Aussie-trained foreign doctors exempt from visa action

Thousands of foreign students and medical graduates will be protected from a federal plan to cut overseas-trained doctors.

Fast-tracked approvals for positions will be offered to “the international medical students graduating from an Australian university (Aust­ralian-trained doctors)”.

Thousands of foreign students and medical graduates will be protect­ed from a federal government plan to curtail the use of overseas-trained doctors, allowing them to stay in Australia to work.

Under the plan, announced in the May budget but still being finalise­d, the government will next month start to reduce the number of visas approved for GPs, resident medical officers and some other positions.

With a growing number of local graduates, but a persistent shortage of doctors in various rural and remote areas, the governme­nt wants more power to address workforce maldistrib­ution. It has also forecast $415.5 million in savings by reducing over-servicing in the cities.

Under the new arrangements, prospective employers will need to prove they are unable to recruit Australian medicos and seek endorseme­nt from an agency representi­ng the government befor­e a visa is approved.

Documents obtained by The Australian under Freedom of Information laws show “automatic or expedited position endorsements” will be given to public hospitals, employers in rural, remote and regional areas, and for extensions of existing employment arrangements. Briefing notes show fast-tracked approvals will also be offered to “the international medical students graduating from an Australian university (Aust­ralian-trained doctors)”.

According to the latest official figure­s, there were 17,056 medical students in Australian universities last year, including 2668 stud­ents from overseas.

The number of international medical graduates is forecast to increase, to 583 next year and 609 the following year. The budget announcement of a Murray-Darling medical school network also allowe­d some universities to offer additional fee-paying places to international students.

The Australian Medical Stud­ents Association has previously expressed concern that the increas­e in university places will make it harder for graduates to do further training and find work.

Governments are also working on a national medical workforce plan to address maldistribution.