UK Doctors Moving to Australia in 2026: AHPRA Registration, Salaries, Visas & Jobs Explained

If you're a doctor in the UK thinking about moving to Australia, 2026 could be one of the best times to seriously explore it.

But one of the first things I hear from doctors is:

“I’m interested, but I have absolutely no idea where to start.”

AHPRA. AMC. Competent Authority. Specialist Pathway. Expedited Pathway. Visas. Supervision. Salaries. State health services.

It can quickly become confusing.

So here's my straightforward guide for UK and international doctors considering working in Australia in 2026.

Can UK doctors work in Australia?

Yes — and UK-trained doctors are particularly well placed to make the move.

The important question isn't really whether you can work in Australia.

It's:

Which registration pathway applies to you?

That depends on where you qualified, where you've worked, your level of training and whether you've completed specialist training.

1. The Competent Authority Pathway

For many UK doctors who haven't completed specialist training, the Competent Authority Pathway is the route worth investigating first.

Eligible doctors can avoid sitting the AMC examinations.

You generally obtain provisional registration and complete 12 months of supervised practice in Australia before progressing towards general registration.

This can make Australia particularly attractive to doctors at RMO, SHO, Registrar and equivalent levels.

I've seen doctors assume they'll need to sit the AMC exams when, after reviewing their training history, they may actually have a much more straightforward route available.

Don't assume your pathway before checking it.

2. The Expedited Specialist Pathway

This has been one of the biggest changes for international doctors considering Australia.

Australia has introduced an Expedited Specialist Pathway for doctors holding certain recognised overseas specialist qualifications.

For eligible specialists, this means applying directly for specialist registration rather than first undergoing the traditional specialist college assessment process.

As of 2026, accepted qualifications exist across specialties including:

• Anaesthesia
• General Practice
• Obstetrics & Gynaecology
• Psychiatry
• General Medicine
• General Paediatrics
• Diagnostic Radiology

Further specialties are also being prioritised.

This is particularly relevant to UK and Irish consultants who may have previously looked at Australia and decided the registration process was too complicated.

If that was you, look again.

The pathway landscape has changed significantly.

3. What about Emergency Medicine?

Emergency Medicine is one of the specialties I'm watching particularly closely.

It has been identified as a priority specialty for expansion of the Expedited Specialist Pathway, alongside Dermatology, General Surgery and Otolaryngology/ENT.

Until an appropriate qualification is formally added to the accepted list, however, doctors shouldn't assume they're eligible for the expedited route.

This is exactly why getting your pathway checked before starting applications can save a lot of wasted time.

4. How much do doctors earn in Australia?

This is understandably one of the most searched questions:

“How much do doctors get paid in Australia?”

There isn't one national doctor salary.

Pay varies according to:

• State or territory
• PGY level
• Specialty
• Registrar or consultant level
• Public vs private employment
• Overtime
• Nights
• Weekends and public holidays
• On-call and recall
• Additional allowances

And there's another important difference for UK doctors:

The advertised base salary isn't necessarily what you'll actually earn.

Depending on your contract and roster, overtime, penalty rates and allowances can make a significant difference to total earnings.

Employer superannuation is also paid on top where applicable.

For doctors comparing an NHS salary directly against an Australian base salary, this is an important distinction.

5. Is the Australian lifestyle really better for doctors?

This is subjective — Australia isn't some magical healthcare system where difficult shifts disappear.

Doctors still work nights.

Emergency departments still get busy.

Rural medicine can be extremely demanding.

But the doctors I've helped move to Australia frequently talk about the combination of:

career + earnings + lifestyle.

Finishing a shift and being close to a beach.

Having warmer weather.

Living somewhere with a completely different pace of life.

Getting exposure to rural, regional and tertiary medicine.

And, for some doctors, simply feeling excited about medicine again.

That doesn't mean Australia is right for everyone.

But it's worth investigating properly before ruling it out.

6. Do I need an Australian job before starting AHPRA?

Your registration pathway and employment process are closely connected, and for many IMG registration routes your Australian position and supervision arrangements form an important part of the process.

This is why I generally recommend that doctors don't approach the move as:

Job → Registration → Visa → Move

as four completely separate projects.

They overlap.

A recruiter or hospital that genuinely understands international recruitment should be looking at the whole picture:

Eligibility → Registration pathway → Suitable hospital → Offer → AHPRA → Visa → Relocation

7. Where are Australian hospitals recruiting international doctors?

Opportunities change constantly, but international recruitment remains particularly important across regional and rural Australia.

We're regularly speaking with hospitals looking for doctors across areas including:

• Emergency Medicine
• Psychiatry
• General Medicine
• Anaesthetics
• ICU
• Paediatrics
• Obstetrics & Gynaecology

and other specialties.

And “regional Australia” doesn't necessarily mean the middle of nowhere.

We're talking about locations across Queensland, New South Wales, Western Australia, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and the Northern Territory — including major regional centres with substantial hospitals and established medical training programmes.

8. When should I start applying?

Earlier than most doctors think.

If you're thinking:

“Maybe Australia in 2027…”

I'd start investigating now.

You don't necessarily need to submit an application immediately.

But you should understand:

1. Your likely AHPRA pathway
2. Whether your qualifications need verification
3. What level you'd enter the Australian system at
4. Which hospitals are realistic
5. Your expected salary
6. Your likely visa options
7. How much preparation your registration will require

That allows you to make an informed decision rather than scrambling to organise everything when you've already decided to leave.

Thinking about moving to Australia?

This is what my team and I do every day at Blugibbon.

We work with doctors from the UK, Ireland and internationally who are considering Australia — from junior doctors and Registrars through to experienced Consultants.

And you don't need to have decided you're definitely moving.

If you're simply wondering:

“Could I work in Australia?”

send me your CV.

I'll help establish which registration pathway you're likely to qualify for, what level of roles we should be looking at and where your experience could realistically fit within the Australian hospital system.

📩 shannon@blugibbon.com.au

📱 WhatsApp: +44 7376 478788

Or simply DM me “AUSTRALIA” on LinkedIn and I'll come back to you.

Sometimes the first step isn't applying for a job.

It's just finding out what's possible.

Shannon O'Callaghan Blugibbon | Doctors to Australia 🇦🇺