There are roles available right across Australia. Where the work is depends on your experience and specialty. Many (though certainly not all) locum roles are in rural areas. Overseas-trained doctors are required to work in a rural area of need for a period of time.
Lots of doctors we work with love earning extra and exploring the country through locum and permanent placements. You can find out more about our current job listings on the job search page.
Yes! Most locum placements offer travel and accommodation arrangements. We can help negotiate this for you. This is usually hospital accommodation or a nice bed and breakfast, and flight or petrol reimbursement.
Locum placements can be as short as a couple of days, though most doctors prefer slightly longer placements (a few weeks or months) so there’s time to get to know the area and the team. Medrecruit also works with doctors to find permanent roles.
AHPRA registered doctors have lots of opportunities to find permanent and locum work in Australia. Kiwi doctors can work in Australia – you'll need to gain AHPRA registration, and we can assist you in this process. Doctors who gained their primary medical degree overseas are known as International Medical Graduates (IMGs). Ideally, you will have a few years' experience in a comparative health system (like in the UK or Ireland) under your belt. There are a few pathways to work in Australia but it's important to note that there are restrictions on where and how you can work.
Your registration number, a current CV and three references are the essentials of any job application. Other paperwork that's commonly required is:
What you'll need can vary slightly between Australian states and New Zealand. Some states/locations also require you to complete an online training course (eMedical Courses). We're here to help guide you through the requirements, and we'll give you a checklist detailing everything you need.
No, our service is free for doctors! We're paid by hospitals and clinics for our services and are preferred suppliers in several states and areas. Because we have a huge network of doctors, we save clinics and hospitals time (and money) by taking the stress out of the hiring and credentialing process.
This depends on where you work – the hospital or clinic chooses how a doctor is paid. This will work one of three ways:
Your recruitment specialist can tell you which method you’ll be paid for each job you undertake.
We have locum and permanent positions all over Australia and New Zealand, and every day we help doctors find the lifestyles or career goals they have been seeking. You can check out some of our other location pages here: Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania , New South Wales, Queensland, Australian Capital Territory, Northern Territory, and New Zealand. If you are interested in finding a new locum or permanent position in one of these regions the best thing to do is get in touch with our team and let them know which region you are looking to work in.
Medrecruit is doctor owned and operated recruitment agency, specialising in permanent and locum jobs. We are committed to connecting doctors with job opportunities that fit their career and lifestyle goals and our exclusive network of jobs across Australasia allows us to personalise each placement. Whether you're after long-term or short-term work, locum or permanent positions - we've got you covered.
There are roles available right across New Zealand. Many (though certainly not all) locum roles are in rural locations and lots of doctors we work with love using this as an opportunity to explore new places. Where the work is also depends on the type of work you’d like to do and what your specialty and experience is. You can search for current roles on our job search page.
To practise medicine in New Zealand you must have Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ) Registration.
Yes! Most locum placements offer travel and accommodation arrangements. We can help negotiate this for you. This is usually hospital accommodation or a nice bed and breakfast, and flight or petrol reimbursement.
Locum placements can be as short as a couple of days, though most doctors prefer slightly longer placements (a few weeks or months) so there’s time to get to know the area and the team. Medrecruit also works with doctors to find permanent roles.
Your registration number, a current CV and three references are the essentials of any job application. Other paperwork that's commonly required is:
What you'll need can vary slightly between Australian states and New Zealand. Some states/locations also require you to complete an online training course (eMedical Courses). We're here to help guide you through the requirements, and we'll give you a checklist detailing everything you need.
No, our service is free for doctors! We're paid by hospitals and clinics for our services and are preferred suppliers in several states and areas. Because we have a huge network of doctors, we save clinics and hospitals time (and money) by taking the stress out of the hiring and credentialing process.
This depends on where you work – the hospital or clinic chooses how a doctor is paid. This will work one of three ways:
Your recruitment specialist can tell you which method you’ll be paid for each job you undertake.
MCNZ registered doctors have lots of opportunities to find permanent and locum work in New Zealand. Australian-trained doctors can work in New Zealand – you'll need to gain MCNZ registration and we can assist you in this process. Doctors who gained their primary medical degree overseas will ideally have a few years’ experience in a comparative health system (like in the UK or Ireland) under their belt. There are pathways to work in New Zealand if you trained overseas, but there are some restrictions. Our page for International Doctors has more information.
There are a wide range of full time and part time jobs for doctors in New Zealand, for both specialist doctors and general practitioners across various locations. While a lot of locum work is available in rural areas, it's important to note that there are doctor job vacancies in urban centres as well. Lots of doctors we work with love using locum roles as an opportunity to experience unique corners of the country. The distribution of work also depends on your preferred type of employment. Long-term positions provide stability and continuity, while fixed-term contracts offer the chance to gain diverse experiences in different healthcare settings. Additionally, the availability of work is influenced by your specialty and level of experience. Certain areas may have a higher demand for specific medical specialties, presenting more opportunities in those fields.
We have locum and permanent positions all over Australia and New Zealand, and every day we help doctors find the lifestyles or career goals they have been seeking. You can check out some of our other location pages here: Auckland, Queenstown, Taranaki, Southland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Australia. If you are interested in finding a new locum or permanent position in one of these regions the best thing to do is get in touch with our team and let them know which region you are looking to work in.
Medrecruit is doctor owned and operated recruitment agency, specialising in permanent and locum jobs. We are committed to connecting doctors with job opportunities that fit their career and lifestyle goals and our exclusive network of jobs across Australasia allows us to personalise each placement. Whether you're after long-term or short-term work, locum or permanent positions - we've got you covered.
To practise medicine in New Zealand you must have Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ) Registration.
AHPRA (Australia) and MCNZ (New Zealand) are the national organisations responsible for doctor registration and accreditation. Australasian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency Registration (or AHPRA) is what you require to legally practise medicine in Australia. To practise medicine in New Zealand you must have Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ) Registration.
The Competent Authority Pathway is a pathway in which you can gain AHPRA registration (Australia), or MCNZ registration (New Zealand). To be eligible for this pathway, you must have completed your primary medical school degree in the UK or Ireland. You are also eligible if you have passed the medical licensing exams in the UK, Canada, USA or NZ and have completed internship equivalent in one of these countries.
The Standard Pathway is for those applying for registration in Australia who don’t meet the Competent Authority Pathway criteria. To be eligible you will have completed a medical degree listed in the WHO directory. You will need to successfully complete the AMC examinations which involve an MCQ and clinical examinations. Then you can apply for provisional registration. You must secure an internship-level role for the first 12 months.
The NZREX Clinical Examination provides another pathway to MCNZ registration in New Zealand. You are eligible if you have a degree from a country listed in the WHO directory. You will be required to complete the NZ Registration examinations. Once these are successfully completed you will be eligible for provisional registration. Then you are required to secure an internship level role for the first 12 months.
The Specialist Pathway is a route to registration in Australia. It involves an assessment by the relevant specialist college of your qualifications and experience to see how it compares to that of an Australian trained specialist. The outcome of the assessment will determine your comparability, and what if any further requirements you need to gain full specialist registration.
As a doctor who has trained overseas you must hold Vocational Registration to work as a specialist in New Zealand. This involves full assessment of your overseas qualifications, training and experience to see how it compares. The outcome of the assessment will determine the steps you need to take to be eligible for Vocational Registration.
There are many different pathways to medical registration which take into consideration where you completed your primary medical degree and specialist training (if applicable) as well as which countries you have experience practicing as a doctor. You can apply Post Graduate Year 3 (and above) with both countries seeking specialist doctors and GPs. Once you have registered with us, if you’re eligible, we'll help you apply for medical registration to the relevant health board in either Australia or New Zealand. We can help you secure your ideal role and get you practising in New Zealand or Australia.
If you’re a junior doctor, we like to allow a minimum of 3 months from signing a contract until starting work. While it can be achieved in less time than this, we like to allow a little extra time in case of any delays in processing both your medical registration or your visa. If you’re a senior doctor then the time taken for the process depends on which registration pathway you are eligible for. It’s best to be prepared for between 6 – 12 months to complete everything and arrive in the country to start work.
The costs will depend on whether you’re heading to Australia or New Zealand and whether you are a junior or senior doctor. For junior doctors, going to New Zealand, the entire process costs up to around $2500. For Australia, it could be up to $3800. For senior doctors, there are substantial upfront costs for medical registration but the hospitals reimburse these once you start work. The application for specialist recognition can cost upwards of $10,000. You can discuss what your specific circumstance looks like with our expert IMG team.
We find that the larger cities have less need for International doctors because they have lots of local doctors wanting to work there. More often we find the regional locations offer many medical jobs for overseas doctors. While these might not be the biggest or most well-known cities, it doesn’t mean they are tiny rural locations! Australia and New Zealand have lots of vibrant, charming regional cities where you can have access to all the big city amenities you need for you and your family to feel comfortable. A lot of our candidates have been pleasantly surprised to discover regions they hadn’t initially considered but have gone on to adore the lifestyle and the authentic Australian or New Zealand experience of living there.
Absolutely, we work with lots of doctors who make the move with their partners or families. Partners are generally able to get a work visa of their own and kids can be granted student visas to attend school. Both Australia and New Zealand are great locations for families and the quality of life on offer is fantastic.
All the members of our the International team have made the move to this side of the world ourselves, we understand how much is involved in the international move so we are committed to being there for you every step of the way as your international medical recruitment experts. Once we have helped you determine eligibility for medical registration, we will assist you on a tailored job hunt to find the right role for you. Once the role is secured, we take care of the full medical registration application, liaising with the issuing authority on your behalf. We organise a complimentary Immigration Consultation for you so that you have all of the information you require to determine which is going to be the best visa for you and your family. After this, we assist you in completing all of the hospital’s new employee paperwork to ensure you are able to start work on time.
The first step in the process is to get in touch with us. As specialists in New Zealand and Australia medical recruitment, we’ll be able to give you advice tailored to your specific situation so that we can work with you to map out what the process is going to look like for you to give you the best chance of success in your international medical graduate job hunt. We have a team of international recruitment experts to help navigate your pathway, visa options, visa applications, and more for IMGs looking to relocate. Click on the button below and we’ll be in touch to arrange a convenient time to speak with you.
To work in Australia, you will need to get registered with AHPRA. If you are eligible for APHRA registration we will guide you through this process, give you helpful hints and tips to ensure it gets processed in this quickest time possible.
Rates vary between the states. You can also earn higher rates for last-minute shifts, night shifts, or rural locations. Your Solution Specialist can work with you to find you the right job and location to achieve your renumeration goals.
The cost for a hospital or clinic to use a medical recruitment agency depends on several factors and is charged as a percentage of the hourly or daily rates for locum placements, or base salaries for permanent recruitment.
Looking at the bigger picture, many of our clients save money by using Medrecruit. You won't need to trawl through unqualified candidates. We’ve got a large pool of vetted, talented candidates as well as significant infrastructure in place to advertise the right roles to the right doctors. This saves you time and effort.
This all depends on who you’re looking for, but we can help you with urgent requests.
We have a huge pool of work-ready doctors across Australia and New Zealand – they've had their credentials, references and qualifications checked. Our personalised service means our recruitment specialists are in close contact with doctors who are actively looking for work, so they'll know the right match for your available role(s). Our advanced search, marketing and communications tools mean we can get your role in front of the right doctors quickly and effectively.