How to Migrate to Australia as a Medical Doctor 2023

 

Do you want to migrate to Australia to work as a doctor? Working as a doctor in Australia will provide you with a good salary, an excellent work-life balance, and the opportunity to use your skills in various medical fields. How to migrate to Australia as a medical doctor in 2023 will be discussed here.

Doctors on the Skilled Occupations List

There are occupations linked to or related to medical services on the current skilled occupation list for general skilled migration visa application purposes. They include practitioners in other particular areas of expertise and general practitioners.

How to Migrate to Australia as a Medical Doctor 2023

Below are details on how to migrate to Australia as a medical doctor:

Requirements to work in Australia as a Doctor

These professionals are required to register with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, which will enable them to work in Australia as doctors.

Registration Requirements for Medical doctors 

Medical doctors trained in Australia will have to go through these registration processes with AHPRA:

1. Student Registration

The student registration process happens before the commencement of the student’s approved program to study.

2. Graduate registration

 This is done when the students are about to graduate from their accepted program of study and will enter into the work field as medical professionals.

3. General Registration

Done by graduates after they are done with graduate registration and have completed certainly expected internship, and meet the full registration requirements

Complete registration with AHPRA is acquired and considered a positive skills assessment outcome for all medical practitioners.

For overseas-trained medical doctors, there are many assessment pathways for registration:

1. The competent Authority Pathway

The competent authority pathway is for internationally trained specialists or non-specialists, which would help them obtain general registration.

The Medical Board of Australia has approved several international authorities as competent to access this program. Applicants who have completed an assessment or training from an approved competent authority can apply for a provisional registration visa through this pathway.

 Approved competent authorities are:

• Educational Commission for Abroad Medical Graduates of the US (USMLE)
• General Medical Council (UK)
• Medical Council of New Zealand (NZREX)
• Medical Council of Ireland
• Medical Council of Canada (LMCC)

 2. The Specialist Pathway

 This pathway is available to doctors trained overseas who have a primary qualification in medicine or surgery awarded to them by a training institution approved by both the Australian Medical Council and the World Directory of Medical Schools. The candidates must satisfy all the examination and training requirements to operate in their field of pursuit in their country of training. Or up to 2 years away from completing their specialist training abroad. Overseas-trained specialists applying for registration through the professional path should apply personally to the appropriate specialist medical college for assessment.

3. Standard Pathway

This pathway is an option for applicants who did not meet the criteria for either the Competent Authority Pathway or the Specialist Pathway. These applicants should have a primary qualification in medicine and surgery acquired from a training institution identified by the World Directory of Medical Schools and the Australian Medical Council. The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency will assess the overseas applicant’s qualifications and employment history before issuing them provisional registration.

Visa Application Pathways for Doctors

Doctors trained overseas can work in Australia under provisional registration if they temporarily have a valid visa, for example, an employer-sponsored visa.

However, these overseas-trained medical doctors still need to be considered generally skilled visa holders, as provisional registration is not considered a full positive skills assessment.

Full registration status is to be obtained before a general skilled visa can be given to this individual.

Please note that for employer-sponsored visa applications, resident medical officers and general practitioners must get a health labor force certificate before an appointment can be officially accepted.

The employee certificate can be requested by the nominator sponsor and has been issued by one of the following bodies:

1. Health Workforce Queensland Ltd (ABN 81 065 574 996)
2. Western Australian Centre for Remote and Rural Medicine Ltd (ABN 29 123 188 367)
3. Rural Doctors Workforce Agency Incorporated (ABN 68 063 926 518)
4. General Practice Workforce Inc (ABN 33 922 612 254)
5. NSW Rural Doctors Network Ltd (ABN 52 158 970 480)
6. Rural Workforce Agency, Victoria Limited (ABN 31 081 163 519)
7. Health Network Northern Territory Ltd (ABN 17 158 970 480)

Skills Assessment for Doctors

This department knows that for medical doctors, proof of complete registration with the AHPRA would allow a suitable skills assessment to be made. Unless specifically asked for, the department accepts proof of complete registration with AHPRA as a positive skill assessment outcome for skilled visa applications for medical doctors.

English Requirement

About four pathways can be used to demonstrate your English language competence. They are outlined in the standard for English Language Skills Registration, and they include the following: 

1. The primary language pathway

2. The combined secondary and tertiary education pathway

3. The extended education pathway, or

4. The English language test pathway

 IELTS, TOEFL and, PTE Academic, iBT tests may be taken by applicants from many professions.

Skilled Invitation Round

While the migration points have been set as 65 points, enabling candidates to consider submitting an expression of interest and the latest invitation round. The information shows much higher cut-off points for candidates to receive an invitation with the independent skilled visa pathway subclass 189. Applicants can receive an invitation with at least 85 points under the subclass 189 visa pathway based on the invitation record as of August 11, 2019. We expect that candidates will expect the same level of competitiveness under the state-nominated visa pathway for subclass 190 visas, with an additional 5 points from state nomination approval to receive an invitation.

After you have succeeded in completing this process, you are ready to migrate to Australia and practice medicine. 

Read Also: How to Migrate to Australia as a Nurse in 2023

How to Migrate to Australia as a Pharmacist in 2023

How to Immigrate to Australia as a Chef

Conclusion

In conclusion, an overseas-trained medical doctor can work in Australia as a medical doctor only if they can go through the protocols and obtain the necessary documents. The steps required to migrate to Australia as a medical doctor are here.