What a Medical Recruitment Agency Actually Does For You (And What to Ask Before Signing)
Ask five IMGs what a medical recruitment agency does and you will get five different answers. Some think it is a job board. Others think it is a visa lawyer. A few think agencies take a fee from their salary. None of these are quite right.
Here is what a good agency actually does, what it does not do, and the questions that protect you before you sign anything.
What a Good Agency Does
- Matches you to practices that fit your pathway, visa eligibility, and DPA requirements
- Negotiates your contract, including base salary, billings percentage, relocation support, and leave
- Liaises with AHPRA on registration documentation and timelines
- Coordinates your PESCI if your pathway requires one
- Connects you to a migration agent for the visa application
- Supports you after you land, through the first 90 days in the role
The good agencies stay involved long after placement. The average ones disappear the day your contract is signed.
What an Agency Does Not Do
Agencies do not pay your registration or exam fees. They do not replace your migration agent for the actual visa lodgement, although they will refer you to one. They do not sit your AMC exam for you or write your CV without your input.
Most importantly: a reputable agency does not take money from your salary. The practice pays the placement fee. If anyone asks you to pay to be placed, walk away.
Questions to Ask Before You Sign
- Who pays your fee, the doctor or the practice?
- Do you represent the practice or me in contract negotiations?
- How many IMGs from my country have you placed in the last 12 months?
- What happens if the placement does not work out in the first six months?
- Will you support my AHPRA application directly, or just introduce me to the practice?
The answers tell you whether the agency sees you as a person or a commission.
How TPH Can Help
We built TPH because we were tired of watching IMGs get treated like inventory. Our work starts before your pathway is clear and continues after you have signed your contract. We tell you when a job is wrong for you, not just when it is available.
If you want an honest conversation about what you actually need right now, send us a message. We will tell you whether an agency can help you yet, or whether you need a migration agent, an exam tutor, or just a better plan first.
Sources: Medical Board of Australia — https://www.medicalboard.gov.au/Registration/International-Medical-Graduates.aspx | AHPRA — https://www.ahpra.gov.au/