Immigration for International SIMG GPs Moving to Australia in 2025​

Doctors moving to Australia on the AHPRA Expedited Pathway, or the RACGP  PEP Specialist Pathway will come on the Temporary Skill Shortage visa (subclass 482) 

This visa is for organisations who have been unable to get suitably qualified doctors from within Australia, which is the normal situation in regional Australia currently.

Three Stages

Stage 1  Sponsorship Application, by the practice, to the Department of Home Affairs, This is the employer registering to be a business sponsor, it’s valid for 5 years. This is the employer responsibility and cost

Stage 2 Nomination Application. This is specific to each GP and their family, it’s the employers responsibility and cost.

This includes running suitable job advertisement for labour market testing, and a signed contract.

The practice then submits the details of the person and their family to the department, and they are then issued with your sponsorship Transaction Reference Number TRN.

Stage 3 Visa Application – Using your AHPRA registration, you will prove that you have the skills and experience to do the job. You need to have a Transaction Reference Number TRN (from the previous step) to be able to lodge this application.

Permanent Residency

As you plan your move to Australia to work as a GP, you will understand that there is a clear path for General Practitioners and their families to gain Permanent Residency.

Your practice and colleagues will encourage you to go through this pathway, this is a positive way to ensure a strong General Practice workforce for the future.

It’s a good idea for you to have a strategy for Permanent Residency as part of your migration strategy plan.

For other job types, PR normally requires you to be under 45 years of age.

The good news is that as a General Practitioner over the age of 45, you are certainly eligible – you are required to work in a regional area for 2 years. Which you are required to do because of MM2 and DPA.

Visa Medicals

Visa Medicals can be conducted when you have your HAP-ID number

Costs

The General Practitioner themself will usually pay the Department Of Home Affairs visa application fees

• $3,035.00 for the main applicant and for each dependant 18 years and over

• $760.00 for each dependant under 18 years old.

Separately, if you choose to use an Immigration Solicitor fees to process this Immigration applicaton paperwork, then you will have an additional cost: 

1. Standard Business sponsorship fee – $1800+GST

2. Nomination application fee: $2500+GST

3. Visa application fee $2300.00 for a single applicant and  $300.00 for each additional applicant)+GST

*Please contact us for clarification and related queries, we’ll do our best to guide you, but note that Doctor Connect is not an approved Immigration Service Provider.

We do have an excellent experienced Immigration Solicitor who we are happy to connect you with.