Visas and sponsorships
Queensland Health recognises the value internationally skilled clinical professionals add to our workforce.
International applicants will require a visa to work in Australia. Queensland Health will assist future employees with information about visas during the employment process.
Business sponsorship
A number of visas may be used by Queensland Health to sponsor health professionals:
Temporary Business Long Stay Visa (Subclass 457): This is the preferred visa for international staff employed by Queensland Health. Queensland Health is required to apply to sponsor 457 visa applicants and must also submit a nomination application referencing the specific position that the visa applies to. This visa is valid for 4 years and also allows applicant's spouse or partner to work unlimited hours.
Employer Nominated Scheme (ENS): This visa provides permanent residency for highly skilled staff from overseas, or temporary residents currently in Australia. This visa can be sought when the employer is unable to fill a vacancy from within the Australian labour market or through their own training programs.
Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS): This permanent residency visa allows employers in regional or low population growth areas of Australia to fill skilled positions that they are unable to fill from the local labour market.
Independent applications
Health professionals are able to apply independently for:
Skilled Independent visa: points tested visa for permanent residency.
Queensland Government Skilled Nomination visas: include temporary and permanent residency options for in demand skilled workers.
Working holiday makers
If you are a UK registered dentist aged between 18 and 30 coming to work in Australia, you may be eligible for a Working Holiday Visa (Subclass 417). This visa allows you to supplement the cost of your holiday through short-term employment. If granted this visa, you are able to stay in Australia for up to 12 months, and allowed to work for up to 6 months with each employer.
Registration requirements
Additional registration requirements exist for clinicians who complete their qualifications in a country other than Australia. This may include an application for recognition of qualifications through the regulatory authority for your specialty / discipline.
Find out about requirements to practise:
Standards for the National Boards, under the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Authority are consistent for English language proficiency and require minimum scores of 7 or more in each of the four components of the academic module of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).
Australian citizenship
Applicants for Australian citizenship must meet certain requirements. A person must have lawfully resided and been present in Australia (on a temporary or permanent visa) for four years, including 12 months as a permanent resident in the period immediately preceding an application for citizenship.
Absences from Australia must be no greater than 12 months in the preceding four years (and not greater than 90 days in the 12 months immediately prior to an application for citizenship).
Read more about Australian citizenship
