VISAS 

New Zealand

Accredited Employer Work Visa/AEWV

  • Visa length increased to up to 5 years (this used to be 3 years)

Working Holiday Visa/WHV

Australia – Sponsorship – Permanent Residency

Australia – Pre-employment checks 

NDIS delays – only affecting those looking to live in Victoria/Melbourne 

  • Cost – $128 
  • NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) applications are currently delayed in Melbourne
  • NDIS checks are required for most OT/SLT roles and also for PT’s who are working in disability/paeds
  • You can apply for NDIS checks online or manually
  • The online applications are faster to process (approx. 8 weeks) but you need Australian ID documents to be able to complete the online application e.g. Australian driving licence which you need to be in Australia to apply for & has a wait time for an appointment
    • If you are applying once you have arrived in Australia, you need to be prepared that if your role requires you to have an NDIS check approved before you start work, you may have a gap of 2-3 months while you wait for your check to come through 
    • Book in for appointments ASAP when you arrive so that you can arrange Australian ID documents:

Offline/manual applications do not require Australian documents but take a long time to process (3 months) – if you do not want to have a gap when you arrive, it could work out better to apply for an offline application with plenty of time before your arrival/start date – you can request the up to date manual form from this link: https://www.service.vic.gov.au/services/national-disability-insurance-scheme?utm_source=vic_gov_au_website&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ndis_worker_screening_check&utm_content=manual_application

PRODA (Provider Digital Assist) – mainly affects MSK Physios 

Private practice checks/requirements will depend on what funding/contracts your employer has (once you have secured a position, you can ask your employer which checks they require). 

PRODA requires you to have Australian documents – arrange your Medicare/Australian driving licence ASAP when you arrive so that you can apply for this: https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/identity-documents-you-need-before-you-start-your-proda-registration?context=33786

Registration

New Zealand

  • SLT – If you do not meet the dysphagia competency in NZ, you cannot apply for MRA but you can apply for Qualification Assessment
  • Your scope of practice will have a condition, not-dysphagia trained which will limit some job opportunities 

Australia – OT & PT’s – Certifying documents – all applicants 

Australia AHPRA – OT/PT’s – ID check requirement removed 

Relevant for those applying from OTC/Express FLYR (NOT NZ transferring to AUS applications). 

Overseas applicants no longer need to complete in-person ID checks in Australia and registration can be fully completed online 😀

Additional Certified ID documents now need to be provided for overseas based applicants:

If you meet the new ID requirements, it is really helpful as you will be granted AHPRA (before this change, you would have had to present in person within 3 months).

Please make sure you certify your ID documents exactly to AHPRA requirements, they are very strict with the wording/who can complete this:

https://www.ahpra.gov.au/Registration/Registration-Process/Certifying-Documents.aspx

If you applied before December 2023, you have the option to present in person before March 15th or to submit the new ID documents. 

To maintain AHPRA registration, you must make sure you renew your registration every November (just as you would do with HCPC/CORU).

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