Fewer UK nurses are applying to work in Australia and other English speaking countries.

Research from the Nursing and Midwifery Council UK shows just 1978 UK nurses applied to work in Australia last year compared with 3648 in 2009 and 6329 in 2008.

Applications to the United States also fell from 1238 in 2009 to 735 in 2010. It was a similar situation in New Zealand, with 1241 applications in 2008 and just 641 in 2010.

Industry experts have questioned whether the trend could be due to the introduction of the academic-based English language test, which was introduced in July 2009, or as a result of UK employees struggling with economic limitations in the wake of the recession.

ANF senior professional officer Julianne Bryce speculated several issues might have contributed to the decline in UK nursing numbers.

Ms Bryce said a substantial number of newly graduated nurses have been unable to secure employment in the acute sector in a number of Australian states, including Queensland and New South Wales.

"This news may act as a deterrent to international nurses wishing to work in Australia," she said.

"This is not to imply that there are adequate nursing numbers in Australia, as the union considers that safe nurse staffing ratios are not consistently applied across the country."

Ms Bryce said there used to be a large number of Australian nurses who went to work in the UK but that changed with the stricter requirements for registration in the UK.

"This may have created more job prospects for UK nurses locally," she said.