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Australian area of need pathway & NZ special purpose pathway

In Australia, ‘Area of Need’ refers to a hospital position that has been classified by the Australian government as an "Area of Need" when a hospital has been unable to fill a vacancy through the Australian workforce. In this situation, the hospital is given permission to recruit overseas trained doctors. In New Zealand, the Special Purpose Pathway is for IMGs who intend to work in New Zealand for a fixed period for a specific purpose.

Australian Area of Need Pathway

An IMG may apply directly to RACS for an Area of Need assessment after they have:

  • secured an offer of employment in the designated AoN position and;
  • applied directly to Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduate's (ECFMG) Electronic Portfolio of International Credentials (EPIC) for verification of both primary and specialist qualification(s) and;
  • completed an Australian Medical Council (AMC) online application to establish an AMC portfolio.

An Area of Need assessment process is similar to the specialist assessment with the added requirement that RACS will assess the suitability for the Area of Need position according to the position description.

If an IMG is assessed as partially or substantially comparable but the AoN position is deemed not suitable, an IMG may still pursue a specialist pathway but would be required to find another position suitable for clinical assessment purposes.

The following  flow chart illustrates the process specifically for Specialist Assessment:

Find out more about the application process and how to apply at the link below.

New Zealand Special Purpose Pathway

The Special Purpose Pathway is for International Medical Graduates (IMGs) who intend working in New Zealand for a fixed period of time for a specific purpose. The Medical Council of New Zealand's (MCNZ) special purpose scopes of practice are for:

  • teaching as a visiting expert
  • undertaking a period of post-graduate training carrying out research
  • working as a locum tenens
  • working in an emergency situation
  • working in a disaster

For more information about special purpose scopes visit the MCNZ's website at the link below.