How Much do GPs Earn in Australia

Unlike the NHS, most Australian GPs are paid a percentage of the money they bill rather than a fixed salary.

The practice charges the patient (or Medicare) and the GP typically keeps 60–70% of the billings, with the clinic keeping the rest to cover rooms, staff, and overheads.

For example, if a GP bills AUD $2,500 in a day and is on a 65% split, they take home AUD $1,625 before tax.

Some clinics offer a short guaranteed income when a GP first starts but long term earnings mainly depend on how many patients they see and how they bill.

The key difference from the NHS is the level of flexibility GPs have over both their workload and income. Earnings are largely shaped by how you choose to practise - including appointment lengths, billing approach, clinical focus and the number of sessions you work - rather than being determined by a fixed contract and salary.

📘 The UK GP’s Guide to Relocating to Australia — Full Series

This article is part of our complete guide for UK-trained GPs considering a move to Australia. Each section covers a different stage of the process:

• The Full Guide
• Getting Registered with AHPRA 
• How Much do GPs Earn in Australia? - This Article
• Working Hours for UK GPs in Australia
• Choosing a Location in Australia?
• Guide to the 482 Australian Visa

If you’re early in your research, we recommend starting with the full guide and then working through each section step by step.

Private Vs Medicare

Income mainly comes from Medicare billings (paid by the government), private fees (paid by the patient) or a mix of both.

In ‘bulk billing’ practices, Medicare rebates cover the whole cost for the patient. This set up keeps fees predictable but usually lower per patient so GPs sometimes see a higher volume of patients.

Conversely, in private or mixed billing practices, the GP charges more than the Medicare rebate and the patient pays the difference. The higher income per consultation typically means GPs see fewer patients or run longer appointment times.

For example, a standard Medicare consultation might rebate around AUD $40–$45, whereas a private consultation might charge AUD $80–$100+, with the GP still keeping around 60–70% of whatever is billed.

The key difference is that income for GPs in Australia is largely activity-based and linked directly to how you bill and how many patients you see (rather than a fixed NHS salary), meaning more earning potential and autonomy but also more reliance on personal productivity and billing style.

Will I get a guarantee if I don’t have a patient base?  

This varies from practice to practice but you can rest assured that you’ll never be put in a position where your earnings are too low.

As with the UK, demand for GPs is incredibly high and most practices have far more patients than they can cover.

For some jobs, you may be replacing an outgoing doctor and taking on some or all of their patient lists. For others, they may be hiring because of an identified demand beyond their current scope.

Either way, you’ll start with a patient list that builds up over time and occasionally practices will offer a guarantee to cover your first 3-6 months while your profile builds.

What are typical Year 1 and Year 2 Earnings?

Here are realistic ranges for a UK-qualified GP starting in Australia. We’ll run on a few fairly common assumptions as follows:

• 8 sessions/week (typical full-time)
• 6 weeks off (46 working weeks/year)
• You get 65% of billings (varies by clinic but this is common)

In the first year, most UK GPs arrive without an existing patient base, so income tends to build gradually rather than starting at full capacity. The first few months are sometimes supported by a minimum income guarantee or simply quieter clinics while patients begin to book in, so earnings might feel modest at first before increasing as your diary fills and you start seeing repeat patients. By the middle of the year most GPs are working close to normal capacity, and by the final few months they are usually earning close to their ongoing level.

This is why first-year earnings commonly land somewhere around AUD $240,000 to $300,000 overall. That’s equivalent to £120,000 - £150,000 GBP.

By the second year the difference is stability rather than working harder. You normally have an established patient base, regular follow-ups, and a consistently full diary so income becomes predictable and directly reflects your billing style and workload. At this stage typical full-time GPs sit somewhere in the region of AUD $300,000 to $420,000 (equivalent to £150,000 - £210,000 GBP) or more with variation mostly coming from whether the clinic is bulk billing or mixed/private billing and how long appointments are booked for.

In Summary

In Australia most GPs are paid a percentage of what they bill rather than a fixed salary, which means income is closely linked to how they choose to work. A UK GP moving over will usually earn more in Australia however this ramps up while building a patient base.

First-year earnings commonly sit around AUD $240,000 to $300,000 (equivalent to £120,000 - £150,000 GBP), sometimes supported initially by a minimum income guarantee.

By the second year, once patients are established and diaries are consistently full, many full-time GPs earn in the region of AUD $300,000 to $420,000 (equivalent to £150,000 - £210,000 GBP) or more, particularly in mixed or private billing practices.

One of the biggest differences compared to the NHS is that you have far more control over your working day and earnings. You can influence income by adjusting appointment length, billing style, clinical interests and number of sessions worked rather than being tied to a fixed contract or centrally set structure.

Next Steps

If you’re a UK based GP thinking about moving to Australia you’ll want to know more about registering with AHPRA (the GMC equivalent), finding the perfect job and securing your 482 visa. That’s what BDI Resourcing do – we’ve helped more than 3,000 doctors make international moves and offer a full (and free!) recruitment and relocation concierge service

Drop me an email Aus@BDIResourcing.com with any questions or to talk through your options