UK GP Guide to the 482 Australian Visa

Once you’ve secured your registration and job offer as a GP in Australia you’ll just need a visa. The great news is that this is a simple process and well-trodden path for UK trained GPs…

The 482 visa (Temporary Skill Shortage visa) allows UK-trained GPs to work in Australia for an approved employer (usually for up to 4 years) while filling workforce shortage roles. 

Most GPs enter on the Medium-Term stream which allows them to live and work in Australia with full work rights for their sponsoring practice and include family members. 

After 2-3 years of working many GPs become eligible to apply for permanent residency through employer-sponsored or independent visa pathways

It’s commonly used as the initial entry visa because it allows doctors to start work quickly while keeping a clear route to staying in Australia long term.

📘 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?
• Working Hours for UK GPs in Australia
• Choosing a Location in Australia?
• Guide to the 482 Australian Visa - this article

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

Visa Requirements

The great news for you as a UK GP is that the 482 visa is very straightforward because most of the heavy lifting is around getting the job offer and medical registration, not the visa itself. Follow the rest of my guides on how to fulfil the registration and job parts but here’s the visa considerations for completeness:

1️⃣ You need a Sponsoring Employer 

The 482 is an employer-sponsored visa so you can’t apply without a job offer from an Australian practice or medical centre who are happy to nominate you for it. Your employer needs to show the role is genuine and that they can’t easily fill it locally (labour market testing) and they’ve got to pay at the market salary threshold for that job. This is all very straight forward for UK GPs moving to Australian GP practices - most practices will be used to the process.

2️⃣ You must be Eligible to Work as a Doctor in Australia

You’ll need AHPRA registration, recognised medical qualifications and relevant experience as a GP before the visa can be granted. Again the reality for you as a UK GP coming via the expedited pathway is that you already meet this once you hold MRCGP + CCT.

3️⃣ Standard immigration requirements still apply

Even though doctors are in demand, you still need to satisfy the normal migration criteria:

• Proof of identity and qualifications
• English language (usually automatic for UK passport holders)
• Health checks and police clearance
• Private health insurance for the duration of the visa

4️⃣ Your Visa Ties You to Your Employer Initially

You’ll work for the sponsoring practice in the nominated GP role so if you want to change jobs then the new employer would need to take over sponsorship. The good news is that after working for a period (often around 2–3 years) many GPs move onto permanent residency pathways through employer nomination.

The Application Process

1️⃣ Secure a job offer with an approved practice 

This comes before the visa application – the practice agrees to sponsor you and confirms the usual job offer details

2️⃣ Employer lodges sponsorship and nomination 

• Once the contract is agreed the employer must be (or become) an approved sponsor
• They nominate the specific GP role to the government
• They show the job is genuine and couldn’t easily be filled locally
• This is the formal step where Australia approves the position - not you personally

3️⃣ You lodge the visa application online

• After nomination is submitted or approved, you apply for the visa yourself through the Department of Home Affairs portal.
• You upload passport and identity documents, medical qualifications and employment history, AHPRA registration and police / health checks

Immigration then assesses that you meet the skills, experience, health and character requirements.

4️⃣ Visa granted!

Once approved you can enter Australia and start work with the sponsoring practice. 

How Long Does it Take?

Processing times vary and you should allow for delay but the reality for doctors is that it’s relatively quick compared to other visas because GP roles are in shortage areas 

You can track the current processing times using this handy tool from the Department of Home Affairs

How Much Does it Cost?

Keep in mind that you’ll need to factor in visa costs for you and your dependents (spouse and children) as well as potential added costs of health checks, police clearances and document certification. These don’t cost huge amounts individually but can stack up if you’re applying as a larger family unit. 

Since the price list tends to change once a year, I’m going to refer to this very helpful Visa Pricing Estimator – an official calculator that will give an accurate price depending on your time of application, visa type (usually 482) and family dependents applying with you.

In Summary

The 482 visa allows UK-trained GPs to work in Australia for an approved sponsoring practice, usually for up to four years, and provides a common pathway towards permanent residency after around 2–3 years of work. In practice, the process starts with securing a job and AHPRA registration after which the employer lodges sponsorship and the GP submits the visa application online with standard health, identity and background checks. 

Typical processing times are often between 4-8 weeks once everything is in place and the government visa fee for the main applicant is around AUD $3,200 with additional costs for medical checks and documents. Current fees and processing times can always be checked on the Australian Department of Home Affairs website using the official visa pricing estimator and processing time guide.

If you have any questions or you’d like to hear more about the process for moving to Australia as a UK GP then email Aus@BDIResourcing.com for impartial guidance and support…