As a general rule, the closer a role is to a major metropolitan centre, the more specific the eligibility criteria become. However, if your qualifications are recognised as substantially comparable to Australian standards – as is often the case for certain training pathways – you may have access to opportunities much closer to city locations than many other internationally trained doctors.

In simple terms, working directly in the centre of a major city is not usually permitted under standard DPA arrangements. That said, the country in which you completed your training plays a key role in determining how close to a city you can practise. For some qualifications, this can mean access to well-connected, desirable locations on the outskirts or within commuting distance of major metropolitan areas.

Where is the closest I can work to a city?

Under DPA rules, all international medical practitioners (including UK-trained GPs) must commit to working in an eligible priority area. “Eligible” means regions outside major metropolitan cores.

While UK-trained GPs can be placed in areas closer to large cities than most other international qualifications allow, you still cannot practise in the heart of large city centres under standard DPA requirements. The precise boundary for how close you can work is determined by specific DPA maps and lists for each state/territory.