The Australian Physiotherapy Council welcomes the Physiotherapy Board of Australia’s review of the process for people seeking general registration as a physiotherapist in Australia via the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Agreement (TTMRA) with New Zealand.
Public safety must be the priority in every pathway into Australian physiotherapy. We support the Physiotherapy Board of Australia’s review of TTMRA to validate that everyone entering the physiotherapy profession meets the standards expected in Australia.
Council’s role in assessing international physiotherapists
The Council plays a critical role in safety, by assessing overseas qualified physiotherapists ensuring they can practise safely, competently and ethically in the Australian healthcare system.
Through Australian Physiotherapy Entry Pathway (APEP), FLYR and Express FLYR Pathway, we provide structured, evidence-based pathways that test knowledge, clinical reasoning and real-world readiness. These pathways help protect the community while supporting a strong physiotherapy workforce.
Every Council pathway includes Cultural Safety Training designed for overseas qualified physiotherapists entering our healthcare workforce. Safe practice in Australia requires more than technical skill. It also requires culturally responsive care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and all communities we serve.
Misuse of the TTMRA Pathway
The concerns raised about the possible misuse of the TTMRA pathway are serious. TTMRA was designed to support professional mobility between Australia and New Zealand, not to bypass Australia’s entry-level standards. That is why The Physiotherapy Board of Australia’s review will help to protect the integrity of the physiotherapy profession.
Confidence in the Council’s assessment pathways
The Council’s assessment pathways give confidence that internationally trained physiotherapists entering through Council processes have been examined against Australian standards. Australian employers have trust and confidence that overseas candidates with a Final Certificate from the Council can provide the safest and most ethical physiotherapy care to patients.