Pathways to PR for Doctors and Limited Registration

The visa rules for the permanent employer sponsored visas changed significantly in March 2018. Pathways to permanent residence for medical practitioners with limited registration appear to have been adversely effected. Under the old visa rules, medical practitioners with limited registration were provided with a pathway to permanent residence under the subclass 186 and subclass 187 temporary residence transition stream pathway. Under the new rules, it appears that medical practitioners may now need general registration in order to be nominated for permanent residence. The wording of the relevant section of the policy states:

An applicant is ‘eligible for registration, licensing or membership’ when they have been fully assessed and their eligibility to hold the registration, licence or professional membership has been confirmed by the relevant body.

There are two elements to the above and their distinction is important for those who hold ‘Provisional Registration’ but require ‘General Registration’ in order to be fully registered, licensed, or hold professional membership:

• ‘Fully assessed’ requires that all the requisite assessment items as set by the relevant body have been satisfactorily completed.
• The second element requires that, on the basis of the above assessment items, ‘the relevant body has confirmed their eligibility to hold the registration, licence or professional membership’. That is, the application for registration, supported by the relevant assessment items, must have been successful and the relevant industry body must have actually upgraded the applicant’s provisional registration to full or general registration/license/membership.

This appears to represent a significant change in government policy. We will contact the Permanent Skilled Policy Section (Department of Home Affairs) to request clarification on this important issue. We will update this Blog once we have received a detailed response from the Department.