RESIDENT MEDICAL OFFICER | ANZSCO 253112

WHAT DOES A RESIDENT MEDICAL OFFICER DO?

A Resident Medical Officer (RMO) is a junior hospital doctor who has completed an internship and holds general registration with the Medical Board of Australia, working under the supervision of registrars and consultants across a range of hospital departments before progressing into specialty training.

Typical day to day duties include:

• Taking patient histories, performing clinical examinations, and documenting findings
• Ordering and interpreting diagnostic tests, imaging, and pathology results
• Prescribing medications and administering treatment under supervision
• Conducting ward rounds and monitoring inpatients throughout their hospital stay
• Assisting in emergency department, surgical, and other hospital-based rotations
• Liaising with registrars, consultants, nursing staff, and allied health professionals
• Participating in hospital handovers, case discussions, and clinical meetings
• Maintaining accurate clinical records in line with Australian healthcare and privacy standards

SUBCLASS 482 FOR THIS OCCUPATION: CSOL LIST

The Subclass 482 Skills in Demand (SID) visa replaced the older Temporary Skill Shortage visa in December 2024, bringing in a new occupation list. The Core Skills Occupation List, known as the CSOL, consolidated the previous strategic skills lists into a single list covering several hundred occupations across professional, trade, and technical fields.

Resident Medical Officer sits on the CSOL under the code ANZSCO 253112, and this is the code an employer nominates against for a 482 visa. Depending on the offered salary, well-paid nominations may also be considered under the Specialist Skills stream, which carries a higher income threshold but faster processing. Which stream applies depends on the offered salary and the specific role, so it's worth confirming with a migration agent before a nomination is lodged.

Employers sponsoring medical practitioners are no longer required to submit a Health Workforce Certificate as part of the nomination application, as this requirement was removed from the visa nomination process.

SUBCLASS 482 ANZSCO REQUIREMENT FOR THIS OCCUPATION

A nominated occupation has to genuinely match the work an applicant will actually be doing for their sponsoring employer. Resident Medical Officer sits at ANZSCO Skill Level 1, which lines up with a Bachelor degree or higher qualification plus at least one year of hospital-based training, consistent with a recognised overseas medical degree and internship or equivalent experience.

ANZSCO requirement for this occupation: “Bachelor degree or higher qualification and at least one year of hospital-based training (ANZSCO Skill Level 1). Registration or licensing is required.”

SC 482 VISA REQUIREMENT FOR THIS OCCUPATION

To be granted a Subclass 482 visa under the Core Skills or Specialist Skills stream in this occupation, applicants generally need to meet the following:

• A genuine, approved sponsor. Your employer must be an approved Standard Business Sponsor, or in the process of becoming one
• An approved nomination for ANZSCO 253112, with a salary at or above the relevant income threshold and the market rate for the role
• At least one year of full time equivalent relevant work experience within the past five years
• English requirements as outlined below, unless an exemption applies
• A clear health examination through an approved panel physician
• Police clearance certificates from every country lived in for twelve months or more

The visa can be granted for a period of up to four years (up to five years for Hong Kong passport holders), and a partner and dependent children can be included as secondary applicants. Salary and income thresholds are indexed annually, so it's always worth confirming the current figure before an employer lodges a nomination.

SALARY THRESHOLDS: CSIT, SSIT, AND AMSR EXPLAINED

Three separate salary concepts apply to a nomination in this occupation, and all three need to be satisfied at once, and employers must pay whichever figure is highest.

• Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT): The minimum guaranteed annual earnings for a Core Skills stream nomination under Subclass 482, and for Subclass 186 nominations. The current CSIT is AUD $79,423, up from AUD $76,515.
• Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT): The higher minimum guaranteed annual earnings that applies to the Specialist Skills stream of Subclass 482, relevant where a role in this occupation is well remunerated and the employer prefers the faster Specialist Skills processing pathway. The current SSIT is AUD $146,576, up from AUD $141,210.
• Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR): The rate an equivalent Australian worker would be paid in the same role, location, and industry, based on enterprise agreements, awards, job advertisements, or remuneration survey data. The AMSR has no fixed dollar figure; it is assessed case by case.

These thresholds are indexed each year against Average Weekly Ordinary Time Earnings (AWOTE), so the applicable figure depends on when a nomination is lodged, not when it's decided. Existing visa holders and nominations lodged before an indexation date are not affected by a later increase. It's always worth confirming the current threshold with a migration agent, or on the Department of Home Affairs website, before a nomination is lodged.

SUBCLASS 482 SID VISA COST

On top of meeting the relevant income threshold, applicants and their employer need to budget for the government charges that apply to a Subclass 482 application.

*Figures shown are the base Visa Application Charge only, current at time of writing and reviewed annually by the Department of Home Affairs. Additional charges may apply, including the employer's $330 nomination fee per position and the Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy, along with health examinations, police checks, and English testing where required. These figures do not include the second instalment charge that applies to some dependants, or any professional or agent fees. Always confirm current charges with your migration agent or the Department of Home Affairs before lodging.

SKILLS ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENT FOR THIS OCCUPATION: SUBCLASS 482

The Medical Board of Australia, supported by the Australian Medical Council (AMC), is the designated skills assessing authority for Resident Medical Officer (ANZSCO 253112) for migration purposes. The AMC assessment and registration process is closely linked to AHPRA registration, so overseas-trained doctors typically work through this process alongside their visa application rather than as two entirely separate tracks.

A skills assessment is not required for every Subclass 482 applicant. It is only mandatory where required under the Department of Home Affairs' mandatory skills assessment requirements, which apply to specified occupations and passport countries. Applicants should confirm current requirements for their passport country before lodging.

Overseas-trained doctors generally pursue one of the following pathways to obtain registration:

• The Competent Authority Pathway: For doctors who hold recognition from an approved overseas medical regulator, offering a streamlined route to registration
• The Standard Pathway: Requiring the AMC's Computer Adaptive Test (clinical knowledge) and Clinical Examination (OSCE format), followed by an internship or period of supervised practice before general registration is granted
• The Competent Authority Pathway (Provisional) and other supervised practice pathways: Which allow doctors to work under supervision in approved hospital positions while completing outstanding requirements

Which pathway applies depends heavily on the applicant's country of qualification and years of experience, so it's worth confirming the correct pathway with the Medical Board and a migration agent before committing to a particular process.

Applicants should provide comprehensive documentary evidence, including:

• Academic transcripts and qualification certificates from the applicant's medical degree
• Evidence of internship, hospital-based training, and relevant clinical experience
• Evidence of current or prior medical registration and good standing in the country of qualification
• English language test results meeting the Medical Board's registration standard

Providing complete and well-prepared evidence helps the assessment proceed efficiently, though processing times for medical practitioners can be longer than for many other health professions given the additional steps involved.

SUBCLASS 186 FOR THIS OCCUPATION: EMPLOYER NOMINATION SCHEME

The Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme is Australia's main permanent employer sponsored visa, and for many applicants already working in Australia on a 482 visa, it's the natural next step. The Direct Entry stream is the relevant pathway for applicants who haven't yet worked long enough with their employer to qualify for the Temporary Residence Transition stream, or who are applying from outside Australia altogether.

Unlike the 482, a grant under the 186 gives the applicant and their family permanent residency from the day it's approved, with no further visa renewals needed.

SC 186 VISA REQUIREMENT FOR THIS OCCUPATION

For the Direct Entry stream, applicants generally need to meet the following:

• A nomination from an approved Australian employer for a genuine, full time, ongoing position in this occupation
• A salary that meets or exceeds the Core Skills Income Threshold and the market rate for the role
• A positive skills assessment in the nominated occupation, unless an exemption applies
• At least three years of relevant work experience, unless exempt from the skills assessment and experience requirements
• Being under 45 years of age at the time of application, with limited exemptions
• Competent English, at an overall IELTS score of 6.0 with no band below 6.0, or an accepted equivalent
• Health and character clearances

This is a lower English bar than the Medical Board's own registration standard, which means almost every applicant who can register as a doctor in Australia will already clear the visa's English requirement. Because many RMOs progress into specialty training or GP Fellowship over time, it's worth discussing with a migration agent whether the Temporary Residence Transition stream of the 186 might become a better fit later than lodging a Direct Entry application early in a hospital career.

SKILLS ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENT FOR THIS OCCUPATION: SC 186 VISA

Unlike the 482, a positive skills assessment is mandatory for almost every Direct Entry 186 applicant in this occupation, and it needs to be current at the time the visa application is lodged.

Because the Direct Entry stream also requires three years of relevant experience on top of the assessment itself, it helps to start gathering employment evidence, reference letters, and qualification documents well before applying, since the AMC and Medical Board assessment processes for medical practitioners can take considerably longer than for other health occupations.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

Every skilled or employer sponsored visa in Australia comes with an English language test, and the score required depends on which visa is being applied for. For applicants in this occupation looking at the 482 and 186 pathways, the bar is different at each stage, which catches a lot of applicants off guard.

For the Subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa, Core Skills stream, applicants generally need Competent English, which works out to an overall IELTS score of 5.0 with no band below 5.0, or an accepted equivalent test result.

For the Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme, Direct Entry stream, the standard is higher. Competent English here means an overall IELTS score of 6.0 with no band below 6.0.

Separately, and on top of these visa requirements, AHPRA and the Medical Board of Australia set their own, considerably higher English standard for registration. This is a professional registration requirement, not a visa requirement, but it applies in practice to every applicant who needs to register in order to work as a doctor.

EXEMPTIONS ON ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

For visa purposes, citizens of the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, New Zealand, and the Republic of Ireland are generally exempt from formal English testing, along with applicants who have completed a set period of study conducted in English. Test results typically need to be current within three years of lodgement. AHPRA applies its own separate education-based exemption pathways for registration purposes, including recognised prior English-medium schooling or tertiary study, which should be confirmed directly with the Medical Board.

REGISTRATION WITH THE MEDICAL BOARD OF AUSTRALIA

Resident Medical Officer is a nationally regulated health profession under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law, administered through AHPRA and the Medical Board of Australia. Practising medicine in Australia without current registration is not permitted.

• Internationally qualified applicants must have their medical qualification assessed by the Medical Board or AMC as suitable for registration, through the Competent Authority or Standard Pathway
• Applicants must meet AHPRA's English language registration standard, generally IELTS Academic 7.0 overall (6.5 in writing), or an accepted equivalent
• Applicants must meet the Board's criminal history and professional indemnity insurance requirements
• Many overseas-trained doctors begin with limited or provisional registration, working under an approved supervision plan in a designated hospital position while completing outstanding registration requirements
• Registered practitioners must meet annual Continuing Professional Development requirements to maintain registration

As an RMO builds experience and progresses toward general, and eventually specialist (vocational), registration, their scope of practice and supervision requirements typically evolve, often forming the pathway into registrar-level specialty training or GP Fellowship.

SALARY EXPECTATIONS IN AUSTRALIA

Base salaries are set by state and territory public hospital enterprise agreements, with overtime, on-call allowances, and penalty rates often adding significantly to total annual earnings. Locum RMO positions can pay substantially more on an hourly basis, particularly in regional and high-demand locations.

WHY THIS OCCUPATION IS IN DEMAND IN AUSTRALIA

• A well-documented shortage of junior and mid-level hospital doctors, particularly in regional and outer-metropolitan hospitals
• Growing hospital admissions and emergency department presentations driving demand for ward-based medical staff
• Public hospitals require round-the-clock medical coverage across all departments and rotations
• Resident Medical Officer regularly appearing on national and state priority skilled occupation lists
• Strong demand for doctors willing to work in regional and rural public hospitals
• Ongoing expansion of hospital capacity and services across both public and private healthcare

EMPLOYER SPONSORSHIP FOR THIS OCCUPATION IN AUSTRALIA

Australian public and private hospitals can sponsor overseas applicants in this occupation through the Skills in Demand (Subclass 482) visa, the Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186) visa, and other eligible employer-sponsored visa pathways when suitably qualified Australian workers are unavailable. With a persistent shortage of junior and mid-level hospital doctors, particularly outside major cities, employer sponsorship has become an important way for Australian hospitals to recruit experienced overseas-trained doctors.

At Migration Republic, we assist employers with every stage of the employer sponsorship process, including Standard Business Sponsorship (SBS) applications, nomination applications, visa lodgements, and ongoing sponsorship compliance. Our Registered Migration Agents ensure your organisation meets all Department of Home Affairs requirements while making the sponsorship process as straightforward and efficient as possible.

We help healthcare employers with:

• Standard Business Sponsorship (SBS) applications
• Sponsoring overseas applicants under the Skills in Demand (Subclass 482) visa
• Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186) applications
• Employer nomination applications and salary benchmarking against CSIT, SSIT, and AMSR
• Employer sponsorship compliance obligations
• Permanent residency pathways for sponsored employees

If your hospital is looking to sponsor a Resident Medical Officer in Australia, Migration Republic can provide expert advice and manage the entire employer sponsorship process from start to finish, allowing you to focus on patient care while we take care of your migration requirements.

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HOW MIGRATION REPUBLIC CAN HELP YOU

Migrating to Australia as a Resident Medical Officer means navigating Medical Board and AMC assessment alongside an employer-sponsored visa application, each with its own English language standard and evidentiary requirements. Our registered migration agents at Migration Republic handle this every day, and we can help you get it right the first time.

Here's what we take care of for you:

• Confirming your qualifications and experience align with ANZSCO 253112
• Identifying the correct Medical Board registration pathway for your background
• Structuring your employment references so they meet the assessing authority's requirements
• Coordinating your English testing against both the visa standard and the Medical Board's registration standard
• Comparing the 482 and 186 pathways to find the right fit for your circumstances
• Managing your full visa application from lodgement through to grant

Frequently Asked Questions: Employer Sponsorship for This Occupation