Question 1

How long does AHPRA registration take for an internationally trained specialist?

Accepted Answer

For most internationally trained specialists with qualifications that are directly comparable to Australian standards, AHPRA registration typically takes between eight and 16 weeks from the point of a complete, correctly submitted application. Our regulatory team submits pre-audited applications, meaning we catch errors before they cause delays. Doctors with complex training pathways, such as non-standard specialties or qualifications from certain countries, may require additional assessment steps.

Question 2

Do I need to sit the AMC exam as an internationally trained doctor?

Accepted Answer

Not necessarily. The requirement to sit the Australian Medical Council (AMC) examination depends on your country of training and your specialty. Doctors from the UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Canada and the USA are often eligible for a primary source verification pathway that bypasses the AMC exam. Specialists may be assessed directly by their specialist college, such as RACP, RACS or RACGP. In a free consultation, our regulatory team will assess your specific situation and tell you exactly which IMG pathway applies to you.

Question 3

Can I bring my family to Australia when I come to work as a doctor?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Most work visas for medical professionals, including the TSS 482 and ENS 186, include provisions for dependent family members, covering a spouse or partner and children under 18. Your family members named on your visa application can live, study and in some cases work in Australia. Our registered migration agents manage dependent visa applications alongside your primary application at no additional coordination cost.

Question 4

What is the difference between full AHPRA registration and limited registration?

Accepted Answer

Full registration allows you to practise independently in Australia without supervision. Limited registration is a provisional category, typically granted when a doctor is completing assessment processes or has conditions on their practice. Our regulatory team will advise on the appropriate registration category for your circumstances and work with you to achieve full registration as quickly as possible.

Question 5

Do I need to be a Fellow of ANZCA to work as an anaesthetist with Wavelength?

Accepted Answer

Most consultant anaesthetics roles require Fellowship of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (FANZCA) or equivalent specialist recognition. We also recruit anaesthetics registrars and trainees for positions supporting their training.

Question 6

Can internationally trained anaesthetists work in Australia?

Accepted Answer

Yes, through a specialist pathway assessment via the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists and AHPRA registration. Our in-house regulatory team supports this process alongside your job search.

Question 7

Are pain medicine roles available through Wavelength?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we recruit anaesthetists with a pain medicine subspecialty into both locum and permanent roles, including dedicated pain clinic positions alongside or separate from theatre work.

Question 8

How is locum anaesthetics pay usually structured?

Accepted Answer

Locum anaesthetics pay is typically a session or day rate, reflecting case complexity, on-call requirements and location, plus loadings for after-hours or weekend cover. We negotiate this on your behalf before you accept a booking.

Question 9

Do I need to be a FACEM to work in emergency medicine in Australia?

Accepted Answer

No. We recruit across the full pathway, from EM registrars working towards Fellowship of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (FACEM) through to consultants and directors of emergency medicine. Your consultant will match you to roles suited to your current training stage.

Question 10

How quickly can I start a locum emergency medicine booking?

Accepted Answer

It depends on the department's need and your own credentialing status. Some locum EM bookings need cover within days, others are planned weeks or months ahead. If your AHPRA registration and hospital credentialing are current, we can often move quickly on urgent bookings.

Question 11

Can internationally trained emergency medicine specialists work in Australia?

Accepted Answer

Yes, subject to a specialist assessment through the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and AHPRA registration. Our in-house regulatory team can guide you through the assessment pathway alongside your job search.

Question 12

Do I need to be a Fellow of the RACP to work as a physician with Wavelength?

Accepted Answer

Most consultant physician roles require Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) in the relevant specialty, or equivalent specialist recognition. We also recruit physician trainees and registrars for positions supporting their training.

Question 13

What is the difference between a general medicine role and a subspecialty physician role?

Accepted Answer

A general medicine role focuses on managing complex, undifferentiated adult patients, often in an acute medical unit. A subspecialty role, in cardiology or gastroenterology for example, focuses on a specific area of practice, usually combining ward consults with outpatient clinics. Many regional roles blend both.

Question 14

Can internationally trained physicians work in Australia?

Accepted Answer

Yes, through a specialist pathway assessment via the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and AHPRA registration. Our in-house regulatory team supports this process alongside your job search.

Question 15

Are locum general medicine roles available in regional Australia?

Accepted Answer

Yes, regional hospitals regularly need locum physicians to cover leave, vacancies and periods of high demand, often across both general medicine and a subspecialty area. We negotiate your rate, travel and accommodation before you accept a booking.

Question 16

What is the difference between locum and permanent GP work?

Accepted Answer

Locum GP work is short term, covering a colleague's leave, a vacancy or a busy period, usually booked in blocks from a few days to several months. Permanent GP work is an ongoing role in one practice, with an agreed billing arrangement, patient list and, in many cases, a pathway to partnership. Many GPs use locum work to trial a location or practice culture before committing to a permanent role.

Question 17

Do I need to work in a DPA location to bill Medicare as a GP?

Accepted Answer

If you completed your GP training in Australia, no, standard Medicare billing rights apply wherever you work. If you are an internationally trained GP within your first ten years of Australian practice, you generally need to work in a Distribution Priority Area (DPA) to access Medicare billing rights immediately. See our full guide to working as a GP in Australia for the detail on DPA locations and moratorium rules.

Question 18

How much notice do GP practices usually need before a locum booking?

Accepted Answer

It varies, some practices need cover within days for unplanned leave, others plan locum bookings months ahead for scheduled leave or busy seasons. Register your availability with Wavelength and we will match you to bookings that suit your notice period, from short-notice gap cover to bookings planned well in advance.

Question 19

Can internationally trained GPs apply for these roles?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Many of the GP roles we recruit for suit internationally trained doctors, particularly in DPA locations. Our in-house regulatory team supports your RACGP Fellowship recognition and AHPRA registration alongside your job search, see our dedicated page on working as a GP in Australia for the full pathway.

Question 20

Do I need to be a Fellow of CICM to work as an intensivist with Wavelength?

Accepted Answer

Most consultant intensivist roles require Fellowship of the College of Intensive Care Medicine of Australia and New Zealand (FCICM) or equivalent specialist recognition. We also recruit ICU registrars and trainees for positions supporting their training.

Question 21

Are retrieval medicine roles available through Wavelength?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we recruit intensivists and ICU-trained doctors into retrieval and aeromedical medicine roles, both locum and permanent, alongside standard ICU positions.

Question 22

Can internationally trained intensivists work in Australia?

Accepted Answer

Yes, through a specialist pathway assessment via the College of Intensive Care Medicine of Australia and New Zealand and AHPRA registration. Our in-house regulatory team supports this process alongside your job search.

Question 23

What is the difference between locum and permanent ICU work?

Accepted Answer

Locum ICU work covers a defined period, from a single shift to an extended block, and suits doctors wanting flexibility or exposure to different units. Permanent ICU work is an ongoing position, better suited if you want to build a long-term role within one department, including teaching and leadership responsibilities.

Question 24

Do I need to be a Fellow of the RACP to work as a paediatrician with Wavelength?

Accepted Answer

Most consultant paediatrician roles require Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) in paediatrics and child health, or equivalent specialist recognition. We also recruit paediatric registrars and trainees for positions supporting their training pathway.

Question 25

Are there paediatric jobs in regional and rural Australia?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and demand is often strongest outside major cities. Regional general paediatric wards and community clinics frequently need both locum cover and permanent paediatricians, sometimes with additional incentives such as relocation or housing support.

Question 26

Can internationally trained paediatricians work in Australia?

Accepted Answer

Yes, through a specialist pathway assessment via the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and AHPRA registration. Our in-house regulatory team supports this process alongside your job search.

Question 27

What is the difference between locum and permanent paediatric work?

Accepted Answer

Locum paediatric work covers a defined period, useful for trying a new hospital or location, or for extra flexibility around other commitments. Permanent paediatric work is an ongoing role, better suited if you want to build long-term relationships with patients, families and a clinical team.

Question 28

Are telepsychiatry roles available through Wavelength?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We recruit for telepsychiatry positions, both locum and permanent, that let you deliver psychiatric care remotely, often supporting regional and rural mental health services. Availability varies by location and service, so register your interest and we will match you to current opportunities.

Question 29

Do I need to be a Fellow of RANZCP to work with Wavelength?

Accepted Answer

Most consultant psychiatrist roles require Fellowship of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (FRANZCP) or equivalent specialist recognition. We also recruit psychiatry registrars for positions supporting their training.

Question 30

Can internationally trained psychiatrists work in Australia?

Accepted Answer

Yes, through a specialist pathway assessment via the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists and AHPRA registration. Our in-house regulatory team supports this process alongside your job search.

Question 31

What is the difference between locum and permanent psychiatry work?

Accepted Answer

Locum psychiatry work covers a defined period, useful if you want flexibility, are between permanent roles, or want to try telepsychiatry or a new location. Permanent psychiatry work is an ongoing position, better suited if you want continuity of care with your patients and to build a long-term clinical relationship with a service.

Question 32

Do I need to be a Fellow of RANZCR to work as a radiologist with Wavelength?

Accepted Answer

Most consultant radiology roles require Fellowship of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (FRANZCR) or equivalent specialist recognition. We also recruit radiology registrars and trainees for positions supporting their training.

Question 33

Can I work as a radiologist remotely through teleradiology?

Accepted Answer

Yes, teleradiology is one of the more established remote-work pathways in medicine. We recruit for teleradiology roles, both locum and permanent, that let you report from home or another location, subject to the credentialing and technology requirements of the reporting service.

Question 34

Can internationally trained radiologists work in Australia?

Accepted Answer

Yes, through a specialist pathway assessment via the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists and AHPRA registration. Our in-house regulatory team supports this process alongside your job search.

Question 35

What is the difference between locum, permanent and teleradiology work?

Accepted Answer

Locum radiology work covers a defined period on-site or remotely. Permanent radiology work is an ongoing role, either on-site or as a standing teleradiology contract. Teleradiology itself is not a separate employment type, it is a way of delivering radiology reporting remotely, and can be structured as locum or permanent work depending on the arrangement.

Question 36

Do I need to be a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons to work with Wavelength?

Accepted Answer

Most permanent consultant and staff specialist roles require Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (FRACS) or an equivalent specialist recognition. We also recruit surgical registrars and trainees for positions that support their training pathway.

Question 37

What is the difference between a VMO and a staff specialist surgical role?

Accepted Answer

A visiting medical officer (VMO) is engaged by a hospital on a sessional basis, often alongside private practice, and is paid per session or list. A staff specialist is a salaried, full-time or part-time hospital employee. Both are permanent arrangements, the right one depends on whether you want to combine hospital and private work or focus on one setting.

Question 38

Can overseas-trained surgeons work in Australia?

Accepted Answer

Yes, through a specialist pathway assessment via the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and AHPRA registration. Our in-house regulatory team supports this process alongside your job search, including area of need and Section 19AB considerations where relevant.

Question 39

How is locum surgical pay usually structured?

Accepted Answer

Locum surgical pay is typically a session or day rate, reflecting the complexity of the list, on-call requirements and location. We negotiate this on your behalf before you accept a booking, alongside travel and accommodation where applicable.

Question 40

Are rural and regional O&G roles available through Wavelength?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Rural and regional maternity services often need locum and permanent O&G support, and we can also assist with travel and accommodation for these placements. Availability varies by location and service, so register your interest and we will match you to current opportunities.

Question 41

Do I need to be a Fellow of RANZCOG to work with Wavelength?

Accepted Answer

Most consultant O&G roles require Fellowship of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (FRANZCOG) or equivalent specialist recognition. We also recruit O&G registrars for positions supporting their training.

Question 42

Can internationally trained obstetricians and gynaecologists work in Australia?

Accepted Answer

Yes, through a specialist pathway assessment via the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and AHPRA registration. Our in-house regulatory team supports this process alongside your job search.

Question 43

What is the difference between locum and permanent O&G work?

Accepted Answer

Locum O&G work covers a defined period, useful if you want flexibility, are between permanent roles, or want to try a rural placement or a new location. Permanent O&G work is an ongoing position, better suited if you want continuity of care with your patients and to build a long-term clinical relationship with a service.

Resources for our doctors

We're here to help.

Find resources to support your job search below.

Once you're ready to get started, register your details and one of our consultants will be in touch!

Register with Wavelength

Listen to our Podcast

Read the Wavelength blog

Regulatory & Migration support

Watch our webinar for GPs considering a move to Australia

Download our Guide to Locum Work

Questions we hear from our doctors

Health Professionals

How long does AHPRA registration take for an internationally trained specialist?

How long does AHPRA registration take for an internationally trained specialist?

Do I need to sit the AMC exam as an internationally trained doctor?

Do I need to sit the AMC exam as an internationally trained doctor?

Can I bring my family to Australia when I come to work as a doctor?

Can I bring my family to Australia when I come to work as a doctor?

What is the difference between full AHPRA registration and limited registration?

What is the difference between full AHPRA registration and limited registration?

Anaesthetics

Do I need to be a Fellow of ANZCA to work as an anaesthetist with Wavelength?

Do I need to be a Fellow of ANZCA to work as an anaesthetist with Wavelength?

Can internationally trained anaesthetists work in Australia?

Can internationally trained anaesthetists work in Australia?

Are pain medicine roles available through Wavelength?

Are pain medicine roles available through Wavelength?

How is locum anaesthetics pay usually structured?

How is locum anaesthetics pay usually structured?

Emergency Medicine

Do I need to be a FACEM to work in emergency medicine in Australia?

Do I need to be a FACEM to work in emergency medicine in Australia?

How quickly can I start a locum emergency medicine booking?

How quickly can I start a locum emergency medicine booking?

Can internationally trained emergency medicine specialists work in Australia?

Can internationally trained emergency medicine specialists work in Australia?

General Medicine Physicians

Do I need to be a Fellow of the RACP to work as a physician with Wavelength?

Do I need to be a Fellow of the RACP to work as a physician with Wavelength?

What is the difference between a general medicine role and a subspecialty physician role?

What is the difference between a general medicine role and a subspecialty physician role?

Can internationally trained physicians work in Australia?

Can internationally trained physicians work in Australia?

Are locum general medicine roles available in regional Australia?

Are locum general medicine roles available in regional Australia?

General Practice

What is the difference between locum and permanent GP work?

What is the difference between locum and permanent GP work?

Do I need to work in a DPA location to bill Medicare as a GP?

Do I need to work in a DPA location to bill Medicare as a GP?

How much notice do GP practices usually need before a locum booking?

How much notice do GP practices usually need before a locum booking?

Can internationally trained GPs apply for these roles?

Can internationally trained GPs apply for these roles?

Do I need to be a Fellow of CICM to work as an intensivist with Wavelength?

Do I need to be a Fellow of CICM to work as an intensivist with Wavelength?

Are retrieval medicine roles available through Wavelength?

Are retrieval medicine roles available through Wavelength?

Can internationally trained intensivists work in Australia?

Can internationally trained intensivists work in Australia?

What is the difference between locum and permanent ICU work?

What is the difference between locum and permanent ICU work?

Do I need to be a Fellow of the RACP to work as a paediatrician with Wavelength?

Do I need to be a Fellow of the RACP to work as a paediatrician with Wavelength?

Are there paediatric jobs in regional and rural Australia?

Are there paediatric jobs in regional and rural Australia?

Can internationally trained paediatricians work in Australia?

Can internationally trained paediatricians work in Australia?

What is the difference between locum and permanent paediatric work?

What is the difference between locum and permanent paediatric work?

Psychiatry

Are telepsychiatry roles available through Wavelength?

Are telepsychiatry roles available through Wavelength?

Do I need to be a Fellow of RANZCP to work with Wavelength?

Do I need to be a Fellow of RANZCP to work with Wavelength?

Can internationally trained psychiatrists work in Australia?

Can internationally trained psychiatrists work in Australia?

What is the difference between locum and permanent psychiatry work?

What is the difference between locum and permanent psychiatry work?

Radiology