Skills demand for Specialist Physician (General Medicine)
Whether an occupation is in demand shapes almost everything else about a skilled application — which visas are realistic, how competitive an invitation round is likely to be, and whether a state has any reason to nominate you.
Jobs and Skills Australia records this occupation as in shortage. A shortage rating does not guarantee an invitation or a nomination; it tells you the labour-market conditions are working in your favour rather than against you.
Visa pathways for Specialist Physician (General Medicine)
Which visas are available to you depends on which of the government's skilled occupation lists your occupation appears on. The lists are not interchangeable, and being on one of them does not put you on the others.
This occupation appears on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List, which is the list that opens the independent and state-nominated skilled visas as well as the regional pathway.
This occupation appears on the Core Skills Occupation List, which is the list used for the Skills in Demand visa's Core Skills stream.
Skills assessment for Specialist Physician (General Medicine)
Every skilled application turns on the skills assessment. An independent authority — not the Department — decides whether your qualifications and experience genuinely correspond to the occupation you are nominating, and there is no way around it.
We do not publish a fee for this authority. Its fee schedule is not available in a form we can source reliably and keep current, and a stale figure on a page like this is worse than no figure at all — it looks authoritative and it is wrong. Use the link to the authority's own page.
Points-based scoring is not applicable for Specialist Physician (General Medicine) visas, as the occupation does not appear on the Points-Based Skilled Migration (PMSOL) list. Instead, your eligibility depends entirely on employer sponsorship and AHPRA skills assessment.
State nomination for Specialist Physicians is not applicable under the primary visa pathways (482 TSS and 186 ENS are employer-sponsored, not state-nominated). However, various states actively recruit international medical specialists through direct sponsorship programs. Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, and rural New South Wales recruit specialists through public hospital systems, while private hospital chains and medical groups across all states sponsor specialists directly.
Contact state health departments or major hospital networks in your target region to inquire about direct sponsorship or targeted recruitment programs. Some states offer incentives like relocation grants, accommodation assistance, or salary loading for specialists willing to work in rural or regional locations. Building connections with state-based recruiters and hospital networks will significantly improve your chances of securing employer sponsorship.
- Confirm ANZSCO Match: Verify that your medical qualifications and specialist credentials align with ANZSCO 253311 (Specialist Physician—General Medicine). If your specialisation is broader or narrower (e.g., Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine), confirm the correct ANZSCO code before proceeding.
- Obtain AHPRA Skills Assessment: Apply to the Medical Board of Australia (via AHPRA) for skills assessment. Gather certified copies of your degree, specialist credentials, professional references, and proof of English language proficiency.
- Secure Employer Sponsorship: Identify Australian employers (public hospitals, private hospital groups, medical practices) seeking a specialist physician. Engage with recruitment agencies specialising in medical migration or contact hospitals directly. Once an employer commits, they will initiate sponsorship registration and visa nomination.
- Visa Nomination: Once employer sponsorship is confirmed and AHPRA assessment is complete, the employer nominates your position (482 or 186) to the Department of Home Affairs.
- Visa Application: After nomination approval, you submit your visa application online (subclass 482 or 186) with health checks, police certificates, and supporting documents.
- Health and Character Clearance: Complete Australian health examinations (chest X-ray, blood tests, general health assessment) by an approved panel doctor. Obtain police certificates from all countries where you have lived.
- Grant and Visa Activation: Once all checks clear, your visa is granted. Arrange your move to Australia, complete any final professional registration requirements with your state Medical Board, and begin employment on your visa. For 482 visas, plan your 186 transition pathway with your employer after 2+ years of service.