Overseas Recruitment: Frequently asked questions
Overseas Recruitment: Frequently asked questions
Below are a list of frequently asked questions NSW Health has received about the Panel of
Overseas Recruitment Agencies (PORA). If you any questions or comments please email us
1. We recruit a lot of overseas Health Professionals using resources within our in-house recruitment team. Do we now have to use a member of the Panel of Recruitment Agencies (PORA) to recruit all Health Professionals from overseas?
- manage the recruitment of overseas Health Professionals in-house; or
- engage with a PORA member to place and/or screen suitable candidates from overseas.
In accordance with PD2009_024, PHOs may not pay fees for placement and/or screening services of overseas candidates to non-PORA agencies
2. What recruitment agencies are members of the PORA?
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Challis Recruitment
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Chandler Macleod
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Flexstaff (trading as HealthStaff)
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Hays Recruitment
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IPA Personnel
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Professional Connections
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Vital
It should be noted that not all agencies can screen and / or place to all health professions. Please contact us for more information
3. Who is the PORA coordinator at my PHO?
4. If I choose to use a member of the PORA, how do I do that?
There are 3 steps in engaging with a PORA member:
- Contact the PORA coordinator at your PHO.
- The PORA Coordinator will contact PORA members to source suitable candidates and organise a Letter of Engagement to the appropriate PORA member.
- The PORA Coordinator will forward suitable candidate details to you or arrange for you to liaise with the PORA member directly.
Having found a suitable candidate, interview and recruitment should be carried out in accordance with appropriate NSW Health recruitment & selection policies.
5. If an agency not on the PORA presents a candidate can we recruit the candidate and pay the agency fee?
No. PHOs can only pay fees to PORA members for the screening / placement of overseas candidates as per PD2009_024. The agency presenting the candidate should be referred to all PORA members to set up a sub contract if so desired.
6. We have overseas candidates that are going through the screening and placement process from other agencies. Can we continue to progress with these candidates?
Any candidate being considered who was presented to the PHO before 11 August 2008 can be progressed. Fees for the placement and/or screening of any overseas candidate presented after that date may only be paid to PORA members, as per PD2009_024.
7. Does NSW Department of Health pay the PORA for their services?
No, each PHO who engages a member of the PORA must pay for the services used.
8. How much do the PORA charge for their services?
Contact your local PORA Coordinator for further information on fees.
9. If a candidate leaves before fulfilling their contract or is deemed unsuitable, will the PORA replace them at no additional cost?
Members of the PORA provide a variety of replacement options. Contact your local PORA coordinator for further information.
10. The PORA supply candidate CVs on a template - is this the only way we can receive them?
Neither Australian nor overseas candidates are required to write their own CVs
11. Does the PORA apply to locum positions?
No - but you must use an agency on the NSW Health Register of Medical Locum Agencies.
12. I want to recruit an Australian qualified, Australian citizen / permanent resident health professional who has current Australian registration but is located overseas - do I have to use a member of the PORA?
No - you may use the services of any recruitment agency after obtaining consent of the Director General, in line with current NSW Health recruitment and selection policy.
13. I want to recruit an overseas qualified health professional who has current Australian registration and is located in Australia - do I have to use a member of the PORA?
No - you may use the services of any recruitment agency after obtaining consent of the Director General, in line with current NSW Health recruitment and selection policy.
14. Why is my preferred recruitment agency not on the PORA?
A Request For Tender process was carried out by the Department and each bid was measured against set criteria. The agencies with the highest overall scores were successful with their bids.
15. Is the PORA a substitute for the Area of Need program?
No. The Area of Need program is a registration pathway for international medical graduates and is entirely different to the PORA.
If a PHO wishes to recruit to an Area of Need position from overseas, it may either:
- manage recruitment to the position internally; or
- engage with a PORA member to place and/or screen a suitable candidate from overseas.
For further information on Area of Need and current vacancies, please visit http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/aon
16. I've heard that PHOs may incur some additional costs when recruiting from overseas, such as for health insurance. Is this the case?
Refer to the relevant visa category on the Department of Immigration and Citizenship website http://www.immi.gov.au for up-to-date information on Employer obligations when sponsoring professionals from overseas.
17. My agency is not a member of the PORA - can we still present candidates to NSW Health?
PHOs may only pay fees for overseas recruitment services to PORA members - in accordance with PD2009_024. Overseas candidates must be presented to the NSW public health system through a PORA member and it is suggested that a subcontract is entered into with a PORA member. Please note that all subcontracts must be agreed by the Department in writing prior to any recruitment activity being carried out by the subcontractor.
18. How long is the PORA in place for?
As per the original Request For Tender documentation, the PORA is in place until 10 August 2011, with options to extend the agreement for a further 2 years.
19. Does the PORA apply to locum positions?
No, but the agency must be on the NSW Health Register of Medical Locum Agencies in order to provide locums to the NSW public health system. For more information, please visit http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/aboutus/business/locums/index.asp