Overseas trained doctors seeking visas to work as general practitioners in Australia are now required to obtain a Health Workforce Certificate from a Rural Workforce Agency.
The new regulation kicked in from March 11 this year.
Under this new requirement, overseas trained doctors will be directed away from well-serviced metropolitan areas to areas of workforce need, especially regional, rural and remote communities, Regional Services Minister Bridget McKenzie said.
"This initiative will reduce the numbers of overseas trained doctors entering the primary health care system by around 200 each year for the next four years under the skilled migration program," the Minister said.
The number of GPs in Australia has increased three times more than population growth over the past decade, due to a surge in locally trained medical graduates and a continued high intake of overseas trained doctors.
Senator McKenzie said the 'Visas for GPs' initiative would allow the Government to better manage the growth and distribution of the national medical workforce.
"The Visas for GPs initiative won't reduce the number of GPs currently providing services but will reduce the rise in doctors in city areas and improve numbers in rural areas where they are needed." she said.
"The new requirements will ensure the right balance of specialist GPs is available to the Australian community, while also providing opportunities for Australian trained doctors."
The Visas for GPs initiative was announced in the 2018-19 Budget as part of the Government's Stronger Rural Health Strategy.
The Health Department is working closely with the Home Affairs Department implementing the new visas requirement.
