Free, sourced guidance on Ahpra registration, the AMC pathways and Section 19AB, checked against the regulators’ own pages.
General information, not advice. Registration decisions are made by Ahpra and the Medical Board of Australia.
Where did you qualify?
Pick one to start the eligibility check. Two minutes, no account needed.
Medical Board, Ahpra and AMC pages, each linked and dated.
Ordered by typical time to start work
Shortest timeline
Specialist Recognition
Fastest route for experienced GPs. Board-assessed (no college comparability assessment). Minimal supervised practice required.
Start work
2-3 months
Full registration
8-10 months
Fees
~$3.6k+
Requirements
RACGP/ACRRM comparable training • Fellowship-level experience
Usual route for UK/IE degrees
No AMC exams
Streamlined registration for doctors with a recognised UK, Irish, US, Canadian or NZ exam or program. No AMC exams required. 12 months (minimum 47 weeks FTE) supervised practice.
Start work
3-4 months
Full registration
15-17 months
Fees
~$3.8k+
Eligible countries
UK (GMC + CCT) • Ireland (IMC) • USA • Canada • New Zealand
Most common
Most common pathway
The pathway most international doctors use. Full AMC assessment including MCQ and Clinical examinations.
Start work
12-14 months
Full registration
24-30 months
Fees
~$10.7k+
Required for
Germany • EU/EEA • India • Pakistan • Other countries
A specialist GP qualification the Expedited list does not cover, such as CCFP (Canada) or ABFM (US)? The RACGP's Practice Experience Program Specialist is a fourth route to GP registration.
A physician, surgeon, anaesthetist, psychiatrist or other non-GP specialist? Your specialist college assesses your training on the Specialist pathway (college assessment). Compare all six pathways →
Not a GP? Service roles use Limited Registration and an Area of Need position, which does not lead to general registration: the workforce pathway → Past registration? Work, Medicare and fellowship →
19AB exemptions
The 10-year Medicare moratorium doesn't mean you can only work in rural areas. These exemption pathways let IMGs work in metropolitan areas.
10 years
Medicare moratorium period
New IMGs cannot bill Medicare in metro areas for 10 years — unless they work in Distribution Priority Areas (DPAs) or qualify for exemptions.
Guides and explainers to help you navigate the registration process
Pathway · 5 min read
AHPRA registration for UK and Irish doctors in six steps, with no AMC exams: documents, Competent Authority check, provisional registration, supervised practice, general registration. About 15–17 months.
Pathway · 4 min read
Realistic timeline from MRCGP to first paid shift in Australia. Competent Authority pathway: about 3–4 months from starting your application to earning, 15–17 months to full independence.
Practical · 3 min read
First-year regulatory costs for a UK GP: full breakdown of MBA, AHPRA, insurance, and police-check fees against the current official schedules. Plus what practices often cover.
Exemption · 4 min read
Yes — at Level 3 supervision with the after-hours 19AB exemption. How it works, what you earn, and why metro after-hours is the primary income stream for new UK GPs in Sydney.
General information, not advice. We don’t make decisions for the regulator, and we don’t give visa, migration or legal advice.