Working as an IMG in New Zealand or Australia
Are you an IMG, thinking of working in New Zealand or Australia?
Here's everything you need to know
Medrecruit is a leading international doctor recruitment agency, our dedicated team prides itself on helping foreign doctors find work in New Zealand and Australia. With great working conditions and healthcare systems, more overseas-trained doctors are looking to make the move to live and work in Australia and New Zealand. Sought-after roles are available for IMGs with the right credentials. We've created this page for doctors interested in making the move, if you want more information, get in touch with us and we will show you all the possibilities available.
Speciality in demand: general practice
GPs are in high demand in New Zealand. This means rates are competitive, and contracts are flexible. Make work suit your new lifestyle.
We have multiple general practitioner opportunities across New Zealand, including Hawkes Bay, one of the North Island's most desirable beachside locations.
This GPs new life in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand
Be ready for a job in Australasia.
Know your opportunity.
Top permanent roles are available for experienced IMG doctors in New Zealand and Australia. To practice 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 overseas doctors who have completed their primary degrees in the UK or Ireland.
Working as a doctor in New Zealand
Renowned for its working conditions and health care system, international doctors get the best of all worlds in New Zealand. Find a permanent job set against a backdrop of beaches, mountains, forests, and 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 advisor can assist with visas. For foreign doctors looking to work in New Zealand, the process can take six months to a year.
Working as a doctor in Australia
Enjoy the sun or the city, there is much for foreign doctors to love in Australia. Our specialist team will guide you to various permanent job opportunities across Australia. It's important to note that international doctors have more restrictions in Australia than in New Zealand. It can take some time to get the post you want, and up to a year to get settled, that's why it is important to work with a skilled IMG recruitment agency - 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
Medrecruit is one of the leading international doctor recruitment agencies. 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.
Once we have helped you determine your eligibility for registration, we will help you with your job search and work to make your move Down Under easy with our vast employment networks and insider tips.
Working as a doctor in New Zealand
Good to know.
Apply early! The process can take 6 months or more. Engage with an international doctor recruitment agency, like Medrecruit, who will guide you through the application process.
Opportunities start to open up when you’re Post Graduate Year 3 (and above). Our team can assist you with all the information you need about working as a doctor in New Zealand or Australia.
Doctors who trained in the UK, Ireland, Canada, or the USA have a number of pathways to registration. We can help you find out more about medical pathways and which one you are eligible for.
Interesting Articles
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
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 international doctors secure roles at some of the more regional locations. 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 of us in 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. 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. 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 job hunt. Click on the above link to ‘Talk to Us’ and we’ll be in touch to arrange a convenient time to speak with you.