The Real Cost of Becoming a GP in Australia as an IMG

Most blogs about moving to Australia skip the number IMGs care about most: how much does this actually cost before the first pay cheque?

The honest answer is between AUD 15,000 and AUD 60,000, depending on your pathway. Here is where the money goes.

Registration and Exam Fees

• AHPRA application fee: roughly AUD 870 for limited registration, plus annual registration fees
• AMC CAT MCQ exam: around AUD 2,770
• AMC Clinical Exam: around AUD 3,850
• Primary source verification through EPIC: around USD 430
• English language test if required (IELTS or OET): AUD 400 to AUD 600

For doctors on the Standard Pathway, exam costs alone often reach AUD 7,000 before any travel.

Training and Fellowship

If your goal is FRACGP, you pick a training route. FSP, the Fellowship Support Program, is self-funded and costs around AUD 32,000 over two years. AGPT is government-funded but highly competitive. The Practice Experience Program has its own fee structure and timelines.

Factor in CPD, college membership, and the RACGP exam fees. The exam package alone is close to AUD 6,000.

Visa, Relocation, and Living Costs

• Employer-sponsored visa: AUD 3,000 to AUD 4,000 plus legal fees
• Flights for a family of four: AUD 6,000 to AUD 10,000
• Shipping a container or buying new: AUD 5,000 to AUD 15,000
• Bond and first month rent in regional Australia: AUD 4,000 to AUD 7,000

Most IMGs also need three to six months of living costs in savings before their first Medicare payments arrive. Bulk billing reconciliation is not instant.

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The Hidden Costs

Professional indemnity insurance, car purchase if you are in a regional area, AMA or GPRA membership, medical equipment for your consulting room if the practice does not supply it. None of these are enormous on their own. Together they add another AUD 3,000 to AUD 5,000 in year one.

There is also an emotional cost that is harder to put in a spreadsheet. Time away from family during exams. The stress of waiting months for AHPRA decisions. Budget for the hit to your mental health as well as your bank account.

How TPH Can Help

We give IMGs a real, line-by-line cost forecast for their specific pathway before they commit. We can also connect you with practices that cover part of your relocation, PESCI, or visa costs as a signing incentive. Not every practice offers this, but the right ones do.

If you want an honest budget for your move, not a brochure, send us your pathway and your family size. We will build it.

Sources: AMC fee schedule — https://www.amc.org.au/assessments/fees/ | AHPRA registration fees — https://www.ahpra.gov.au/Registration/Registration-Fees.aspx | RACGP IMG fellowship — https://www.racgp.org.au/education/imgs/fellowship-pathways

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