Five Year International Medical Graduate Recruitment Scheme

Looking to fast-track your GP career in Australia?

The Five-Year International Medical Graduate (IMG) Recruitment Scheme offers overseas-trained doctors the opportunity to work in rural and remote communities, while progressing toward specialist registration and reducing their moratorium.

Previously known as the Five Year Overseas Trained Doctor Recruitment Scheme, this initiative supports both IMGs and communities, helping build a more sustainable GP workforce where it’s needed most.

Depending on location, doctors may be able to reduce the 10-year moratorium to as little as 3 years, all while gaining valuable experience and building a long-term future in Australia.

Why consider the scheme?

For many IMGs, this pathway offers more than just a job, it’s a structured, supported way to establish your GP career in Australia.

You’ll have the opportunity to:

• Gain hands-on experience in Australian general practice
• Work across a broader scope of medicine in high-need communities
• Progress toward Fellowship and specialist registration
• Potentially fast-track your moratorium requirements
• Build meaningful connections within close-knit communities

It’s also a lifestyle opportunity, with many doctors and families choosing to stay long-term after experiencing the professional and personal benefits of regional Australia.

What support does it provide?

A structured pathway into Australian general practice

Throughout the scheme, IMGs continue their GP training while working in approved locations, gaining valuable local experience and progressing toward Fellowship.

Access to Medicare

Doctors on the scheme can access the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS), allowing them to provide Medicare-funded services and build a patient base within their community.

Incentives to work in high-need areas

The scheme is designed to encourage long-term placement in areas that need it most, with reduced restrictions and support to help IMGs settle into both their role and the local community.

A pathway to permanent residency

For many IMGs, this pathway aligns with longer-term plans to live and work in Australia, offering greater stability for themselves and their families.

Location categories and moratorium reduction

One of the key benefits of the scheme is how location impacts your moratorium.

Eligible locations are determined by workforce need (not just MMM or DPA classification) and are reviewed regularly. The more challenging the location, the greater the incentive.

Category A – Highest need locations

• Typically MMM5–MMM7 communities with very limited GP access
• Often small or remote communities, including Indigenous health settings
• Moratorium reduced from 10 years to 3 years

Category B – Very high need locations

• Similar recruitment and retention challenges as Category A
• Remote or hard-to-fill locations
• Moratorium reduced from 10 years to 4 years

Category C – High need locations

• Covers broader MMM2–MMM7 areas
• Includes many regional and outer metro DPA locations
• Moratorium reduced from 10 years to 5 years

These categories reflect how difficult it is to recruit and retain GPs in each area, with the greatest incentives offered in the highest-need locations.

Note: Category timeframes may vary depending on program guidelines and location updates, as eligible areas are reviewed regularly.

Eligibility criteria

To apply, you will need to:

• Hold (or be eligible for) registration with the Medical Board of Australia
• Be able to obtain a Medicare provider number at your placement location
• Be working toward, or intending to obtain permanent residency or citizenship
• Commit to a minimum of 7 sessions per week
• Be enrolled in (or planning to join) a GP training pathway leading to specialist registration

How the application process works

Applications are assessed by the Rural Doctors Network (RDN), who determine eligibility for:

• The doctor
• The practice
• The location

All applications are reviewed against current workforce needs and program guidelines.
Eligible locations are reviewed annually and may change.

Lifestyle benefits of working in regional and rural Australia

Beyond career progression, many doctors are drawn to the lifestyle that regional Australia offers:

• More space, shorter commutes, and a slower pace of life
• Safe, family-friendly communities
• Greater work-life balance, allowing more time together
• More affordable housing compared to city living

Support for families and long-term planning

Relocating isn’t just a professional decision, it’s a family one.

Regional and rural areas often offer:

• Access to quality schools and strong community networks
• Potential ATAR adjustment incentives for students completing schooling in regional areas, supporting university entry pathways

For many doctors, it’s a move that benefits not just their career, but their family’s future as well.

The bigger picture

This isn’t just a short-term solution.

By aligning training, incentives and location-based support, the Five-Year IMG Recruitment Scheme is designed to strengthen healthcare access in rural and remote Australia, not just today, but long-term.

For many GPs, it represents an opportunity to build a rewarding career in communities where their skills are genuinely needed.

Want to learn more?

The Five-Year IMG Recruitment Scheme is a strong option for IMGs looking to build a long-term career in Australia while making a genuine difference.

If you’re exploring your options, we’re happy to guide you and discuss job options that fall within the location categories.

Please get in touch for a complimentary, no-obligation consultation.

Amy Dent
+61 412 174 152
amy.dent@dxcmedical.com.au