Which Australian Registration Pathway Am I On?

There are three main routes for an international medical graduate to reach Australian registration, and which one is yours is decided by facts about your training and registration — not by how strong your CV is. This page is the decision tree in plain prose. For a personalised answer in two minutes, use the eligibility quiz — it asks the same questions below and shows your likely pathway and timeline.

The three pathways

  • Competent Authority pathway — no AMC exams, for doctors trained and fully registered with a recognised authority (UK, Ireland, US, Canada, New Zealand). Ends in general registration.
  • Specialist pathway — a college recognises your completed overseas specialty. Ends in specialist registration.
  • Standard AMC pathway — exam-based (AMC MCQ + clinical assessment), for everyone else. Ends in general registration.

The decision tree

Step 1 — Where did you train, and what registration do you hold? If you completed your medical training in a recognised Competent Authority country (the long-standing list: the UK, Ireland, the United States, Canada, New Zealand) and hold full registration with that authority, you are eligible for the Competent Authority pathway — the fastest route, with no AMC exams. See Competent Authority vs Standard AMC.

Step 2 — Do you hold a completed specialist qualification you want recognised? If you trained elsewhere but have a completed specialty (including specialist general practice), test the Specialist pathway: the relevant Australian college assesses your training as substantially, partially, or not comparable to its Fellowship. This applies even to some doctors who also qualify for the Competent Authority route — see Competent Authority vs Specialist pathway for which to choose.

Step 3 — Otherwise: the Standard AMC pathway. If neither applies — your country is not a recognised Competent Authority and you have no completed specialty to assess (or it was judged not comparable) — your route is the Standard AMC pathway: pass the AMC CAT MCQ, complete the clinical component, then progress through supervised practice to general registration. See the Standard AMC pathway guide.

A worked example

A UK GP with MRCGP and CCT clears Step 1 immediately (Competent Authority eligible) and Step 2 (a completed specialty RACGP can assess). They genuinely have a choice, and the trade-off is covered in Competent Authority vs Specialist pathway. A doctor trained outside the recognised countries with no completed specialty falls straight to Step 3 and the Standard pathway.

What is the same whichever pathway you are on

  • English language proficiency is required on all three (IELTS, OET, PTE Academic, or a recognised exemption) — see the English-test guide.
  • A period of supervised practice precedes unrestricted practice.
  • Section 19AB — the 10-year Medicare location restriction — applies to every new IMG regardless of pathway, with the clock starting at your first Medicare provider number. New IMGs in metro areas typically earn first through after-hours work.
  • The end state — the ability to practise and bill in Australia — is the same; the pathway only changes how you get there.

Confirm before you rely on it

Recognised authorities, exam structures, and college criteria are set by the AMC, the Medical Board of Australia, and the specialist colleges, and change from time to time:

See also: Competent Authority vs Standard AMC · Competent Authority vs Specialist pathway · AMC Standard vs Specialist pathway · Check your eligibility now