Working as a General Practitioner in Australia
How to get a visa to work as a GP in Australia.
Medical practitioners are in high demand all over the world. In Australia, the need for doctors is particularly great in rural communities.
If you’re a doctor who has received their primary medical education abroad, you may be able to apply for a temporary or permanent visa to Australia.
The primary requirement you need to ensure is that your medical credentials meet or are equivalent to set Australian standards. Of course, there may be other criteria you’ll need to satisfy, depending on the type of visa you’re applying for.
The skilled migration program in Australia also provides candidates who have finished their medical studies in Australia on a student visa with a number of possibilities for temporary and permanent resident visas.
Visa Options for Doctors in Australia Explained
With the range of doctor visa options and information sources available, it’s easy for IMGs and overseas-trained doctors to get lost in the process.
To help you out, we’ve distilled all the details you need below.
Permanent Visa Options for Doctors – Skilled Migration
Medical practitioners have a number of alternatives depending on their chosen specialism and other considerations if they want to travel, work, and live as a permanent resident in Australia.
Each nominated occupation is defined according to the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations for immigration law purposes (ANZSCO).
The ANZSCO occupational categorization system gives a broad overview of each occupation, as well as information on the required degree of competence, registration and/or licensing requirements, and tasks and duties that may be involved in each occupation.
The following permanent visa options for doctors do not require employer sponsorship.
-
The point-based skilled independent visa (subclass 189) caters to foreign workers possessing skills that various Australian states need. It makes it possible for skilled professionals to relocate to Australia and live here without needing the sponsorship of a family member or a government nomination from a state or territory.
This visa was completely inaccessible to GPs for the last few years. However, as reported by many of our GP candidates, they are starting to receive invitations again to apply for the Subclass 189 visa. This visa provides one of the best opportunities for for GPs to obtain Permanent Residency.
Medical practitioners applying for this visa must satisfy certain requirements, including:
General (not provisional, limited, or supervised) or specialist AHPRA registration
Meeting the required skilled migration points
Age limit of 45 (below 45 years of age at the time of invitation)
You must be invited to apply for this visa
If you are a GP and meet the above requirements, you can apply for a general practitioner 189 visa.
-
You can remain in Australia permanently with the points-based skilled nominated visa (subclass 190). With this visa for skilled workers, you can work, study, and travel to Australia as a permanent resident.
If you’re a medical practitioner applying for the Subclass 190 visa, you need the following:
General (not provisional, limited, or supervised) or specialist AHPRA registration
Nomination from an Australian state or territory
Medical registration
Age limit of 45 (below 45 years of age at the time of invitation)
Required skilled migration points
-
The skilled work regional visa known as subclass 491 allows for five years of living, working, and studying in a regional area of Australia. You need to meet the following prerequisites to qualify for a Subclass 491 visa as a medical practitioner:
General (not provisional, limited, or supervised) or specialist AHPRA registration
State or territory medical registration in Australia
Nomination by a territory government agency
Age limit of 45 (below 45 years of age at the time of invitation)
Required skilled migration points
Although this is a five-year provisional visa that only allows you to live, work and study in a regional area, you have the option to apply for permanent residence after three years.
Permanent Visa Options for Doctors – Employer Sponsored
If you’re seeking employer-sponsored permanent visa options as a doctor, check out the ones below.
-
A path to Australian permanent residency for skilled workers is possible through the subclass 186 visa, which is based on an employer nomination program.
Medical practitioners who want to qualify for the Subclass 186 visa need to meet these requirements:
Employment level compatible with their medical registration
Direct stream of entry (specific requirements also apply)
At least three years of relevant work experience in the medical field
Age limit of 45 (below 45 years of age at the time of application)
For those applying for a 186 visa as a general practitioner for the temporary residency stream, you must:
Have spent at least three years working full-time in a relevant medical profession.
Be below 45 years of age at the time of your application, unless you’re a doctor who has worked in their field for at least three years (as a holder of a 457 or 452 visa), and out of those three years, you spent two years employed in regional Australia.
-
The regional employer-sponsored visa called subclass 494 enables firms in regional Australia to find internationally skilled people to fill labour gaps.
For a medical practitioner to qualify for the subclass 494 visa, they must:
Be below 45 years of age at the time of application – except if you are a doctor who has worked in their nominated occupation for at least three years (as a holder of a 457 or 482 visa), and out of those three years, you spent two years employed in regional Australia. You don’t need a medical registration for this visa subclass.
Have at least three years of relevant professional experience in the medical field.
-
Medical practitioners can apply for a partner visa if they are in a relationship with an Australian citizen or permanent resident.
With the partner visa (subclass 820 and 801), you can live, work, and study in Australia.
Although there is no minimum age requirement for a partner visa, you must still fulfil the necessary conditions to demonstrate that your relationship is genuine and ongoing.
Temporary Visa Options for Doctors – Up to 4 to 5 Years Stay in Australia
-
Employers can offset labour shortages with qualified workers from abroad thanks to the temporary skill shortage visa known as subclass 482. This is the most common visa option for General practitioners looking for work in Australia, and many employers are happy to provide sponsorship.
The following prerequisites apply to medical practitioners who wish to qualify for a subclass 482 visa:
Medical registration
Must work for the sponsor employer, unless your specialty is exempt and allows you to work in a different capacity, such as when you’re working under a contract, in a private practice, or during non-business hours with the sponsor employer.
Age restrictions don’t apply to subclass 482 visa for general practitioners and other doctor applicants.
-
The skilled employer sponsored regional (provisional) visa subclass 494 is another temporary visa alternative for skilled workers.
Medical practitioners applying for the 494 visa need to have the following:
Employer sponsorship in regional Australia
Position is likely to exist for 5 years
Age limit of 45 (below 45 years of age at the time of application)
Proof of English competency
Advice from a regional certifying body
Meet the required annual market salary rate
Skills assessment and three years of experience in their nominated occupation
The subclass 494 visa provides a permanent residency pathway.
Temporary Visa Options for Doctors – Up to 2 Years Stay in Australia
For medical practitioners who are looking at a short-term stay in Australia, the training visa (subclass 407) is a practical option.
-
The subclass 407 training visa enables a sponsored person to take part in professional development training programs in Australia or workplace-based occupational training activities to advance their abilities in their occupation, field of expertise or area of tertiary study.
The requirements for a subclass 407 visa are as follows:
Valid substantive visa (not a subclass 403, subclass 771, or special purpose visa)
Nominated by an approved sponsor
At least 18 years of age
Satisfy health and character standards
Adequate health insurance
Legitimate temporary entrant
Functional English literacy
Sign the Australian Values Statement
Does not owe the Australian Government any money or has made the necessary preparations to repay any debts owed
Not had a visa revoked or a prior visa application denied
Want to talk about your job options in Australia?
Leave your details and I will contact you.