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.
Hi.
With regards to the post, is there any update whether doctors who held the 457 visa prior to March 2017, would they too be affected by the changes.
Thanks.
Hi Yashwant,
Doctors who held the 457 visa prior to 18 April 2017 can access certain transitional arrangements as long as they can meet the other requirements of the TRT stream. Everyone’s situation is slightly different and so we are recommending that doctors in this situation get professional advice if they have any concerns about their pathways to permanent residence.
Hi Yashwant, doctors continue to have multiple pathways to permanent residence and were included in the 457 grandfathering provisions. It’s impossible to advise on your situation without knowing more about you.
Hi,
I am a specialist doctor and have been assesed by Royal college for specialist pathway and outcome is positive. I am eligible for limited registration and don’t have any job offer. Can my spouse can get 5 points because she is the primary applicant for PR?
Hi Mani, in order for your wife to be able to claim points for spouse skills you must be under 45 years old, have competent English, have a suitable skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority for your nominated skilled occupation AND your partner’s nominated skilled occupation must be on the same skilled occupations list as your nominated skilled occupation.
We do not have enough information about you or your wife to be able to answer this question. See:https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-support/departmental-forms/online-forms/points-calculator
It does appear, however, that you are unlikely to meet the skills assessment requirement at this stage.
Hi Mani, I am in a similar situation. My wife is a specialist doctor with limited registration and currently working.
I’m an Engineer with my skills assessment valid, but not sure if her limited registration is considered a valid skills assessment. Let me know what happened to you please.
Please what are the steps to take as a doctor for PR…I don’t seem to get my way around it..Informations online is quite confusing. Please help. I want to start this process.
Hello Mani,
I want to enquire about my wife.
she is on limited registration. she is working as a GP doctor under one employee from the last 3 and a half years.
she was on 457 and now visa is going to transfer into 482.
my question is will she be eligible for the 186 TR stream pathway.