Australia has become a popular destination for migration, especially among medical professionals includes General Practitioners (GPs). Working as a General Practitioner in Australia is highly lucrative, which is one of the main reasons GPs choose this country to work in. It is also a career with high satisfactory levels and a great working environment.

Australia requires skilled migrants such as General Practitioners with the relevant qualifications and experience. Australia has introduced an updated migration process for skilled workers and professionals including GPs that provides an opportunity to settle in Australia. Here are the details of what you need to know if you are or know of any General Practitioners wanting to work in Australia in 2023.

Migration programs

If you already have a medical qualification in another and live there at present, there are two programs to choose from to work as a doctor in Australia. The migration program falls into two categories as follows:

• General Migration
• Employer Sponsor Migration

Each migration route has its own criterion that applicants need to fulfil.

General migration

General migration involves a points-based visa process. Doctors with specialized training and qualifications in jobs that are in demand, get higher scores as opposed to doctors that don’t have the same. Other factors that contribute towards achieving a high score include age, fluency and knowledge of the English language, and experience studying or living in Australia. Candidates require minimum points of 65 to secure each of the following visas.

• Subclass 189 – Skilled Independent
• Subclass 190 – Skilled Nominated
• Subclass 491 – Skilled Work Regional Provisional

How to apply

The application process for all three of the above subclasses are the same and is as follows:

• Check the eligibility to apply, register, and take a skills assessment.
• Send the expression of interest to Skillselect, with personal information, including first name, family name, and date of birth, and the assessment results of your territory or state placement.
• Prepare all relevant documentation once you are invited by a chosen territory or state.
• Apply for visa.

 Employer Sponsor Migration

In this option, your employer acts as your sponsor, which is how you apply for migration visa to Australia. Three possible visas exist that allow you to migrate to Australia as a skilled professional residing in a foreign country. The Employee Sponsor Migration visa option are as follows:

• Subclass 482 – Temporary Skill Shortage, which is to fill positions where employers find it challenging to appoint local qualified professionals.
• Subclass 187 – Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme. This scheme encourages candidates to migrate to areas with low population, and therefore lack relevant skilled professionals.
• Subclass 186 – Employer Nomination Scheme. In this visa subclass, the employer gets to nominate skilled professionals from foreign countries to work and obtain permanent residency (PR) in Australia.

Temporary visa vs. permanent visa

Different conditions and subclasses determine if a candidate obtains temporary or permanent visa. The opportunity for obtaining PR visa in Australia is given if you apply for and are successful in getting visa subclass 189 or 190 (skilled nomination visas).

Visa subclass 491, which is the skilled work regional provision and visa subclass 482, which is the temporary skill shortage visa, only grant you the right to work and live in your chosen area for three years. Once you apply for these first, you qualify to apply for PR after working in Australia for three years.

Migrating with family

Many GPs who are migrating to Australia wish to do move in with their family. Australia provides a lot of benefits for migrant families, especially in terms of healthcare and education of children. If you are A GP applying for permanent visa to work in Australia, you can also apply visa for your family to move in with you. Applying for family means applying for all those who are closely related to you, including your spouse, and your or their dependent children and step children. The visa application process does not include anyone beyond that will be allowed to migrate with you, such as your parents and siblings. However, if they are unable to look after themselves and you or your spouse are their primary caregiver, there is a chance for their visa application to be accepted.

Application cost

The application cost depends on the type of visa you are applying for.  General skilled migration visas that include 189, 10, and 491 will cost $4045 for the main applicant and a surplus of $2025 for each spouse or other family member above the age of 18. For dependents under 18 years of age, there is an additional cost of $1015. 

The cost for applying for the skills shortage visa (Subclass 482) is $2645, with an additional cost of $2545 for applicants above 18 years of age and $660 for applicants under 18 years of age.

Visas for GPs initiative

The Visas for GP’s initiative is an initiative that aims at regulating the number of doctors entering Australia through the skilled migration process and into well-developed regions by redirecting foreign-trained doctors to regions with lower access to these services like remote, rural, or regional Australia. Employers that require to nominate a position for a visa will need a Health Workforce Certificate from a Rural Workforce Agency.

This applies to the following occupations:

• General Practitioner (ANZSCO 253111)
• Residential Medical Officer (ANZSCO 253112)
• Medical Practitioners not classified elsewhere (ANZSCO 253999)

Getting help with the application process

Consulting a migrating agent is the best way to ensure that you don’t miss anything in the application process. A registered professional migration consultant will be able to use his expertise and knowledge to help you apply successfully. The migration consultant will offer his guidance to apply for the correct Australian visa. He will assess your suitability, tell you which documents you need to submit, and offer legal advice with regard to the matter.

Other resources

Here are a few other steps that will help in your application process.

• Obtain registration with the Australian Medical Council (AMC) before starting your application, only if you don’t have one already.
• Get a job offer before applying, as it will increase your chances of having your visa application approved.
• Learn to speak fluent English, if you are not a native speaker of the language and need to brush up your skills. The higher your score is, the better the chance you have.
• Gain more experience before applying, as chances are higher for those who are more experienced.

Benefits of working as a GP in Australia

Working as a GP in Australia has a lot of benefits, including the following:

• High standard of living
• High salary and fringe benefits
• Opportunity for higher education and career growth
• High levels of job satisfaction
• High levels of job security
• Access to comprehensive public and private healthcare and education for you and your family

Medfuture is a healthcare recruitment agency that provides opportunities for healthcare professionals including GPs to find the best medical jobs in Australia. We support both local and international medical graduates including GPs, to find the highest-paying doctor jobs in Australia.

Visit the Medfuture website to find a list of the latest medical jobs across all states and suburbs in Australia.