How to hire overseas doctors with visa sponsorship

Which doctors you can sponsor

List status from the Department of Home Affairs skilled occupation lists as held in SponsorTalent's occupation data. Grant counts are Home Affairs figures, rounded to the nearest 10.

Source: Home Affairs: temporary resident (skilled) report, 31 December 2025

Specialists have their own ANZSCO occupations, many of them also listed. Match the nominated occupation to the actual duties: a hospital junior doctor role is usually Resident Medical Officer; a community general practice role is General Practitioner.

Registration comes first

The Medical Board of Australia is the assessing authority for these occupations, and the Board tells international medical graduates to wait for Ahpra registration before applying for the visa and to include the registration number. The Board's registration pathways are:

• Competent Authority pathway, for doctors who passed the qualifying exam of an approved authority and practised in that system: the UK General Medical Council (PLAB), the Medical Council of Canada (LMCC), the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (USA), the Medical Council of New Zealand (NZREX), the Medical Council of Ireland and the US National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (COMLEX-USA). The doctor secures a suitable Australian position, applies for provisional registration (the Board suggests about three months before the start date), and completes 12 months of Board-approved supervised practice (at least 47 weeks full-time equivalent) before general registration. A doctor going into general practice also completes a pre-employment structured clinical interview (PESCI), unless applying for a general practice assessment on the Specialist pathway.
• Standard pathway, for other non-specialists: pass the Australian Medical Council (AMC) CAT MCQ exam; arrange AMC primary source verification and an ECFMG EPIC portfolio; apply for provisional registration (after the clinical exam) or limited registration (after the MCQ only); complete 12 months of supervised practice; and complete the AMC clinical exam or workplace-based assessment for the AMC Certificate, then general registration.
• Specialist pathway, for doctors with an international specialist qualification, assessed by the relevant specialist college; and the Expedited Specialist pathway for qualifications on the Board's accepted qualifications list.
• Short-term training in a medical specialty, usually up to 24 months of training. It does not lead to specialist or ongoing registration.

Sources: Medical Board of Australia: international medical graduates · Medical Board: Competent Authority pathway · Medical Board: Standard pathway

English for registration

For registration the Medical Board applies the common English language skills standard, updated in March 2025: IELTS Academic overall 7, with at least 7 in listening, reading and speaking and 6.5 in writing (or an accepted equivalent), unless the doctor qualifies for an exemption. That is well above what the visa itself requires.

Source: Medical Board newsletter, March 2025: updated English language skills standard

Medicare: the moratorium and Distribution Priority Areas

Overseas-trained doctors are subject to the ten-year moratorium under section 19AB of the Health Insurance Act 1973: for at least ten years from first Australian registration, Medicare benefits are available only where they practise in a Distribution Priority Area (for GPs) or a District of Workforce Shortage (for other specialties). Separately, to provide Medicare-rebateable services to private patients as a GP, a doctor must be on a college-led training program under section 3GA or hold specialist registration. These rules govern Medicare billing, so a private general practice has to check them for the exact practice location before it recruits. Use the Department of Health's Health Workforce Locator to check an address.

Sources: Department of Health: Distribution Priority Area · Department of Health: accessing Medicare benefits (section 19AA) · Department of Health: section 19AB, Medicare provider numbers for overseas trained doctors

What you must pay

The nominated salary must meet the Core Skills Income Threshold of A$79,423 (nominations lodged from 1 July 2026) and the market rate for the role in that location, whichever is higher. Hospital doctors are usually paid under the state or territory public sector agreement, which is the market-rate evidence. Doctors are in ANZSCO major group 2, so the 482 Specialist Skills stream is open where the salary is at least A$146,576. Costs to the employer are in the cost to sponsor a worker.

The steps for a hospital or practice

1. Confirm the role and location. For general practice, check Distribution Priority Area status for the address first.
2. Find the doctor and confirm which registration pathway they are on: competent authority, standard (AMC), or specialist.
3. Registration. The doctor applies to Ahpra with the position and supervision arrangements you offer. You provide the supervisor and the position description.
4. Sponsorship, nomination and visa once registration is granted. For the legal steps use a registered migration agent: WIDEN Migration Experts (MARN 1576536).

Frequently asked questions

Can a hospital or GP practice sponsor an overseas doctor?

Yes. Resident Medical Officer (253112) and General Practitioner (253111) are on the Core Skills Occupation List and eligible for the 482, 494 and 186. The doctor needs Medical Board of Australia registration through Ahpra, and the Board advises waiting for registration before applying for the visa.

Which registration pathway applies to an overseas doctor?

It depends on their qualifications: the Competent Authority pathway (for example UK, Canada, US, New Zealand or Ireland), the Standard pathway through the AMC exams, the Specialist pathway, or the Expedited Specialist pathway for qualifications on the Board's accepted list.

Where can an overseas-trained GP bill Medicare?

Under section 19AB, for at least ten years from first Australian registration, generally only in a Distribution Priority Area. To bill Medicare as a GP they must also be on a section 3GA training program or hold specialist registration.

What English score does a doctor need for registration?

Under the standard in effect since March 2025, IELTS Academic overall 7 with at least 7 in listening, reading and speaking and 6.5 in writing, or an accepted equivalent, unless an exemption applies.