The Physiotherapy Board of Australia welcomes moves to increase the physiotherapy workforce in Australia by improving pathways for the safe registration of internationally trained practitioners.

Supported by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra), the Physiotherapy Board of Australia is responsible for registering physiotherapists and students, including overseas-trained practitioners who wish to practise in Australia.

Since January 2022, more than 19,800 international healthcare practitioners have been registered for the first time to practise in Australia.

Of these, 3,996 are allied health practitioners, including physiotherapists.

‘Internationally trained physiotherapists play a critical role in contributing to the healthcare workforce within Australia,’ says Physiotherapy Board of Australia chair Kim Gibson.

As Australia’s health workforce faces increased pressure due to the COVID-19 pandemic and an ageing population, the federal government appointed Robyn Kruk to lead an independent review of the regulatory settings relating to overseas-trained health professionals.

Ahpra’s submission to the review included recommendations to fast-track approvals for practitioners from trusted countries; to remove duplications, such as having to submit multiple criminal history checks; to speed up the allocation of Medicare provider numbers; and to review English language and recency of practice requirements.

Much of this has been picked up in the review’s recommendations.

‘Patient safety will always be the paramount priority in registering any practitioner.

'But by eliminating needless duplication, easing bureaucratic delays and better recognising the experience of overseas health professionals, we can attract the best and most suited to Australia sooner,’ says Ahpra CEO Martin Fletcher.

Ahpra has begun improving its registration process for internationally trained practitioners to make it simpler for registrants, including changes to English language requirements that allow applicants to resit specific parts of the test rather than restarting the entire process.

Additional test options also allow applicants to be assessed sooner.

Sumana Baidya, for example, worked as a cardiorespiratory physiotherapist in Dhulikhel Hospital in Nepal and taught at Kathmandu University in the School of Medical Sciences before moving to Australia, where she practises community physiotherapy and is completing her PhD studies in aged care.

Sumana welcomes efforts to simplify the registration process for physiotherapists who gained their qualifications overseas.

‘The registration was difficult for me personally as I felt I had to jump through many hoops,’ she says.

‘Assessing overseas physiotherapists’ experience and acknowledging their experience to the right level of limited registration would really help in job opportunities.’

Sumana says that employers who would like to attract overseas-trained practitioners could help create more opportunities by being open to candidates with all levels of supervision requirements for limited registration.

‘Almost every overseas physiotherapist has to start at level one limited registration, which significantly reduces job opportunities in understaffed regional areas due to the availability of supervisors,’ Sumana says.

Her advice to international physiotherapists is to prepare all the required documents before coming to Australia.

‘Ahpra and the Australian Physiotherapy Council require several documents that need to be sent directly to them from the registration bodies in your home country.

'My advice is also to educate yourself about the licence exams through the Australian Physiotherapy Council website as it helps to understand the exam model better,’ Sumana adds.

Kim encourages overseas practitioners to visit the Ahpra and Physiotherapy Board of Australia websites for guidance on applying for registration in Australia here.

‘Before applying for registration, ensure you have taken the necessary steps regarding your visa and certificates, noting that you may need to apply to the Department of Home Affairs well in advance of submitting your registration application to Ahpra,’ Kim says.

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