Responding to COVID-19: Changes to presenting-in-person requirements

27 Mar 2020

As an interim measure to help boost the Australian healthcare workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic we’ve made changes to the presenting-in-person requirements for internationally qualified practitioners.

Applicants, who arrived in Australia before 27 March 2020, and who hold current in-principle approval of registration are encouraged to present in person at their intended place of employment to have their identity verified and to have their identity documents certified by a registered health practitioner.

However, they must have self-isolated for 14 days in the state or territory where they landed upon entering the country, as directed by the Australian Government, before presenting in person. During this time, they must have followed the government’s community safety measures for self-isolation periods, including having no visitors or close contact with anyone else for 14 days. Applicants arriving in Australia from 27 March 2020 must be isolated in mandatory quarantine accommodation at government-designated facilities in the city for 14 days from arrival.

Applicants do not need to attend an Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) office.

Ahpra CEO Martin Fletcher said, ‘Ahpra and the National Boards are working with healthcare services to support an increase in the workforce in a safe way during the COVID-19 pandemic.

‘The new interim arrangements are intended to reduce the time to finalise registration and enable more registered health practitioners to join the health workforce, quickly.’

Normally applicants who apply for registration from overseas provide minimum proof of identity when applying for registration and then once they have in-principle approval are required to present in person at an Ahpra office so their identity is verified before their registraion is finalised.

In addition, the Medical Board of Australia requires that international medical graduates present in person to an Ahpra office if they have not previously been registered as a medical practitioner with limited or provisional registration under the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme before their limited, provisional or specialist registration can be granted.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we are working with health service providers to streamline these procedures so that applicants can have their final identity documents verified at their place of employment, with certified copies forwarded to Ahpra for final assessment.

Proof of identity documents need to be certified by a registered health practitioner and submitted to Ahpra via email.

Visit presenting in person outside of an Ahpra office to find out more.