How to Apply

Applying for an Area of Need Position and subsequently engaging an international medical graduate to the position involves a number of organisations that play particular and defined roles at various stages of the program, as illustrated in the table below.

See also a flowchart of the process.

Step	Organisation	Action
1	Employer	Determines the need to fill a vacant medical position. Employers are required to discuss the need to fill a medical position with the relevant stakeholder organisation prior to initiating the Area of Need process. more >>
2	Employer	Completes and submits an application for an Area of Need position. Applications can be submitted for a new Area of Need position, to extend an existing Area of Need position, or to modify an existing Area of Need position. more >>
3	NSW Department of Health	Assesses Area of Need applications for vacant medical positions. Area of Need applications are assessed against evidence of need, evidence of labour market testing, and stakeholder involvement criteria. more >>
4	Employer	Recruits and selects. Recruitment and selection is a competitive process where an applicant's skills, qualifications and experience are assessed against selection criteria set by the employers. Employers need to be aware that all medical practitioners who have received their medical training overseas, whether permanent or temporary residents, are eligible to apply for vacant Area of Need positions. Conditional registration will be required and may be granted by the NSW Medical Board following interview and assessment by a clinical panel. Permanent resident doctors trained overseas may apply regardless of their status with the Australian Medical Council and should be considered over temporary resident overseas trained doctors within the context of a merit based selection process.
5	Employer	Applies for conditional registration. Once the employer has selected an overseas-trained doctor for the Area of Need position, the NSW Medical Board or the relevant specialist college have to assess the doctor's suitability to be granted conditional registration for the position. more >>
6	NSW Medical Board	Grants conditional registration.
7	Employer	Submits a nomination for temporary residence in Australia, if applicable. Overseas-trained doctors who are not permanent residents or citizens of Australia will need to obtain a visa to work in Australia. Doctors who do not yet hold full medical registration in Australia can be employed and sponsored as a temporary resident while they are in the process of meeting the requirements to obtain full medical registration. For further information please visit the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) website.
8	Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC)	Grants Temporary Residence Visa.
9	Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing	Issues a Medicare Care Provider Number. The Commonwealth Government regulates access to Medicare Provider Numbers. more >>

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This web page is managed and authorised by Workforce Development & Leadership of the NSW Department of Health. Last updated: 27 March, 2009

How to Apply

1

Employer

Determines the need to fill a vacant medical position.

2

Employer

Completes and submits an application for an Area of Need position.

3

NSW Department of Health

Assesses Area of Need applications for vacant medical positions.

4

Employer

Recruits and selects.

5

Employer

Applies for conditional registration.

6

NSW Medical Board

Grants conditional registration.

7

Employer

Submits a nomination for temporary residence in Australia, if applicable.

8

Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC)

Grants Temporary Residence Visa.

9

Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing

Issues a Medicare Care Provider Number.

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