Australia has long been a favored destination for healthcare professionals seeking better opportunities and a high standard of living. However, the migration process for medical practitioners has undergone significant changes over time due to evolving healthcare needs, regulatory reforms, and global trends.
To encourage doctors to practice in underserved regions, various incentives have been implemented, such as the Distribution Priority Area (DPA) classification system. Migration policies have also been tailored to incentivize medical practitioners to work in rural and remote areas. For instance, visa subclasses like the Subclass 494 visa requires applicants to be sponsored by an employer located in a designated regional area for which priority processing for the visa is available.
The Subclass 482 (Temporary Skill Shortage) visa is another pathway that allows skilled workers, including doctors, to fill temporary skill shortages in Australia. From 16 September 2023, employers looking to nominate IMGs in primary care within Australia will no longer be required to submit a Health Workforce Certificate as a part of their nomination application. This will speed up the placement of doctors. Where there is a requirement that an international medical graduate is required to be supervised during their employment in Australia, the 407 Training Visa is another visa pathway available for the applicant and Australian employer.
To give you an idea of the general lifecycle for skills assessment and registration processes for International Medical Doctors, there are several organizations involved, including:
- Australian Medical Board (AMB) – Registers all medical practitioners and students;
- Australian Medical Council (AMC) – Verifies all medical qualifications;
- Approved Competent Authorities – International authorities (Canada, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, United Kingdom, and United States of America) that assess applied medical knowledge and basic clinical skills for medical registration;
- Australian Specialist Medical Colleges – Conducts assessments for specialists under the Specialist pathway;
- Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) – Verifies international medical qualifications
If you are an international medical practitioner and want to understand your visa pathway – from assessment requirements with AMC to AHPRA registration and visa process – please get in touch with our office.
We work closely with medical recruitment referrers who can assist with job placements.
It’s crucial to seek tailored advice for each IMG applicant or business to ensure a strategic and streamlined process, and we are here to assist with initial standard business sponsorship setup, nomination and visa process, employment law advice, and relocation factsheets provided for all International Medical Graduates.