How this Visa Works

You must be sponsored by an approved Australian employer to be eligible to apply for this visa.

You should not lodge your visa application until you have received confirmation that your sponsorship has been approved.

Application process

The process for applying for this visa is outlined below.

Who	Responsibility
Sponsoring organisation	find an overseas doctor to fill your nominated position provide an offer of full–time employment to the doctor ensure that the doctor can meet Medical Board registration requirements apply to sponsor the doctor for a medical practitioner visa meet your obligations under the sponsorship.
Doctor	accept the offer of employment apply to the relevant state or territory Medical Board for registration to practice in Australia apply for a medical practitioner visa apply to Medicare Australia for a Medicare Provider Number (if required) meet your obligations under the visa.

Sponsoring organisations

Sponsoring organisations can be:

• direct employers from the health industry
• state and territory health authorities
• deputising services and locum agencies
• community bodies such as local councils, government health organisations and medical centres in regional areas.

Work rights

While in Australia you can work:

• for the employer who sponsored you in the position nominated in your visa application
• for multiple unrelated employers
• as an independent contractor.

Bringing family

The following people may be included in your application:

• your partner
• your or your partner's dependent children
• other dependent relatives.

Family members who are granted a temporary visa are entitled to work and study in Australia.

Visa validity period

The validity period of the:

• sponsorship is 12 months
• temporary visa is between three months and four years.

Extending your stay

If you currently hold a Subclass 422 – Medical Practitioner (Temporary) visa and decide to apply for a further visa to extend your stay, a new sponsorship and visa application must be lodged.
See: Apply for this visa

Other visa options

Doctors and their sponsors should consider applying for the Subclass 457 – Business (Long Stay) visa instead of the Subclass 422 – Medical Practitioner (Temporary) visa as the Subclass 457 visa now supports the same flexible working arrangements of medical practitioners that are available under the Subclass 422 visa.

The Subclass 457 – Business (Long Stay) visa offers the following advantages:

• it can be lodged online
• it allows organisations to make multiple nominations for doctors under the same sponsorship
• organisations can nominate other health professionals such as nurses, radiologists etc under the same sponsorship.
• it allows doctors to work for the employer who sponsored them, for multiple unrelated employers or as an independent contractor.
  See: Temporary Business (Long Stay) - Standard Business Sponsorship (Subclass 457)

Definitions

These definitions will help you understand the information on these pages.
See: Definitions

More information

More information about temporary residence visas is available on the department's website.
See: Fact Sheet 47 – Temporary Residence in Australia