Visas for General Practitioners - Targeting Areas of Doctor Shortages

Overview

The purpose of the Visas for GPs – Targeting Areas of Doctor Shortages Grant Opportunity is to manage the growth of Australia’s medical workforce by regulating the number of overseas-trained doctors seeking to work in Australia’s primary health care system. The measure also seeks to direct the flow of the overseas-trained doctors toward geographic areas experiencing a health workforce shortage.   The policy initiative will introduce a new requirement for employers seeking to nominate a position for filling by an overseas doctors through an employer sponsored visa. Employers will need to seek endorsement for their nominated position from an endorsement Agency specified by the Department of Health. The endorsement agency will need to provide a certification for the nominated position confirming that the position responds to a genuine need for health services.