What visa do I need to work as a UK doctor moving to Australia?
Like many doctors from the UK and beyond, you may be considering making the move to Australia. There are loads of benefits to working as a UK qualified doctor in Australia, including fantastic job prospects, generous salaries, a great work-life balance, and the warm climate and sunny lifestyle. These benefits are particularly attractive to UK doctors right now, who may be feeling burnt out, overwhelmed, and exhausted from working under the pressures of the struggling NHS.
But if you’re planning on migrating to Australia as a doctor from the UK or elsewhere, there’s one very important thing that you’re going to need to have – and that is a visa. In this blog post, we are going to be looking at the kind of visa that is best for medical doctor immigration to Australia.
What type of visa options are there for UK doctors moving to Australia?
Anyone who wants to work in Australia needs to hold an appropriate working visa. Visas are obtained from the Department of Home Affairs, and give you permission to work in Australia for the duration that the visa is granted for.
Subclass 457 Business Visa
Up until recently, the most common visa for migrating to Australia as a UK doctor was the Subclass 457 Business Visa, which was valid for up to four years and allowed overseas doctors to immigrate to Australia for work. However, this visa was replaced in 2018 by the Temporary Skill Shortage (Subclass 482) Visa (see next section) which is now the most common pathway used for UK doctor immigration to Australia.
Temporary Skill Shortage (Subclass 482) Visa
The Temporary Skill Shortage (Subclass 482) Visa enables Australian employers to “sponsor” (or employ) overseas workers to fill positions that they cannot find Australian workers for. To be eligible for this visa, you need to be a skilled worker, and employed in an occupation that is currently experiencing labour shortages. As a UK doctor, your occupation falls under this category, with many types of medical practitioner roles listed on the Department of Home Affairs’ Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL).
This visa is considered by many UK doctors to be one of the best, because it will allow you to live and work in Australia for up to 4 years. Unlike with some other types of visas, you are able to travel to and from Australia as many times as you would like whilst you are living and working in Australia. This makes this visa an enticing prospect for UK doctors immigrating to Australia who worry they may feel homesick, or wish to have the option to travel home as many times as they would like.
Who is eligible for a Temporary Skill Shortage Visa?
To be eligible to apply for this visa, as mentioned, you need to be working in an occupation that is listed on the government’s list of skilled occupations that are currently experiencing labour shortages. You will also need to have two years of relevant work experience, and be sponsored by an Australian hospital or medical practice who will be your employer when you arrive in Australia. You may also need to undertake an assessment of your skills, and will need to meet minimum English language proficiency standards.
What are the costs of applying for a Temporary Skill Shortage Visa?
Applying for the Temporary Skill Shortage (Subclass 482) Visa starts at $2,770 AUD. Generally speaking, you will first need to find an employer in Australia who will act as your sponsor (this is something the team at Jon & Jon can help and advise you on). Once they are approved as your sponsor, they will then be able to nominate you for one of the skilled occupations on the skills shortage list. You will then be able to apply for your visa.
How long does it take to get a Temporary Skill Shortage Visa?
From there, the only thing left to do is wait to hear back on the outcome of your application, with 25% of applications processed within 8 days, 50% within 20 days, 75% within 38 days, and 90% within 70 days.
What happens when the visa expires after four years?
If you are working as a doctor with the Temporary Skill Shortage (Subclass 482) Visa, after four years, you will need to apply for a new visa if you wish to stay living and working in the country. Alternatively, you may wish to apply for permanent residence (PR). This is a great option for UK doctors who wish to stay living and working in Australia, and are considering making the move to Australia on a permanent basis.
Other options for gaining a visa to be a doctor in Australia
Although these are the most common visa pathway for UK doctors looking to immigrate to Australia, other pathways may also be available. These include the 186 – Employer Nomination Scheme Visa (Subclass 186), 189 – Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189), 190 – Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass 190), 407 – Training Visa (Subclass 407), Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485), 489 – Skilled Regional Provisional Visa (Subclass 489), 187 – Regional Sponsor Migration Scheme (Subclass 187), or Skilled Work Regional Provisional Visa (Subclass 491).
The type of visa and immigration pathway that is best for you as a UK doctor will vary, depending on the country you are coming from, your personal circumstances, and the level and area in which you practise. There are a lot of different variables that can come into play which will determine which visa is right for you, which is why we would strongly recommend working with an experienced visa specialist to find the best immigration pathway for you.
Jon & Jon Medical is an experienced medical recruitment firm based in Sydney, Australia. We are dedicated to helping international doctors from all levels and specialties to advance their careers in Australia. We have a proven track record of helping doctors to secure work visas in Australia Australia, and secure employment in exclusive permanent and locum positions that will allow them to excel within their chosen field.
To find out more about what we do and how we can help you to achieve medical registration in Australia, get in touch with us today at +61 2 9174 5352 or info@jonandjon.com. In the meantime, download our free eBook here to find out more about getting a visa to work as a doctor in Australia.