Recent changes in rules governing nursing registration, mean almost 100 international University of Ballarat nursing graduates were unable to take up jobs they have been offered because they do not meet the language requirements set by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.

Changes enforced from July 1 mean students are not eligible unless they have passed an English literacy test at level 7.

UB nursing graduate Archelyn Oplenia said they were not against rules to ensure English language proficiency.

``Nurses work in life-or-death situations. They need quality English competency,'' she said.

``But the problem is the sudden change in rules. We met all previous requirements. The change in registration bodies has meant a gap in recognising previous rulings.''

In the meantime, the graduates are on tourist visas and unable to work or earn money to support themselves.

Ms Oplenia said their main concern was why the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia did not account for a transition period.

``With healthcare a major federal election issue, and with Australian hospitals struggling to find qualified nurses, we have hundreds of nurses ready, willing and able to work in our hospitals tomorrow,'' she said.

``The only thing preventing them from doing so is bureaucratic red tape.

``We could work in a hospital on June 30, but not on July 1. This situation is putting Australian healthcare outcomes at risk.''

The Nursing Students Collective will hold a rally outside Parliament House in Melbourne tomorrow at 1pm. Many will attend in their nursing scrubs uniforms.

Nurses will be calling on the state and federal government to force AHPRA to revise their ruling and allow students to gain their registration under the previous conditions that were in place when they commenced their studies.