FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT LOCUMING IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND

Why are so many doctors choosing to work in Australia and New Zealand?

New Zealand and Australia are both incredible places to live and work. There are two main reasons:

  • Work related - less hours, better conditions, good pay, excellent training, increased career opportunities
  • Lifestyle related - better climate, 'easy way-of-life', fun cities, breathtaking scenery, amazing beaches, towering mountain ranges, plentiful and affordable recreational opportunities such as surfing, diving, sailing, water-skiing, climbing, skiing, etc

What grades of doctor can find work in Australia and New Zealand?

MedRecruit has positions available for all grades of doctor from Foundation 2 to specialists, family practitioners and general practitioners.

Is there an age limit for doctors wishing to work in Australia and New Zealand?

There is no age limit. Applications from doctors who would like to work in Australia and New Zealand at any stage of their career are encouraged.

Will it cost me anything to use MedRecruit?

No. MedRecruit’s service is absolutely free to doctors.

Can I apply for a post directly without the help of a recruitment agency?

Although it is entirely possible to 'do-it-yourself', it is a very difficult process unless you’re supported. There are major advantages of doing it through MedRecruit:

  1. Doctors are never charged for of our service
  2. Doctors gain access to a huge number of unadvertised vacancies that they couldn’t otherwise access
  3. The application processes for work visas and medical registration are complicated and time-consuming if you don’t know what you’re doing. They can take several months of frequent phone calls and letters. It is far easier to allow us to do all the paperwork
  4. MedRecruit’s doctors have the security and peace of mind knowing they are going through a highly reputable agency owned by doctors. All the posts we find for them will be genuine medical positions in Australia and New Zealand, so the doctor will know what they are getting in for
  5. Searching for positions, forwarding a CV and arranging an interview can be very difficult from overseas. These are services we arrange for all our candidates - again free of charge
  6. We have great relationships with the hospitals so frequently we arrange the reimbursement of candidates travel expenses and so they stand to gain financially by finding a post through us rather than applying directly, this is not always possible when you contact the hospital yourself

Is there a minimum length of time I have to go for?

Most of the vacancies are for periods of six months or 12 months initially. These are almost always extendable if you want. We are able to organise longer placements if required.

Does the agency decide where I work or do I decide myself?

The choice is entirely up to you! We will conduct an assessment of your needs (both career and lifestyle), then we will give you a range of options that meet your needs. Then it’s up to you to choose which option you want.

Are there many UK or Irish working in Australia and New Zealand?

A census of the medical workforce in Australia counted over 4000 British-trained doctors working in Australia. That was over 8% of their entire medical workforce. In New Zealand, over 15% of the medical workforce is UK-trained.

What are the salaries of doctors in Australia and New Zealand like?

Doctors in Australia and New Zealand are paid well for their hours worked. As a rule, doctors are usually contracted to do 38 hours a week. Depending on the exact location and seniority, they can expect to earn between $65,000 to $250,000. Having said this, the cost of living is substantially cheaper than living in the UK or Ireland, with a doctor's salary in Australia or New Zealand going much further than it does in other countries.

Are work conditions in New Zealand and Australia better than in the UK and Ireland?

Yes! New Zealand and Australia are fantastic places for doctors to work. The average doctor works under 55hrs per week, there is no 24hr call and doctors get six weeks annual leave (that’s a month and a half!).

Over summer with daylight saving there are five or six hours of daylight after work to enjoy the outdoor lifestyle that New Zealand and Australia are famous for.

If I like working in Australia and New Zealand, is it possible to extend my work visa?

Yes. It is very easy to extend a work visa up to several years, however for those candidates wishing to move permanently to Australia and New Zealand, you may need to also complete additional requirements set out by the relevant immigration department. It is, however, possible for some candidates to work permanently and obtain residency in specified areas.

What is the best way to find out further information about working in Australia and New Zealand?

There is a lot of information on this website but if you need more information then please don’t hesitate to contact MedRecruit; either call us on 0064 3 441 2470 or Contact Us Here on Email or Skype.

What English Language testing requirements are needed to work in Australia or New Zealand?

All doctors who want to work in Australia or New Zealand will require proof of English language proficiency. Doctors who have been educated in English speaking countries may be exempted from all testing. Doctors educated in non-English speaking countries may need to complete an IELTS assessment at one of many international testing centres. Further details of this (including locations and costs) are available at www.ielts.org.

What are the keys to picking the right recruitment agency?

  1. The right agency will learn what is important to you
    A good agency will be primarily interested in what you want. They will look to find out what is important to you so they can tailor a solution that fits with your goals. They will communicate with you on a regular and ongoing basis with information that is directly relevant TO YOU. You can tell if an agency is more interested in you by their initial communication, is it finding out what you want or is it trying to place you?
    A poor agency will hammer you with options without finding out what you want. These agencies view you as a money making commodity rather than looking to how they can best serve you.
  2. The right agency has the ability to find work that suits your lifestyle
    Australasia is massive and has over a thousand hospitals. A good agency has the ability to objectively match you with a location and job that suits your lifestyle.
    There is no way any individual recruitment consultant can know the lifestyle opportunities at every hospital in order to best match a location to you. This needs to be done using a database.
    When talking with recruitment agencies make sure they have a lifestyle profile for every hospital in their database. The agency should allow you to find jobs in their search engine using lifestyle criteria.
  3. The right agency will support you when you need it
    When you are a locum it is important to know you are supported, not just while you’re in the hospital, but for the entire time you are on a placement. All sorts of things can pop up related to your job, your accommodation and your travel. A good agency will have that support available and will be there to help if needed.
    The top agencies have 24hr free-phone service so you always know you’re not alone. In New Zealand you can call 0800 MEDRECRUIT and in Australia the number to call is 1800 MEDRECRUIT.
  4. The right agency will offer the additional services a locum requires
    There are certain things that a locum doctor needs that a salaried doctor generally doesn’t. It is important that a locum agency acknowledges this and offers you solutions.
    Recruitment agencies need to identify for locum doctors the need for assistance with tax and currency exchange. The tax is an obvious issue, but maximising the benefits for locum doctors who are moving large amounts of currency across the Tasman is something less obvious. Make sure your agency has developed a relationship with a currency trading company. This can give you better exchange rates than the banks and they’ll also advise you on the best time to move the money.
  5. The right agency will be run by doctors
    It takes doctors to truly understand doctors’ needs. In order to be able to effectively serve doctors, an agency needs to be run by doctors.
    The best agencies are established and run by doctors so they understand doctors’ needs.
  6. The right agency will reward you well
    Doctors deserve to be rewarded for what they do. A good agency will acknowledge this and will take action to reward their doctors well.
    The best agencies will offer a bonus system in order to reward doctors fairly for what they do.

What should my CV contain?

CVs are necessary to secure your placement in New Zealand or Australia. We often get asked what they need to contain. In essence they should be simple and to the point and contain the following information:

  • Your medical training
  • Work experience – Specialties & location
  • Year of Graduation
  • References and contact details (the sooner we have a reference the faster we can find your ideal placement!)
  • A brief note about your lifestyle preferences and family situation