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| 1. If I am overseas-qualified, may I practise as a Physiotherapist in Australia? |
You may be able to practise with conditions of supervision under specific or temporary registration in some States. You cannot practise with no conditions unless:
1. You have previously been registered with an Australian State or Territory Physiotherapists Registration Board then you may still be eligible to practise your profession in Australia. You should contact the relevant State/Territory Registration Board to clarify your situation.
2.You hold a current practising certificate from the Physiotherapy Board of New Zealand then you are eligible to apply directly to any Physiotherapist Registration Board, excepting Western Australia, for registration under the Trans Tasman Mutual Recognition Agreement.
If you do not currently have full registration to practise in Australia or New Zealand then you are required to undertake the Australian Physiotherapy Council assessment process before being eligible to apply for full registration to practise with one of the Australian State or Territory Physiotherapists Registration Boards. If you do not have at least one year’s experience in the practice of physiotherapy (after graduation), you may find that conditions on registration may apply in some Australian States/Territories.
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The Assessment Process has three parts: Initial Assessment, Written Assessment and Clinical Assessment. The first step is to apply to for an initial assessment.
Form 1249 lists the documents you need to submit for an initial assessment of your qualifications and skills to be carried out. If your qualifications and skills satisfy the initial assessment criteria you pass the first part of the assessment and progress to Part Two - Written Assessment. You must pass the written assessment to progress to Part Three - the Clinical Assessment. You must pass the Clinical Assessment to receive a certificate that is one of the requirements for your registration to practise as a physiotherapist in Australia. If applicable – you will also be issued with a statement of suitability for migration purposes (under a Skilled Migration visa, in the occupational category of Physiotherapist, ASCO code 2385-11).
To practise Physiotherapy in Australia, you must be registered with the local State or Territory physiotherapy registration authority.
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Yes, registration requirements do differ for holders of Working Holiday Maker Visas.
Working Holiday Maker Visa Holders
You may apply directly to the Physiotherapists Registration Boards for conditional/provisional registration to practise as a physiotherapist for up to six months in any one position in that State.
Please note: Not all States have this category of registration and in some States, you do not have to hold a Working Holday Maker Visa to apply for this type of registration.
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If you wish to migrate to Australia as a Skilled Migrant (in the occupational category, Physiotherapist, ASCO code 2385-11), you are required to have a skills assessment undertaken by the Australian Physiotherapy Council before applying for permanent residency.
You are required to obtain a skills assessment even if you have a qualification that is immediately acceptable to Australian State and Territory Physiotherapists Registration Boards, including a recognised Australian physiotherapy qualification.
A. Intending migrants who hold a current Australian and/or New Zealand physiotherapy practising certificate and physiotherapists' who hold an accredited Australian qualification
Download and complete Form 1249a and include the listed documents. It will take the Australian Physiotherapy Council up to two weeks to complete the assessment.
If you pass this assessment, you will receive a statement confirming the suitability of your skills for the occupational category of Physiotherapist (ASCO code 2385-11) and a certificate for migration purposes.
B. Intending migrants with Qualifications not Immediately Acceptable
Download and complete Form 1249 and include the listed documents.
Your qualifications and skills will be assessed against initial assessment criteria.
If your qualifications and skills satisfy the initial assessment criteria you pass the first part of the assessment and progress to Part Two - Written Assessment. You must pass the written assessment to progress to Part Three - the Clinical Assessment. You must pass the Clinical Assessment to be issued with a statement confirming the suitability of your skills for the occupational category of Physiotherapist (ASCO code 2385-11) and a certificate for migration purposes.
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If your qualifications are approved by the Australian State/Territory Physiotherapists Registration Boards for registration purposes, then you would only be required to have your skills assessed if it was your intention to migrate to Australia under the Skilled Migration category. If you are just wishing to practice as a physiotherapist and not migrate you do not need to have your skills assessed.
Please note: Not all Australian physiotherapy qualifications are approved by the Physiotherapists Registration Boards. The approved qualifications are physiotherapy programs that have been accredited by the Australian Physiotherapy Council. Details of the accredited programs is available on this website under accreditation. If you are uncertain whether your Australian physiotherapy qualification falls into this category, you should seek advice from the university from which you graduated.
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The Australian Physiotherapy Council assesses on behalf of the Physiotherapists Registration Boards and the Department of Immigration and Citizenship. You would only be exempt if these agencies advise you that you do not require an assessment. The AUstralian Physiotherapy Council has no power to exempt you from the assessment if it is required by these agencies.
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Provided the Australian Physiotherapy Council receives all required documentation with your application, we aim to complete your initial assessment application within 5 to 6 weeks from the date it is received at the office. The outcome will be sent to you by email or, if you indicate you do not wish to receive electronic communication, it will be sent by post.
Please remember: If you have an overseas physiotherapy qualification that is not approved for full registration to practise in Australia, your initial assessment is only the first part of the skills assessment process. The initial assessment is not an assessment of your skills for migration purposes. You are required to pass all three parts of the assessment process before you can obtain a positive skills assessment.
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Yes - all Candidates are required to meet the English Language Requirement.
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The Australian Physiotherapy Council assesses your current clinical suitability to practice physiotherapy independently in Australia whereas Registration Boards assess and evaluate your application for registration and grant or withhold registration.