The AHPRA process for a UK or Irish doctor has six steps: (1) confirm eligibility and gather documents, (2) have your qualifications verified at source through the AMC and ECFMG (EPIC), (3) secure a supervised position and visa, (4) apply to AHPRA for provisional registration, (5) complete 12 months of supervised practice, (6) apply for general registration. No AMC exams. About 15–17 months end to end, with your first paid shift around month three.
If you hold a UK or Irish medical degree (or passed PLAB) and completed Foundation Year 1 or an Irish internship, you register through Australia's Competent Authority pathway. This is the action-by-action version of that process: what you do, in order, and how long each step takes. To track these steps against your own situation, use the interactive pathway navigator.
The AHPRA process at a glance
Each row links down to the section that explains it. Tick any box to keep this list in Pathway Navigator (free) — it opens at the Eligibility + Primary Source Verification step, the one you are reading, with the 6 items below and the documents each one needs.
| Step | What happens | Who you deal with | Typical time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eligibility check, documents, Certificate of Good Standing | GMC / Irish Medical Council | ~4 weeks | |
| 2 | Primary source verification (AMC / ECFMG EPIC) | AMC, ECFMG | Several weeks | |
| 3 | Job offer with an approved supervisor; visa if needed | Employer, Home Affairs | In parallel with 1–2 | |
| 4 | Provisional registration | AHPRA | 4–6 weeks | |
| 5 | Supervised practice (paid) | Your supervisor, the Board | 12 months (min. 47 weeks FTE) | |
| 6 | General registration | AHPRA | 6–8 weeks |
"AHPRA" and "the Medical Board" are two halves of one system: the Medical Board of Australia sets the standards and makes the registration decisions, and AHPRA (the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency) runs the applications and the register. There is no separate Competent Authority application to the Board: you apply once, through AHPRA, for provisional registration.
The six steps, in order
Step 1 — Confirm eligibility and gather your documents
Check you qualify for the Competent Authority pathway (a UK or Irish medical degree, or PLAB, plus the matching supervised experience such as Foundation Year 1 or an Irish internship). The categories, what does not count and the edge cases are in Do UK and Irish doctors qualify for the Competent Authority pathway?. Then assemble: your primary medical degree and transcripts, a Certificate of Good Standing from the GMC or Irish Medical Council and from every other regulator you have been registered with (sent directly to AHPRA and dated within three months of AHPRA receiving your application), and evidence of recent practice. Budget about 4 weeks — the Certificate of Good Standing is usually the long pole.
Step 2 — Get your qualifications verified at source
Have your primary medical qualification verified through the AMC and ECFMG (EPIC). There is no separate Competent Authority assessment, fee or outcome letter, and there is no AMC MCQ or Clinical exam on this pathway. Verification takes several weeks, so start it early.
Source: MBA Competent Authority pathway ↗
Step 3 — Secure a position and visa (do this in parallel)
You can — and should — start applying for jobs early; this step runs alongside Steps 1–2. AHPRA registration requires a confirmed position with an approved supervisor. If you are not an Australian or New Zealand citizen, your employer typically sponsors an employer-nominated work visa (commonly the 482). Visa timing varies, so begin once you have a likely offer. For a general practice position you also complete a PESCI (pre-employment structured clinical interview) for that specific position, with an AMC-accredited provider, before you apply for registration.
Step 4 — Apply to AHPRA for provisional registration
With your verified qualifications, a confirmed supervised position, and professional indemnity insurance, apply to AHPRA for provisional registration. The Board checks your Competent Authority category as part of this application. Processing takes 4-6 weeks processing (Ahpra: most in 4-5 weeks, up to 6; apply at least three months before your start date, up to six months ahead; in its peak period Ahpra asks for at least 8 weeks). Once granted, you can legally practise medicine in Australia.
Source: AHPRA registration process ↗
Step 5 — Complete supervised practice
Work under supervision — typically Level 3 for UK/IE GPs, meaning you practise independently with a supervisor available for consultation. This is paid clinical work: you bill Medicare and can take independent after-hours shifts from the start. Expect 12 months (minimum 47 weeks FTE) of supervised practice with satisfactory progress reports.
Source: MBA supervision guidelines ↗
Step 6 — Apply for general (full) registration
Once your supervisor submits a satisfactory final report, apply to AHPRA for general registration. There are no further exams. Processing takes 6-8 weeks processing, after which you hold unrestricted registration.
Source: AHPRA registration standards ↗
How long does the whole thing take?
About 15–17 months from application to general registration, but you reach your first paid shift about 3–4 months from starting your application — supervised practice is earning time, not a waiting period. See the full breakdown in how long it takes a UK GP to start working in Australia.
Medicare and after-hours billing (runs alongside Steps 4–6)
To bill Medicare you also apply for a provider number and, in a metropolitan area, a Section 19AB after-hours exemption — Services Australia publishes no processing time for provider numbers (our estimate: 2-4 weeks (our estimate; Services Australia publishes no processing time)). The Department may take up to 28 working days to assess an exemption, and both can run during supervised practice. Model your expected earnings with the income estimator.
What most people get wrong
The supervised-practice period (Step 5) is not dead time — you earn from the first week. And Steps 2 and 3 overlap: applicants who wait for verification to finish before job-hunting add months unnecessarily. Run them in parallel.