Registration to practise medicine in Australia.
Understand your pathway, prepare your documents and plan your move. DocHop helps doctors make sense of the process while the Medical Board and relevant assessment bodies make the registration decisions.
Start by finding your pathway.
Getting registered to practise in Australia can feel complicated, particularly when you are working out which route applies to you. Your pathway depends on factors including where you trained, your qualifications, your experience and whether you are seeking general or specialist registration.
There is no single route for every overseas doctor. The current Medical Board framework includes the Competent Authority pathway, Standard pathway, Specialist pathway, Short-term training in a medical specialty pathway and other registration arrangements for particular circumstances.
Important: registration requirements can change. The Medical Board of Australia and Ahpra are the definitive sources for current requirements.
Who is involved?
Several organisations may have different roles in the process. Understanding who does what makes the pathway much easier to follow.
Ahpra
The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency provides administrative support for the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme and manages registration applications on behalf of the National Boards.
Medical Board of Australia
The Medical Board regulates medical practitioners and sets registration standards, policies and requirements.
Australian Medical Council
The AMC plays an important role in assessment and primary source verification for several international medical graduate pathways.
Specialist medical colleges
For specialist registration, the relevant Australian specialist medical college assesses overseas training and qualifications under the applicable pathway.
Ahpra registration vs the Medical Board.
You will often hear people talk about applying for “AHPRA registration”. Strictly speaking, the Medical Board of Australia is the National Board responsible for regulating medical practitioners, while Ahpra administers the registration system on the Board’s behalf.
General, provisional and limited registration.
General registration, provisional registration and limited registration have different purposes and conditions. The type of registration available to you depends on your circumstances and pathway, so it is important to use the current Medical Board guidance rather than assuming one category applies to every IMG.
Supervised practice.
Some IMG pathways require supervised practice before progression to general registration. The requirements vary by pathway, and the role, supervision arrangements and employer may therefore matter when planning your route.
What documents might you need?
The evidence you need depends on your pathway, but doctors should expect to prepare documentation covering identity, qualifications, registration and professional history, with additional requirements depending on the pathway.
Start preparing early
Documents can take time to obtain, verify or translate. Primary source verification requirements also vary by pathway.
Typical evidence can include identity documents, your primary medical qualification, registration history, English-language evidence where required, recency of practice, professional indemnity and continuing professional development information.
A simple way to think about the journey.
Understand your pathway
Work out which registration route is relevant to your qualifications and circumstances.
Verify your qualifications
Prepare documentation and complete the primary source verification required for your pathway.
Complete assessments
Complete any applicable examinations, college assessments or other requirements.
Find the right role
Where relevant, your employment and supervision arrangements become part of the pathway.
Progress to registration
Apply for the appropriate registration and complete supervised practice or other pathway requirements where required.
Specialist doctors.
For overseas-trained specialists, the pathway can differ from that of a doctor seeking general registration. Assessment generally involves the relevant Australian specialist medical college, with the outcome determining what further requirements may apply.
Australia also has an Expedited Specialist pathway for eligible specialist international medical graduates with accepted qualifications and other applicable requirements. The current Medical Board and Ahpra material should always be checked before relying on any particular route.
GP registration.
GPs have their own considerations because Australian general practice is a recognised specialty. The appropriate route depends on your training, qualifications, existing registration and individual circumstances.
Costs and timelines.
Registration can involve application and registration fees, as well as costs associated with examinations, assessment, primary source verification, translations and other parts of your pathway.
Fees change, so we recommend checking the current Ahpra and Medical Board fee information when planning your application.
There is also no single registration timeline. The process can depend on your pathway, document availability, verification, examinations or college assessment, English requirements and employment or supervision arrangements.
Start earlier than you think you need to. Gathering and verifying documents is often one of the parts of the process that can be started well in advance.
How DocHop can help.
We do not make registration decisions, but we can help you understand how registration fits into the wider move to Australia.
Practical support
Understand your pathway. We help you identify the registration questions you need to answer before applying for roles.
Find suitable opportunities. We consider your professional background, registration position and preferences when identifying suitable employers and roles.
Coordinate with employers. Where registration or supervision requirements matter to a position, we help coordinate the recruitment process.
Connect you with appropriate professionals. Where specialist regulatory or migration advice is required, we can point you towards the appropriate professional or official source.
Registration FAQs.
A few of the questions overseas doctors commonly ask before starting the process.
Do all overseas doctors need to sit the AMC exams?
No. The correct pathway depends on your circumstances. Some IMGs may qualify for the Competent Authority pathway, while others follow the Standard or Specialist pathway.
Do UK doctors have to sit the AMC exams?
Not necessarily. The GMC is an approved competent authority, meaning eligible UK-trained doctors may be able to use the Competent Authority pathway rather than the Standard pathway. Eligibility depends on the specific requirements.
Does having an Australian job mean I automatically get registration?
No. Employment and registration are related but separate processes. You must meet the applicable Medical Board requirements.
Can I start the process before I have a job?
Some parts of registration and verification can be undertaken before you have an Australian role, while other pathway steps involve employment or supervised practice. The correct sequence depends on the pathway.
Can DocHop guarantee registration?
No. Registration is determined by the Medical Board of Australia and the relevant assessment bodies. DocHop can provide recruitment and practical pathway support, but cannot guarantee registration.
Does registration give me a Medicare provider number?
No. Registration and Medicare provider arrangements are separate processes, and additional requirements may apply before you can obtain the appropriate provider number.
Not sure which registration pathway applies to you?
You do not need to have everything worked out before speaking to us. Tell us where you are currently registered, what you have qualified in and what you are hoping to do in Australia, and we can help you with the next steps.
Important
Registration information on this page is general guidance only. It is not a substitute for advice from the Medical Board of Australia, Ahpra, the Australian Medical Council or the relevant specialist college.
Always check the current official requirements before making an application.