Immigration and visas

An employer must first apply to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) to become a sponsor or, if a suitable candidate has already been recruited, lodge a nomination of the intended overseas trained doctor (OTD) for the position before or at the same time that the OTD makes a visa application. The employer must pay the nomination fee at the time of application and consider the duration of sponsorship.

If the OTD is not already registered, you must instruct them to apply to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency for registration to practise in Australia.

If the OTD is already in Australia and working under conditional registration for another employer, they must obtain permission from the relevant Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency to change positions and, if they are on a temporary visa, you must lodge a new nomination before they begin to work for you.

While most temporary visa holders are subject to a visa condition which requires them to work only for the employer who nominated them, doctors are generally exempt from this condition. This means that they may work for multiple employers, either simultaneously or consecutively, or may be engaged as an independent contractor by the sponsor or an associated entity of the sponsor. They must continue to work only in the occupation for which they were nominated. These exempted occupations can be found online at:
http://www.comlaw.gov.au/ComLaw/Legislation/LegislativeInstrument1.nsf/0/CCDD745AA783CDF3CA25774A0013F140/$file/10030LI.pdf

The employer of an OTD on a temporary visa is required to meet a number of Sponsorship Obligations which include ensuring that the doctor is employed under terms and conditions that are no less favourable than the terms and conditions that are provided, or would be provided, to an Australian citizen or permanent resident performing the same work in an equivalent position at that workplace.

Other Sponsorship Obligations can be found at: http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/skilled-workers/sbs/obligations-employer.htm

It is the responsibility of the employer (the sponsor) to be aware of the expiry date of any Area of Need approval and District of Workforce Shortage approval and to initiate the renewal of these approvals.

For further information about employer sponsorship issues, please visit the DIAC website.

http://www.doctorconnect.gov.au/internet/otd/publishing.nsf/Content/work-health-insurance

If you haven’t yet applied for permanent residency in Australia or if you came here on a temporary visa, you should purchase health insurance cover to protect yourself and your family for any unforeseen medical expenses. It is a mandatory condition for people on temporary work visas to have private health insurance to pay for their health costs. This includes the health costs of family members accompanying them. See the DIAC website for further information: http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/skilled-workers/sbs/457-health-insurance.htm

Australian private health insurance for overseas visitors is available from Australian registered health organisations, insurance brokers and general insurers.