Employer Branding Strategies for Healthcare Businesses: Attracting Top Healthcare Talent in Australia

Key Takeaways

• Employer branding is critical for healthcare businesses competing for talent in a tight market.
• International candidates are motivated by lifestyle, family opportunities, and career growth; make these central to your messaging.
• Use visuals and data-driven strategies to maximise your reach and impact.
• Regularly review and update your employer brand to ensure it resonates with both active and passive candidates. 

Australia’s healthcare sector is facing a talent crunch, and if you work in recruitment, you feel that pressure every day. With more jobs than qualified professionals to fill them, standing out to local and international candidates has never been more important. Employer branding, the way your organisation is seen as a place to work, can be the advantage that helps you attract the talent you need.  

This article shows how to build an employer brand that resonates, supported by data and research. 

Understanding the Healthcare Talent Shortage

Healthcare and social assistance accounted for 46% of all job gains in Australia over the past year, driven by an ageing population and increased government investment¹. Yet, unemployment rates in healthcare are far below the national average: just 1.47% for registered nurses, 0.93% for physiotherapists, 0.55% for general practitioners, and virtually 0% for psychiatrists². In other words, almost every healthcare professional is already employed, which makes standing out as an employer more important than ever.

With local talent pools stretched thin, international recruitment is essential. Internationally qualified professionals make up 47% of Australia’s doctors³ and 32% of nurses, and over 40% of nurses and aged care workers were born overseas, according to the 2021 Census⁴. Global talent isn’t just a backup, it’s a key part of keeping Australia’s healthcare system strong.

Why Employer Branding Matters in Healthcare Recruitment

International candidates may not yet know your organisation, but that’s an opportunity.  Research shows that 9 out of 10 job seekers will research a company before applying⁵. Those who visit your Indeed Company Page are 3.2 times more likely to apply to your jobs⁶. In other words, your employer brand, the story candidates discover when they look you up, can make the difference between attracting top talent and being overlooked.

What Healthcare Talent Is Looking For

Recent research into international medical graduates (IMGs) reveals the top reasons for choosing Australia:

• Better working conditions than their home country (19.3%)
• Improved opportunities for their children and family (14.5%)
• An improved lifestyle (14%)⁷
   

Once in Australia, IMGs most enjoy:

• Location and lifestyle (31.4%)
• Personal opportunities for family and partners (12.1%)
• Opportunities for career progression (11.1%)⁷
   

These findings highlight that Australia’s appeal extends beyond professional opportunities. Quality of life, family benefits, and career growth are key motivators. Your employer branding should reflect these priorities.

Key Employer Branding Strategies for Healthcare Businesses

1. Audit and Optimise Your Online Presence

Make sure your online profiles, especially on job sites like Indeed, are up to date and showcase what makes your organisation unique. Highlight your commitment to work-life balance, career progression, and support for families so candidates immediately see why your team stands out. Remember, 9 out of 10 job seekers will research you before applying⁵

2. Use Visual Storytelling

Visual content is processed 60,000 times faster than text, and people form a first impression of your brand’s visual identity in just 50 milliseconds⁸. Content with relevant images gets 94% more views, and Facebook ads with images see 2.3 times higher engagement⁹

On Indeed, job seekers who see an Employer Branding Ad 30 times are 4.5 times more likely to visit your company page¹⁰.

High-quality images and videos can turn a casual scroll into genuine interest, helping candidates imagine themselves as part of your team.

3. Tailor Messaging to International Talent

International candidates may not know the difference between public and private healthcare in Australia, or the unique benefits of your location. Recruitment messaging should emphasise Australia’s quality of life, educational opportunities for children, and work-life balance. These are often more compelling than salary or clinical opportunities alone and helps candidates feel confident in choosing your organisation from afar.

4. Run Targeted Relocation Campaigns

For active international talent, those already searching for roles in Australia; targeted relocation campaigns can be highly effective. These campaigns promote your roles directly in candidates’ home countries, especially during times when they may be considering a move (for example, when it’s getting colder in the Northern Hemisphere and warmer in Australia)

5. Engage Passive Talent with Top-of-Funnel Branding

Not all potential candidates are actively searching for jobs. For passive candidates, focus on top-of-funnel branding; branded ads and engaging content that spark curiosity. Campaigns like those used by the South Australian Police Force show how creative content can make professionals consider opportunities they hadn’t thought about before.

6. Leverage Data to Inform Your Strategy

Use tools like Indeed’s Hiring Insights to see the number of relevant resumes for your job titles in different countries. This data can help you target your outreach more effectively and understand where the talent is

7. Highlight What Sets You Apart

Audit your content to ensure it addresses the elements that matter most to healthcare talent: lifestyle, family opportunities, and career progression. Share stories from current employees, testimonials, and examples of how your organisation supports staff both professionally and personally

By investing in a strong employer brand, healthcare organisations can attract the talent they need to deliver high-quality care and remain competitive in Australia’s evolving healthcare landscape.

Sources: 

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2025). Labour Force, Australia, Detailed, March 2025 (Cat. No. 6291.0.55.001) https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/labour/employment-and-unemployment/labour-force-australia-detailed/mar-2025
2. Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2025, September 18). Unemployment rate steady at 4.2%. Australian Bureau of Statistics. https://www.abs.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/unemployment-rate-steady-42-0
3. Mullins Lawyers. (2025, June 4). Healing the Shortage: Migration Solutions for Australia’s Healthcare Workforce Crisis. Retrieved from  https://www.mullinslawyers.com.au/resources/healing-the-shortage-migration-solutions-for-australias-healthcare-workforce-crisis/
4. Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2022, October 18). A caring nation: 15 per cent of Australia’s workforce in the health care and social assistance industry. Australian Bureau of Statistics.https://www.abs.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/caring-nation-15-cent-australias-workforce-health-care-and-social-assistance-industry?utm_source=chatgpt.com
5. Source: Job Seeker Survey, Indeed, 2023, n=14,654 
6. Indeed Data (worldwide) 
7. Source: Healey, S. J. R., Fakes, K., Malau-Aduli, B. S., & Nair, B. R. (2025)
8. 3M Corporation & Zabisco, 2012 & Lindgaard et al., Behaviour & Information Technology, 2006  
9. BuzzSumo. (2018, November 4). How to massively boost your blog traffic with these 5 awesome image stats. BuzzSumo. https://buzzsumo.com/blog/how-to-massively-boost-your-blog-traffic-with-these-5-awesome-image-stats/
10. Indeed Data, (worldwide)