Secure a role in New Zealand or Australia
Make the move down under.
Sought-after roles are available for international doctors with the right credentials. Engage us to show you the possibilities.
Be ready for a job in Australasia.
Know your opportunity.
Top permanent roles are available for experienced international doctors in New Zealand and Australia. To practise medicine, you must be registered with the governing body of the country you choose to work in. Gaining registration is often easiest for specialists (including GPs) and international doctors who have completed their primary degree in the UK or Ireland.
Working in New Zealand.
Get the best of all worlds in New Zealand. Find a permanent job set against a backdrop of beaches, mountains, forests and sophisticated cities. Our specialist International Team will give insights into all aspects of work, day-to-day living and relocating. We can help with the paperwork and our immigration adviseor can assist with visas. The process can take six months to a year.
Working in Australia.
Enjoy the sun or the cities. Our specialist team will guide you to various permanent job opportunities across Australia. International doctors have more restrictions here than in New Zealand. It can take some time to get the post you want, and up to a year to get settled. We’ll help navigate the different requirements, and sort through the paperwork.
Can I work as a doctor in Australia or New Zealand?
How Medrecruit helps
We have a team dedicated to assisting International Medical Graduates (IMGs). In order to practice in either Australia or New Zealand, you must be registered with either AHPRA (Australia) or MCNZ (New Zealand). For doctors who graduated overseas, this is achievable via a number of pathways (or routes), your eligibility for which is determined by your clinical background. We can’t tell you if you are eligible – that’s up to the relevant national authority.
Once you know that you are eligible for medical registration in Australia or New Zealand, we’ll help you with your job search and work to make your move Down Under easy with our vast employment networks and insider’s tips.
Good to know.
Apply early! The process can take 6 months or more.
Opportunities start to open up when you’re Post Graduate Year 3 and above.
Doctors who trained in the UK, Ireland, Canada or USA have a number of pathways to registration.
Frequently Asked Questions
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 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.
This pathway provides a route to MCNZ registration in New Zealand for doctors who:
- Have a medical degree from a country listed in the WHO directory
- Have worked for 33 months (for at least 30 hours per week) in the 48 months prior to your application within a comparable health system. And in the same area of medicine and same level offered in New Zealand.
- Hold full (or general) registration in the comparable health system in which you meet the above active clinical practice requirements.
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.
We cannot assess your eligibility for registration. This is up to the relevant national organisation of the country you’d like to work in.
Medrecruit can help find international doctors a suitable role. Our team can also provide some guidance and advice around moving to Australia and New Zealand.