Doctors and Health Professionals Visa FAQ
Information current as at October 2026. Rules, fees and lists change often, so check your own circumstances with us before you act.
These are the questions overseas doctors, nurses, allied health professionals and health employers ask us most often about moving to Australia. Each answer links to the page on this site with the full detail. If your question is not here, book a consultation and we will look at your circumstances.
Start here: which page do I need?
| If you are | Read first | Then |
|---|---|---|
| A non-specialist doctor from the UK, Ireland, Canada, NZ or the USA | Ahpra pathways (Competent Authority) | 482 visa for doctors |
| A non-specialist doctor from another country | AMC exams and the Standard pathway | 482 visa for doctors |
| A specialist or GP | Ahpra pathways (Expedited Specialist and specialist recognition) | DPAs and Medicare provider numbers |
| A doctor aged 45 or over | 186 age exemptions | Regional options |
| A nurse or midwife | Nurses and midwives | State nomination |
| An allied health professional | Allied health professionals | 482 visa |
| A hospital, clinic or practice | Sponsor guide | Costs and timeline |
Top questions
What visa do most overseas doctors use to move to Australia?
Most come on the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa, sponsored by a hospital, health service or practice, and later apply for permanent residence through the subclass 186. Some use state nomination (190 or 491) or regional visas. See the 482 for doctors.
Do I need Ahpra registration before I apply for a visa?
In practice, yes. The Medical Board advises applying for your visa only once your registration number is issued, and visa conditions require you to hold the registration your job needs. See Ahpra registration pathways.
Do I have to sit the AMC exams?
Only if you use the Standard pathway. Doctors eligible for the Competent Authority pathway, and specialists on the Expedited Specialist or specialist recognition pathways, generally do not sit AMC exams. See AMC exams.
Is a Health Workforce Certificate still required?
No. The requirement for employer sponsored nominations was abolished on 16 September 2023. Medicare billing is governed by section 19AB and Distribution Priority Areas. See DPAs and Medicare provider numbers.
Can I get permanent residence if I am over 45?
Often, yes, through the 186 Temporary Residence Transition stream with the regional medical practitioner or high income age exemption, or through a DAMA concession. See 186 for doctors.
Can I work anywhere in Australia once registered?
Your registration may limit you to an approved position at first. If you bill Medicare, section 19AB usually limits you to Distribution Priority Areas for up to 10 years unless an exemption applies.
How much does it cost?
For a family of four on a 482, government visa charges from 1 July 2026 total about $10,040, plus registration, exams and relocation. Employers pay sponsorship and nomination costs. See costs and timeline.
I trained in New Zealand. Is the process different?
Doctors and nurses registered in New Zealand may be able to use Trans-Tasman mutual recognition for registration, and New Zealand citizens can generally live and work in Australia on a Special Category visa without sponsorship. Section 19AB does not generally apply to doctors whose primary medical degree is from New Zealand, but it usually does apply if you trained elsewhere and later registered in New Zealand.
Are healthcare visas processed faster?
Healthcare is in the highest priority group for skilled visa processing under Ministerial Directions 121 and 122, which commenced on 19 September 2026. Priority affects the order of processing, not the criteria.
More questions by topic
- Which specialties are on the Expedited Specialist pathway? General practice, anaesthesia, obstetrics and gynaecology, psychiatry, general medicine, general paediatrics and diagnostic radiology (for listed qualifications only).
- How long is supervised practice? Six months on the Expedited Specialist pathway and 12 months on the Competent Authority and Standard pathways before general registration.
- Can nurses from the UK skip the OSCE? Eligible registered nurses from comparable jurisdictions may use the streamlined pathway introduced on 23 April 2025. See nurses and midwives.
Other countries
VisaEnvoy also advises health professionals moving to other countries. See our pages for New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States, and the nurses visas overview.
Related pages
Keep reading on our health professionals site: