If you are an NZ GP with the Fellowship of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (FRNZCGP), you can work as a GP in Australia without sitting exams. Depending on when your Fellowship was issued, you use either the Expedited Specialist Pathway or the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) PEP Specialist Program. If you were a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident when you started medical school, you can work anywhere in Australia.
Becoming a General Practitioner in Australia is a lot simpler for our New Zealand counterparts, and we offer a range of GP jobs in Australia to help you find the role that suits your lifestyle. There is some paperwork when moving from New Zealand, and our dedicated registration team is on hand to make the process as seamless as possible.
Quick summary
- Exams: none for FRNZCGP holders.
- Pathway: Expedited Specialist Pathway if your Fellowship was issued from 2012 onwards and completed through the General Practice Education Programme (GPEP); otherwise the RACGP PEP Specialist Program.
- Supervision: yes, for an initial period on either pathway.
- Location: no restrictions if you were a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident when you started medical school.
- Visa: New Zealand citizens receive a Special Category Visa on arrival.
1. How are New Zealand-trained GPs recognised in Australia?
Your pathway depends on when your FRNZCGP was issued and whether you completed it through GPEP.
| Your FRNZCGP | Pathway |
|---|---|
| Issued 2012 onwards and completed through GPEP | Expedited Specialist Pathway: you apply to the Medical Board of Australia for specialist registration without an RACGP comparability assessment |
| Issued before 2012, or 2012 onwards without GPEP | RACGP PEP Specialist Program: you work towards FRACGP during your first 6 to 12 months in Australia |
2. Will I need to complete exams?
No. No exams are required for New Zealand GPs working in Australia. On the PEP Specialist Program, you complete a workplace-based assessment and other components such as a patient survey. The GPs we have worked with all report that these tasks are not time intensive.
3. Will I require supervision?
Yes, if you are moving on an FRNZCGP pathway: both specialist pathways start with a period of supervised practice. How much depends on your pathway, and for general registration, on where you did your internship.
| Your situation | Supervision | What it involves |
|---|---|---|
| General registration, New Zealand medical graduate with an accredited internship in Australia or New Zealand | No | No additional supervised practice is required |
| General registration, New Zealand medical graduate with an internship in another country | Yes, 12 months (47 weeks full-time equivalent) | Approved supervised practice in Australia before you are eligible for general registration |
Supervision shapes which practices you can join, so we match you with practices that can provide the level your pathway requires.
4. Are there restrictions on where I can work?
If you were a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident when you started medical school, you are treated as an Australian medical graduate and can work anywhere in Australia.
If you hold FRNZCGP but were not a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident when you started medical school, the international medical graduate rules apply. You need to work in a Distribution Priority Area during your 10-year moratorium.
5. Do I need a visa?
If you are a New Zealand citizen, you receive a Special Category Visa on arrival, which lets you live and work in Australia indefinitely. Since 1 July 2023, eligible New Zealand citizens on this visa can apply for Australian citizenship without first getting a permanent visa.
If you are not a New Zealand citizen, you need an employer-sponsored visa, such as the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) or the Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186).
6. How much do GPs earn in Australia?
Based on our latest GP salary survey (published October 2025), the average GP salary in Australia is $345,000 for GPs who work 8 or more sessions per week (full-time). Part-time GPs, working 7 sessions or fewer per week (5 sessions on average), earn an average of $240,000 a year. Most Australian GPs are paid a percentage of their billings, so your earnings depend on your practice, location and billing mix. See our GP salary guide and the 2025 GP Salary Survey results.
Ready to make the move?
Alecto Australia has placed international doctors into Australian general practice for close to three decades, and our service is free for doctors. We confirm your pathway, guide your registration, match you with a practice that can supervise you, and negotiate your package.
Not sure which pathway is yours? Use our GP Eligibility Pathway Tool to know your registration pathway to Australia, or email us at info@alecto.com.au.
