Bankstown.
• Whilst the North Shore is quiet, green and close to major hospitals, think Hornsby or Ryde.

In many respects, Sydney is a city of inter-connected villages with suburbs and neighbourhoods each with their own unique feel.

Professionally, across Sydney, there’s high and consistent demand for:

• Registered and enrolled nurses
• Midwives
• Mental health clinicians
• Allied health professionals (OTs, physios, speech pathologists)
• Aged care and disability support workers
• Youth support workers
• Aged Care workers
• Medical imaging staff
• Paramedics and emergency services
• Indigenous health workers
• Behaviour support practitioners and case managers

If you’re thinking about moving from overseas, Sydney is a welcoming destination for internationally trained professionals, but to work in healthcare, you’ll need:

• A valid visa, for example skilled migration, sponsored, or working holiday.
• Registration with the relevant board, such as AHPRA for nurses, midwives and allied health

So, if you’re a healthcare professional considering life in Sydney, there’s no time like the present. With growing demand across the sector and support available for every stage of the journey, you’ll find opportunity, purpose, and community in Australia’s most iconic city.  If you need further incentive, here’s our list of the top 5 best things about living and working in Sydney:

1.World class beaches

Sydney is famous for its coastline. From Bondi and Coogee to Manly and Balmoral, you’ll have easy access to golden sand and ocean swims, even on a weekday morning before work.  Sydney also has the only beach outside the US to be mentioned in the Beach Boys classic ‘Surfing USA’ – you’ll have to Google which one!

2.The outdoor lifestyle

Sunshine, parks, hiking trails, ocean pools, and weekend getaways to the Blue Mountains or Hunter Valley. Sydney encourages an active, healthy, outdoorsy lifestyle all year round. Where else can you finish a shift and take the ferry home across the world’s most beautiful harbour? Sydney blends urban sophistication with incredible natural beauty: bushland, harbour walks, ocean cliffs, and skyline views all in one place.

3.An incredible food scene

From hole-in-the-wall dumpling joints to fresh seafood markets, vegan cafés, and fine dining with harbour views — food in Sydney is globally influenced and seriously delicious, which is often reflected in Sydney’s neighbourhoods, which are like mini cities, each with a unique personality. Whether you want beachy, leafy, artsy, family-friendly, or fast-paced, there’s a suburb to suit your lifestyle.

4.Safety and stability

Australia is one of the safest and most politically stable countries in the world. Sydney has a high standard of living, low crime rates, and excellent healthcare and education systems.  Sydney is also one of the most diverse cities in the world, with over 40% of residents born overseas. That means food, culture, festivals, and communities from every corner of the globe — and a strong sense of inclusion.

5.Sydney is a city that celebrates

From Mardi Gras to Vivid Sydney, Lunar New Year to NAIDOC Week, Sydney knows how to celebrate. There are year-round events that bring people together and celebrate the city’s spirit not to mention the globally famous New Year’s Eve fireworks, which have to be seen to be believed!