The federal health department wants to pull the plug on new work visas for foreign-trained doctors.
The department is forcing to scrap 41 jobs from the Skilled Occupation List. This include GPs, medical officers, surgeons and anesthetists. Reports say that this move can help Australian doctors fill areas of need, especially in remote areas of the country. The Australian reports citing documents released under freedom of information.
“Immigration is often used as a short-term demand management strategy and it continues to be poorly co-ordinated," a Health Department submission into the review of the Skilled Operations List reads.
"Over a longer planning horizon, better management of migration pathways for international health professionals must occur in combination with all commonwealth departments"
The move would be counterbalanced by increasing numbers of local medical graduates who could fill vacancies, especially in regional areas.
At the end of March, according to Immigration Department figures, there were 2155 general practitioners and 1562 resident medical officers in Australia on visas.
The Australian reported that while the Turnbull government has not backed this plan, these recommendations are likely to be revisited now that the election is over and the new government has been formed.
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