Getting your overseas qualifications recognised

To work as a health professional in Queensland, you must apply for and be registered with the relevant Australian National Board.

For most healthcare workers, this is managed by the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (AHPRA).

Medical practitioners

Registration

If you’re an internationally qualified medical practitioner, you must be registered with the Medical Board of Australia.

Your level of registration must allow you to start working with us and:

• meet the requirements of your employment
• perform the full duties and responsibilities of your role
• legally practice in accordance with the national law.

Assessment pathways

Before you can be registered, you must be eligible for one of the following assessment pathways.

• Competent Authority pathway.
• Standard pathway.
• Specialist pathway.

Read more about assessment pathways to registration for international medical graduates on the Medical Board of Australia website.

Nurses and midwives

The following registration and assessment pathway applies to enrolled nurses (EN), registered nurses (RN) and midwives.

Registration

If you’re an internationally qualified nurse or midwife (IQNM), you must be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia.

Assessment pathways

Before you can be registered, you must complete all the requirements in the outcomes-based assessment pathway.

It is important that you have a good understanding of what it is like to work within the Australian healthcare system as it can be quite different to healthcare systems in other countries. The NMBA has developed an orientation program to introduce IQNMs to a range of concepts relating to the Australian healthcare context.

Allied health practitioners

Depending on your profession, you may need to have your overseas qualifications recognised through a regulatory authority for your specialty or discipline.

We have a list of allied health professions and how to apply for registration for each one.

You can also find general registration information for international practitioners on the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) website.