Work as an Overseas Doctor in Australia

For international doctors, there are many benefits to furthering your medical career in the UK, which include:

• Work experience within one of the world’s largest healthcare systems
• Top quality training and development, including the opportunity to gain specialist UK Royal College qualifications
• Access to ground-breaking research
• Good standards of pay
• An opportunity to experience living and working in the UK
• Developing new skills and being introduced to new ways of working
• A diverse, multi-cultural population with a wide range of health needs

Not only is the UK attractive to overseas doctors, but the UK’s publicly funded healthcare system – National Health Service (NHS) – relies upon international doctors to bridge skill shortage gaps and meet the high demand for its services.  Today, 26.3% of doctors licensed to practise by the General Medical Council (GMC) graduated from their primary medical qualification in an international country.  A further 10.7 % of doctors obtained theirs from an EEA country outside the UK.

If you are considering working in UK, Emanate Resourcing can help. Our team is on hand at every step of the process from supporting you with your registration, finding a job, to helping you settle in and work in UK.

Please feel Free, to Contact Us to discuss your next career opportunity.

Medical Registration

To work as a medical practitioner in Australia you must be verified by the Australian Medical Council (AMC) and then apply for registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).

The pathway for IMG or Overseas trained Doctors to registration varies on a case by case basis depending on the qualifications and background of each doctor. Please contact your dedicated consultant for advice on which pathway to Australian registration is most relevant to you.

We assist with various pathways to registration:

1. Australian Medical Council (AMC)

• • Primary Source Verification – through the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) and Electronic Portfolio of International Credentials (EPIC)
  • Standard Pathway
  • Competent Authority Pathway
  • Specialist Pathway

2. Australian Health Practitioners Regulatory Authority (AHPRA)

• • Standard Pathway
  • Competent Authority Pathway
  • Specialist Pathway
  • Short Term Training in a Medical Specialty Pathway

English Language Test

An English Language Proficiency test is required for all international medical graduates who require registration in Australia.

Exemptions may apply when the applicant can provide evidence of secondary education and/or tertiary qualifications in the relevant professional discipline in the UK, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa or the USA, where English is the native or first language.

Applicants will need to submit evidence to the AHPRA of competency in speaking and communicating in English by having completed an English Language Test to the following standard:

• • The IELTS (academic module) with a minimum overall score of 7 and a minimum score of 7 in each of the four components (listening, reading, writing and speaking)
  • The OET with a minimum score of B in each of the four components (listening, reading, writing and speaking)
  • The PTE Academic with a minimum overall score of 65 and a minimum score of 65 in each of the four communicative skills (listening, reading, writing and speaking)
  • The TOEFL iBT with a minimum total score of 94 and the following minimum score in each section of the test

Certificates of Good Standing

1. International Medical Graduates (IMGs) will require a Certificate of Good Standing (COGS) to be registered with AHPRA. Note that these Certificates of Good Standing must be sent directly from the Licensing Authority to AHPRA.

2. Applicants are required to apply for an International Criminal History Check (ICHC) from an AHPRA approved vendor, who will provide the ICHC report to the applicant, and directly to AHPRA. ICHC results are valid for three months from the date of issue.

Your Pathway into General Practice

There are two medical colleges in Australia through which you can obtain GP fellowship.                                                         The colleges in Australia are:

• • The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP),
    resulting in Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (FRACGP).
  • The Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM),
    resulting in Fellowship of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (FACRRM).

If you like the sound of working in Australia, Emanate Resourcing can help. Our team is on hand at every step of the process from supporting you with your registration to helping you settle in and work in Australia.

Please feel Free, to Contact Us with any Queries.

Visa Requirements

The Australian Federal Government, through the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC), has established a Temporary Skills Shortage visa scheme to Australia.

These visas allow overseas doctors to be sponsored by and employed to work in Australian hospitals or medical organizations in Australia for periods of up to four years. In some instances, those visas can lead to permanent residence or can be extended (by further application) on-shore in Australia. You must have a job offer before applying for your visa.

There are two streams available under the Temporary Skills Shortage visa program:

• • Short-term (ST) stream: this stream is for employers to source genuinely temporary overseas skilled workers to fill short-term positions in a range of occupations for a maximum of two years and can be renewed once for a maximum of another two years – there is no eligibility to permanent residency with this stream.
  • Medium-term stream: this stream is for employers to source highly skilled overseas workers to fill medium-term critical skills for up to four years, with eligibility to apply for permanent residence after three years.

The medium-term stream is applicable to most medical professionals.

Visa Process

The process has three stages. The first two stages are undertaken by the employer or on the employer’s behalf. The third stage is carried out by the medical practitioner or on their behalf.

The three stages are as follows:

• • Stage one: sponsorship application
  • Stage two: nomination application
  • Stage three: visa application by medical practitioner.

Some employers, and particularly government operated hospitals in Australia, will already have a number of pre-approved sponsorship approvals in place and will normally only have to apply for the “nomination” of the particular medical practitioner they wish to employ, once that person is identified and the terms of employment have been agreed.

Eligibility for Medical Practitioners

To be eligible for sponsorship a medical professional must:

• • Hold a Bachelor qualification in a relevant area of study
  • Have at least one year of hospital-based training.
  • Registration or in principle approval for registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulatory Authority (AHPRA)

Emanate Resourcing migration agent attends to the necessary stages on behalf of both the hospital and doctor depending upon the practice of the relevant hospital or health authority.

Understandably the process and paperwork can look rather daunting at first, but we have a dedicated Administration team in Australia to assist you.

Our team of specialised recruitment consultants can advise you on the best opportunities, hospitals and locations to enable a smooth pathway to achieve your dream of living and working in Australia.

Please feel Free, to Contact Us with any Queries.

If you are considering working in UK, Emanate Resourcing can help. Our team is on hand at every step of the process from supporting you with your registration, finding a job, to helping you settle in and work in UK.

Please feel Free, to Contact Us to discuss your next career opportunity.