Health Practitioners vs Medical Practitioners vs International Medical Graduates
Health Practitioners is a term that refers to the overarching occupational group of skilled workers within the medical sector. This is often used interchangeably with Medical Practitioners; however, it is important to note that Medical Practitioners sit under the umbrella of Health Practitioners. Similarly, International Medical Graduates are doctors who have obtained their degree overseas and form a subset group under Health Practitioners.
If you are a Health Practitioner planning to travel to Australia, work in Australia or migrate to Australia, the information below relates to initial visa options, permanent visa options and temporary visa options.
Visa Options for Health Practitioners
Health Practitioners undergo a complex process to become eligible to practice medicine in Australia. The most common pathway for Health Practitioners is:
If you are an International Medical Graduate which is a subset of Health Practitioners that is seeking information on obtaining registration in Australia, click here to view our page on International Medical Graduates and Registration in Australia.
Initial Options to Travel and Work as a Health Practitioner in Australia
If you are seeking to travel and work in Australia as a Health Practitioner, the initial visa option that is most common is the Subclass 482 TSS Visa – Temporary Skills Shortage.
Subclass 482 TSS Visa – Temporary Skills Shortage
Subclass 482 Visa is a temporary skill shortage visa that enables employers to fulfil labour market shortages with skilled migrant workers where they are unable to find an appropriately skilled Australian worker. This is an employer-sponsored visa that requires Health Practitioners to be sponsored by an employer whether that be a medical practice or hospital. Most medical occupations are on the Medium-Term List and therefore are applicable to the Medium-Term Stream of the Subclass 482 Visa. This stream permits visa applicants to remain in Australia for four years. 90% of Medium-Term Subclass 482 Visas are processed within 8 months of the visa application. However, it can be inferred that due to the current global health crisis if there is high demand for medical professionals in particular areas of Australia, a visa application may be processed quicker to fulfil the gap in the labour market.
Permanent Options to Remain in Australia as a Health Practitioner
If you are hoping to travel and work in Australia and remain as a permanent resident, there are several options available to Health Practitioners which are dependent on your nominated occupation and other factors. Select your occupation below table to find the relevant visas available.
General Skilled Migration
Subclass 189 – Skilled Independent Visa
Subclass 189 Visa is a points-tested visa for skilled workers that allows individuals who are not sponsored by an employer to travel to Australia to live and work as a Permanent Resident. For an Health Practitioner to be eligible for the Subclass 189 Visa the following criteria apply:
- Medical Registration
- Under the age of 45 at the time of invitation
To estimate your Skilled Migration Points, use our Australian Immigration PR Points Calculator – 2021.
Subclass 190 – Skilled Nominated Visa
Subclass 190 Visa is a points-based visa that allows skilled workers who are nominated by an Australian State or Territory to travel to Australia to live and work as a Permanent Resident. For an Health Practitioner to be eligible for the Subclass 190 Visa the following criteria apply:
- Must be nominated by an Australian State or Territory
- Medical Registration
- Under the age of 45 at the time of invitation
To estimate your Skilled Migration Points, use our Australian Immigration PR Points Calculator – 2021.
Subclass 491 – Skilled Work Regional
Subclass 491 is a skilled work visa that enables individuals to travel to a regional area of Australia to live, work and study for five years. For an Health Practitioner to be eligible for the Subclass 491 Visa the following criteria apply:
- Must be nominated by an Australia State or Territory
- Medical Registration
- Under the age of 45 at the time of invitation
To estimate your Skilled Migration Points, use our Australian Immigration PR Points Calculator – 2021.
Employer Sponsored
Subclass 186 – Employer Nomination Scheme Visa
Subclass 186 is an employer nomination scheme visa that provides a pathway for skilled workers through employer sponsorship to permanent residency in Australia. For an Health Practitioner to be eligible for the Subclass 186 Visa, the following criteria apply:
- Medical Registration – must align with your employment level
- Direct Entry Stream
- Must have at least three years of relevant work experience in the medical profession
- Under the age of 45 at the time of application
- Temporary Residence Stream
- Must have worked for your employer full-time for at least three years
- Under the age of 45 at the time of application – except if you are a medical practitioner who worked in their nominated occupation for at least 3 years as a 457 or 452 visa holder and for 2 of those three years were employed in regional Australia
Subclass 494 – Regional Employer Sponsored Scheme Visa
Subclass 494 is a regional employer sponsored visa that allows businesses in regional areas of Australia to address labour shortages by sourcing internationally skilled workers. For an Health Practitioner to be eligible for the Subclass 494, the following criteria apply:
- Under the age of 45 at the time of application – except if you are a medical practitioner who worked in their nominated occupation for at least 3 years as a 457 or 482 visa holder and for 2 of those three years were employed in regional Australia Medical registration requirement does not apply
- Must have at least three years of relevant work experience in the medical profession
Other Temporary options for Health Practitioners
Subclass 482 – Temporary Skill Shortage Visa
Subclass 482 is a temporary skill shortage visa that enables employers to supplement labour shortages with skilled workers from overseas. For an Health Practitioner to be eligible for the Subclass 482 Visa, the following criteria apply:
- Medical Registration
- Must work for the Sponsor Employer – except where your occupation is on the exemption list that allows medical professionals to work in a different capacity i.e. contractual arrangement, additional work in a private practice or working outside normal hours with Sponsor Employer
- No age limits
Subclass 417 or 462 – Working Holding Visa
Subclasses 417 and 462 are temporary working holiday visas that allow international travelers to travel to Australia on a short-term basis to work or study.
Subclass 417 has the following criteria:
- Must be from 18 to 30 years old – except for Canadian, French, and Irish citizens who can be 18 to 35 years old
- Must apply from outside Australia
- Must not have previously entered Australia on a working holiday visa
Subclass 462 has the same criteria as Subclass 417 except for the age limit exception. The Working Holiday Visa that you apply for is dependent on the country of passport you hold.
Subclass 485 – Temporary Graduate Visa
Subclass 485 is a temporary graduate visa that permits individuals who have studied in Australia for at least two years to extend their stay and gain valuable employment experience. Health Practitioners who have studied in Australia as international students and wish to remain in the country to improve their chances of obtaining a permanent or provisional skilled visa may find this visa suitable. For a Health Practitioner to be eligible, the following criteria apply:
- Must be under 50 years of age at date of application
- Must have held a student visa in the previous 6 months
- Must have a qualification in your nominated occupation and applied for a skills assessment
- Must maintain health insurance
- Obtain an AFP check
- Provide evidence of English language requirements
Partner Visa
If you are in a relationship with an Australian citizen or permanent resident, Health Practitioners may be able to obtain a partner visa. This visa allows you to live, work and study in Australia. There is no age limit requirement for a partner visa however you must meet the relevant requirements to prove your relationship is committed and genuine.
Age Exemption for Medical Practitioners
All general skilled migration categories require that visa applicants are under 45 years of age at the time of invitation to apply. However, Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme Visa allows for an exemption to the age limit requirement for Regional Medical Practitioner Applicants if the Medical Practitioner meets the following criteria:
- Nominated in a position in a regional area of Australia
- Medical Practitioner in the ANZSCO Minor Group 253
- Must have been employed as a medical practitioner for the three years prior to lodging the application
- Must have spent at least two years during the three years above employed as a Medical Practitioner in a regional area of Australia
- The two years are not required to be consecutive, this can be made up of several periods
- Must have held a subclass 457 or subclass 482 visa for most of the time throughout the three-year period
High Income Exemption for Medical Practitioners
Visa holders of Subclass 186 and 494 who earn an income that is above the High-Income Threshold are exempt from the age requirement. The current high-income threshold for 2022 is $162,000. The earnings that contribute to the high-income threshold are wages, fringe benefits and salary sacrifice amounts. This does not include superannuation. The following criteria must be met for the visa applicant to meet the high-income exemption:
- Throughout the three years prior to making the visa application the person was employed by the employer who made the nomination AND in the nominated occupation
- In each of those three years, the persons’ earnings were equal to or greater than the high-income threshold
- Must have held a subclass 457 or subclass 482 visa for most of the time throughout the three-year period
Medicare Provider Number Requirement for Overseas Trained Doctors and Foreign Graduates of an Accredited Medical School
10 Year Moratorium
Medicare forms part of Australia’s healthcare system, this is a public service that provides health insurance to eligible individuals in Australia. As an Overseas Trained Doctor or Foreign Graduate, you are required to provide a Medicare Provider Number to bill your work under Medicare. To ensure that Australia’s health services remain of high quality, there are Medicare Billing Restrictions in place if you:
- Obtained your medical degree outside of Australia or New Zealand; or
- Enrolled in a degree in Australia or New Zealand as a temporary resident
These Medicare Billing Restrictions and other regulations are set out under the Health Insurance Act 1973 (Cth) (“Health Insurance Act”). Under section 19AB of the Health Insurance Act overseas trained doctors and foreign graduates of an accredited medical school are restricted from accessing Medicare benefits for a period of 10 years once registered. The effect of these restrictions are that overseas trained doctors and foreign graduates of an accredited medical school are required to work in Designated Priority Area (DPA) or a District of Workforce Shortage (DWS) for at least 10 years to ensure that the medical services rendered are covered by Medicare.
Exemptions
There are exemptions available under the Act that provide specific means by which you can reduce the 10-year caveat on your practice as an Overseas Trained Doctor or Foreign Graduate through scaling.
Indefinite exemptions are provided to Health Practitioners who work in a Designated Priority Area (DPA) or District of Workforce Shortage (DWS) location.
For Further Information: Doctor Connect
Doctor Connect is a government website that provides information to assist international medical graduates and employers in navigating the steps and regulations to work as a doctor in Australia.
Jamie Lim
Jamie is an Australian Regulated Migration Advisor (RMA 1799460). Jamie has extensive immigration services experience across multiple visa subclasses and specialises in employer sponsored visas. He has a wide range of experience in corporate migration, including employer-sponsored visas and immigration compliance, and has managed small to large multinational corporate clients. Jamie also has specific experience with medical professionals, skills assessments, state sponsorships as well as partner visas. Book a time with Jamie here.
Jamie holds a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) from Monash University. Jamie speaks Mandarin Chinese as a second language.
His specialities include but not limited to:
Recent News
This information is intended to assist Registered Nurses in the decision as to what visa to apply for and provide an overview of the various criteria of each employer sponsored visa type. Registered Nurses are defined by the ANZSCO Group 2544 as those that provide nursing care to patients in hospitals, aged care, and other health care facilities, in the community. Registered Nurses are currently on the Medium Term List for the TSS Visa.
Subclass 482 TSS Visa
Subclass 482 Visa is a temporary skill shortage visa that enables employers to fulfil labour market shortages with skilled migrant workers where they are unable to find an appropriately skilled Australian worker.
Snapshot of Subclass 482 TSS Visa
Fees and Costs
There are various costs and fees associated with the visa application. These costs are different for the Employer Sponsor and the Visa Applicant.
Employer Sponsor Fees
The cost to a Sponsor Employer to nominate a visa applicant for the TSS 482 Visa is $330.00.
It should be noted that it is prohibited for a visa applicant to pay the Employer Sponsor to sponsor them for their visa. This includes the following situations:
- Person pays the employer
- Deduction is made from salary
- Person provides any other benefit to employer
Visa Applicant Fees
The cost to the Visa Applicant to apply for a TSS 482 Visa consists of the following:
- $2,690.00 for the Main Applicant
- $2,690.00 for each dependent over 18 years old
- $675.00 for each dependent under 18 years old
There may be other costs associated with the visa application including English Language Tests, health checks, police certificates and biometrics. This will depend on the requirements of the visa application.
Labour Market Testing
Labour Marketing Testing is a requirement for Employer Sponsors for some visa types. It requires employers to demonstrate to the Department of Home Affairs that they have attempted to find a suitable Australian worker prior to nominating an overseas worker. This involves advertising the position in Australia first. There are specific requirements relating to the type of advertisement and time frame dependent on the visa type.
Labour market testing is mandatory for TSS 482 Visa unless international trade obligations apply.
Subclass 494 Visa
Subclass 494 Visa is a regional employer sponsored visa that works to address labour shortages within a specific regional area. This visa type has 10,000 places allocated per year. Subclass 494 visa requires sponsorship from a regional employer and the position must be likely to exist for 5 years. There are age requirements and English language requirements that the visa applicant must meet.
Snapshot of Subclass 494 Visa
Fees and Costs
There are various costs and fees associated with the visa application. These costs are different for the Employer Sponsor and the Visa Applicant.
Employer Sponsor Fees
There is no cost to a Sponsor Employer to nominate a visa applicant for the 494 Visa. However, the Skilling Australians Fund levy applies to this visa type and is dependent on the size of the business.
- Small Business Size (Annual Turnover of less than $10m) = $3,000.00
- Other Business Size (Annual Turnover of more than $10m) = $5,000.00
It should be noted that it is prohibited for a visa applicant to pay the Employer Sponsor to sponsor them for their visa. This includes the following situations:
- Person pays the employer
- Deduction is made from salary
- Person provides any other benefit to employer
Visa Applicant Fees
The cost to the Visa Applicant to apply for a 494 Visa consists of the following:
- $4,115.00 for the Main Applicant
- $2,060.00 for each dependent over 18 years old
- $1,030.00 for each dependent under 18 years old
There may be other costs associated with the visa application including English Language Tests, health checks, police certificates and biometrics. This will depend on the requirements of the visa application.
Labour Market Testing
Labour Marketing Testing is a requirement for Employer Sponsors for some visa types. It requires employers to demonstrate to the Department of Home Affairs that they have attempted to find a suitable Australian worker prior to nominating an overseas worker. This involves advertising the position in Australia first. There are specific requirements relating to the type of advertisement and time frame dependent on the visa type.
Labour market testing is mandatory for the 494 Visa.
Subclass 186 Visa
Subclass 186 Visa is an employer nomination visa that provides applicants who are sponsored by a nominated employer with a permanent residency visa. The Subclass 186 Visa is available to Registered Nurses if they meet the English language requirements, age requirements and other criteria dependent on the stream of Subclass 186 Visa.
Snapshot of Subclass 186 Visa
Fees and Costs
There are various costs and fees associated with the visa application. These costs are different for the Employer Sponsor and the Visa Applicant.
Employer Sponsor Fees
The cost to a Sponsor Employer to nominate a visa applicant for the 186 Visa is $540.00.
It should be noted that it is prohibited for a visa applicant to pay the Employer Sponsor to sponsor them for their visa. This includes the following situations:
- Person pays the employer
- Deduction is made from salary
- Person provides any other benefit to employer
Visa Applicant Fees
The cost to the Visa Applicant to apply for a 186 Visa consists of the following:
- $4,115.00 for the Main Applicant
- $2,060.00 for each dependent over 18 years old
- $1,030.00 for each dependent under 18 years old
- $4,890.00 charged as a second instalment for any family member aged 18 years or older who applies for the visa AND has less than functional English
There may be other costs associated with the visa application including health checks, police certificates and biometrics. This will depend on the requirements of the visa application.
Labour Market Testing
Labour Marketing Testing is a requirement for Employer Sponsors for some visa types. It requires employers to demonstrate to the Department of Home Affairs that they have attempted to find a suitable Australian worker prior to nominating an overseas worker. This involves advertising the position in Australia first. There are specific requirements relating to the type of advertisement and time frame dependent on the visa type.
Labour market testing is recommended for the 186 Visa.
Jamie Lim
Jamie is an Australian Regulated Migration Advisor (RMA 1799460). Jamie has extensive immigration services experience across multiple visa subclasses and specialises in employer sponsored visas. He has a wide range of experience in corporate migration, including employer-sponsored visas and immigration compliance, and has managed small to large multinational corporate clients. Jamie also has specific experience with medical professionals, skills assessments, state sponsorships as well as partner visas. Book a time with Jamie here.
Jamie holds a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) from Monash University. Jamie speaks Mandarin Chinese as a second language.
His specialities include but not limited to:
Recent News
Medical Practices and hospitals are involved in the immigration process as they sponsor or are seeking to sponsor overseas trained medical professionals to address labour shortages they may be experiencing.
The Employer Sponsored Visa Types available to International Medical Graduates (IMGs) include subclass 482 TSS Visa, Subclass 186 Visa and Subclass 494 Visa.
Subclass 482 – Temporary Skills Shortage
The Subclass 482 Visa is a visa pathway for businesses who wish to sponsor a skilled worker where they cannot source an Australian citizen or permanent resident to perform the required work duties. Prior to the visa applicant making an application for the Subclass 482 Visa they are required to be nominated. The Department of Home Affairs requires that the skilled worker/visa applicant works for an Employer Sponsor, either an Australian Business Sponsor or an Overseas Business Sponsor.
Therefore, Employers must lodge a nomination application for the visa applicant prior to prospective employees initiating their visa application. An employer must be an approved sponsor to do this, and the employer/sponsor must provide the visa application with the Transaction Reference Number for the Department to cross-reference the two applications.
Standard Business Sponsorship
To be eligible to become a Standard Business Sponsor, businesses must meet the following criteria:
Cost and Length of Sponsorship Application
There are costs associated with becoming an approved Standard Business Sponsor. There is an application fee of $420.00 to the hospital/medical practice.
Once approved, the Standard Business Sponsor status is valid for 5 years from the date of approval.
Standard Business Sponsor Obligations
As a Standard Business Sponsor, there are obligations that apply to the operation of your hospital/medical practice. To maintain or renew your status as a Standard Business Sponsor, you must ensure that your hospital/medical practice continues to uphold the sponsorship obligations. It should also be noted that some of these obligations extend beyond the term of sponsorship i.e. more than 5 years.
The Department of Home Affairs monitors the Standard Business Sponsor and their compliance with the sponsorship obligations throughout the approval period and up to five years after their sponsorship status ends. The Department of Home Affairs has the power to take enforcement action against businesses that fails to meet their sponsorship obligations.
Employer Sponsored Visas for Medical Professionals Seeking Permanent Residence in Australia
Medical Professionals who are seeking to remain in Australia through a permanent residency pathway can do so through an employer-sponsored pathway.
Age Requirement Exemptions
All general skilled migration categories require that visa applicants are under 45 years of age at the time of invitation to apply. However, there are two exemptions that may be relevant to health practitioners: Regional Medical Practitioner Exemption and High Income Exemption.
Regional Medical Practitioner Exemption
Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme Visa allows for an exemption to the age limit requirement for Regional Medical Practitioner Applicants if they meet the following criteria:
- Nominated in a position in a regional area of Australia
- Medical Practitioner in the ANZSCO Minor Group 253
- Must have been employed as a medical practitioner for the three years prior to lodging the application
- Must have spent at least two years during the three years above employed as a Medical Practitioner in a regional area of Australia
- The two years are not required to be consecutive; this can be made up of several periods
- Must have held a subclass 457 or subclass 482 visa for most of the time throughout the three-year period
High Income Exemption
Visa holders of Subclass 482 who earn an income that is above the High Income Threshold are exempt from the age requirement. The current high-income threshold for 2022 is $162,000. The earnings that contribute to the high-income threshold are wages, fringe benefits and salary sacrifice amounts. This does not include superannuation. The following criteria must be met for the visa applicant to meet the high income exemption:
- Throughout the three years prior to making the visa application the person was employed by the employer who made the nomination AND in the nominated occupation
- In each of those three years, the persons’ earnings were equal to or greater than the high income threshold
- Must have held a subclass 457 or subclass 482 visa for most of the time throughout the three-year period
Jamie Lim
Jamie is an Australian Regulated Migration Advisor (RMA 1799460). Jamie has extensive immigration services experience across multiple visa subclasses and specialises in employer sponsored visas. He has a wide range of experience in corporate migration, including employer-sponsored visas and immigration compliance, and has managed small to large multinational corporate clients. Jamie also has specific experience with medical professionals, skills assessments, state sponsorships as well as partner visas. Book a time with Jamie here.
Jamie holds a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) from Monash University. Jamie speaks Mandarin Chinese as a second language.
His specialities include but not limited to:
Recent News
A Health Workforce Certificate (HWC) or Health Workforce Exemption Certificate (HWEC) were introduced under the Migration Legislation Amendment (Health Workforce Certificates Measures No. 2) Instrument (LIN 20/274) 2020. HWCs and HWECs must be provided when employers are seeking to nominate the following occupations:
Subclass 186 Visa
Subclass 186 Visa is an employer nomination scheme that provides a permanent residency visa pathway to applicants who are sponsored by an employer.
- If medical practitioner from one of the above occupations is nominated for a subclass 186 visa a Health Workforce Certificate (HWC) is REQUIRED.
Subclass 482 or 494 Visa
Subclass 482 Visa is a temporary skill shortage visa that seeks to fulfill labour shortages in the Australian market where appropriately skilled Australians cannot be found.
Subclass 494 Visa is a visa that address identified labour shortages in regional areas of Australia and provides visa applicants with the ability to live, work and study in regional Australia
- If a medical practitioner from one of the above occupations is nominated for a position located in a hospital a Health Workforce Exemption Certificate (HWEC) is
- If a medical practitioner is nominated for a position not located in a hospital, a Health Workforce Certificate (HWC) is
Health Workforce Certificates
A HWC must detail the following:
- Name and date of birth of nominee
- Position that the nominee intends to work
- Location of the position
- Occupation
Health Workforce Exemption Certificates
A HWEC must detail the following:
- Occupation
- Name of the person who nominates the occupation in relation to the nominee
- Name and location of hospital
Jamie Lim
Jamie is an Australian Regulated Migration Advisor (RMA 1799460). Jamie has extensive immigration services experience across multiple visa subclasses and specialises in employer sponsored visas. He has a wide range of experience in corporate migration, including employer-sponsored visas and immigration compliance, and has managed small to large multinational corporate clients. Jamie also has specific experience with medical professionals, skills assessments, state sponsorships as well as partner visas. Book a time with Jamie here.
Jamie holds a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) from Monash University. Jamie speaks Mandarin Chinese as a second language.
His specialities include but not limited to:
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