The number of new doctors registering to practice is up by 50% on pre-pandemic numbers, health minister Mark Butler says.
Overseas-trained specialist GPs make up the bulk of doctors using AHPRA’s new expedited registration pathway, with the health minister crediting the program for a major jump in registrations.
Speaking in parliament on Tuesday, Mark Butler said the number of new registrations for medical practitioners had increased dramatically over the past six years.
“Cairns now has end-to-end medical training thanks to this government, the Northern Territory has its first ever medical school getting up and running this year, Mr Speaker, and 10 other universities were granted approval by the Minister for Education this year to expand their medical school numbers with more to come in 2028,” he said.
“Mr Speaker, we’re also cutting red tape and fees for doctors from all around the world who want to come and practise here.
“Particularly countries where we have high levels of confidence in their training systems, like the UK, Ireland, New Zealand and others.
“All of this, Mr Speaker, means we’ve seen a huge increase in the number of new registrations for medical practitioners – up almost 50% on the position before the covid pandemic.”
Since the fast-track registration pathway opened in October 2024, GPs who fellowed in Ireland, New Zealand or the United Kingdom have been able to bypass the usual college-led process of determining how similar their training is and instead go straight through to the Medical Board of Australia to apply for registration.
These doctors can apply for and receive registration within four to six weeks, before undertaking six months of supervised practice and cultural safety training.
Due to previous reforms which removed the specialist medical college monopoly on CPD, the cohort of doctors coming in via fast-track registration theoretically never have to join an Australian medical college if they do not want to.
The medical colleges, for their part, have argued that the scope of practice of doctors approved through the scheme should be limited.
While general practice was the first cab off the rank in terms of specialties on the scheme, it has since opened to doctors with fellowships in anaesthetics, obstetrics and gynaecology, psychiatry and – more recently – general paediatrics and general medicine.
Despite the increasing number of specialties now on to the pathway, GPs continue to make up the overwhelming majority of applicants.
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As of January 2026, 85% of the 692 applicants to the pathway have been general practitioners.
Of the 501 applicants that have made it through to registration, 441 were GPs.
Total registrations for the other specialties were: 18 anaesthetists, seven obstetricians and gynaecologists and 35 psychiatrists.
The most common country of origin was the United Kingdom, which accounted for 435 of the 501 successful applicants.
Following registration, Western Australia was the most popular destination, closely followed by Victoria and NSW.
Queensland trailed the other three big states slightly, with far fewer doctors opting to go to South Australia, the ACT or Tasmania.
Just one specialist registered via the expedited pathway has gone to the Northern Territory.
With the scheme having been in place for over a year, AHPRA has announced that it will be conducting an evaluation of the expedited specialist pathway.
