Visas / Work Permits
An Overview
The Australian Federal Government, through the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) has established long stay temporary residence business visas to Australia, in the form of the 457 and 422 visas. These visas allow overseas doctors to be sponsored by and employed to work in Australian hospitals or medical organizations in Australia for periods from 3 months to 4 years. In some instances, those visas can lead to permanent residence or can be extended (by further application) on-shore in Australia. You must have a job offer before applying for your Visa.
Medical Registration
Each Australian State has a Medical Registration Board (or equivalent) and it must assess and recognise your medical qualifications before you can apply for your visa and to be able to work as a medical practitioner in an Australian Hospital or medical organisation. See registration section for guidance.
Distinction
The 457 visa is used when medical practitioners are employed to work in and are sponsored by hospitals. The 422 visa is normally used for medical practitioners who are employed as general practitioners to work in general practice (GP) surgeries. Both visas are similar in effect but have slightly different applications, forms and procedures. Also, labour market testing is usually required to be undertaken by sponsors for subclass 422 visas, who have to demonstrate a "need" for employing overseas medical practitioners.
457 Visas - Process
The 457 visa process has three stages. The first two stages are undertaken by or on behalf of the employer, and the third, by or on behalf of the applicant medical practitioner. The stages are as follows:
Stage 1: Sponsorship Application
Stage 2: Nomination Application
Stage 3: Visa Application by Medical Practitioner.
Some employers, and particularly government operated hospitals in Australia, will already have a number of pre-approved sponsorship approvals in place and will normally only have to apply for the "nomination" of the particular medical practitioner they wish to employ, once that person is identified, and terms of employment have been agreed.
DIAC Forms required for 457 Visa
- Form 1196 - Sponsorship and Nomination Form
- Form 1066 - Application for 457 Visa.
- Forms 26 and 160 for medical and x-rays.
DIAC Forms required for 422 Visa
- Form 155 - Sponsor/Employer Application
- Form 147 - Visa Application
- Forms 26 and 160 - medical and x-rays
Global Medics attend to the necessary stages on behalf of both the hospital and doctor depending upon the practice of the relevant hospital or Health Authority.
Medicals
All temporary visa applicants and accompanying family members require immigration medical examinations and x-rays. The grant of the visa is conditional upon all applicants receiving medical clearances. All family members must pass the medicals. If you have any health concerns we recommend that you should immediately seek advice as to the visa implications. The level of medicals required varies from country to country. Only certain panel doctors approved by DIAC can provide immigration medicals and x-rays. The panel doctors in each country can be accessed through http://www.immi.gov.au and follow the links to or "search" for "Immigration Panel Doctors", which provides a country by country listing of panel doctors.
You will need to make an appointment with one of the panel doctors who should be able to guide you through the process and refer you to an appropriate radiology practice for x-rays. You must attach a passport size photograph to each form for each applicant and each family member accompanying you, and produce your current passport at the time of the examination and x-rays. A separate form is required for each applicant and can be provided by Global Medics. All medical results are sent to the Local Clearance Unit (LCU) Health Processing Centre in Sydney for assessment.
Application lodgement and approval:
Once you have medical clearances and Medical Registration Board approval and all other documents requiring production are available, your application can be prepared, lodged and processed by Global Medics. This application can be lodged electronically and our Registered Migration Agent can attend to this process on your behalf. You should allow four to six weeks for processing although some applications can be processed sooner once they are visa ready. That is when all visa criteria are met and health clearances obtained and medical board approval is granted.
Application Form Completion
To help facilitate a smooth application process, Global Medics will be happy to provide the relevant application forms which should be completed in as much accurate detail as you can.
To help facilitate a smooth application process, please complete in as much accurate detail as you can, the following relevant checklists. Visa applicants (medical practitioners) need only complete the Visa Applicants questionnaire not the Sponsorship Nomination questionnaire. Click to download medical practitioner's questionnaire
You need to provide the following supporting documentation. Only photocopies of original documents should be lodged with Global Medics. These copy documents must be certified by a lawyer, Justice of the Peace or Notary Public as true and correct copies of the originals which they must have sighted
Supporting Documents:
- Passport (applicant and accompanying family members);
- Birth Certificates;
- Marriage Certificate (if applicable);
- Evidence of qualifications eg. degrees, diplomas or other relevant training or skill certificates;
- Detailed resume of applicant;
- Work references for applicant;
- Confirmation of Medical Registration Board approval;
- Employment Contract; and
- Four passport sized photographs (two for medical forms and two for Global Medics for each applicant and each accompanying family member).
For Employers
To lodge the application (on behalf of Employer/Sponsors with pre-approved sponsorships)
- We need the full name of the sponsor;
- It's Australian Business Number ("ABN");
- The DIAC Sponsorship Agreement Number; and
- Name of contact officer at Hospital and their phone, fax and email contact details
Click to download employer's questionnaire