Overseas Practitioner Registration

To work as a physiotherapist in Australia, you need to apply for registration and be registered with the Physiotherapy Board of Australia (the Board). You may also need to apply for a visa issued by the Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection (Australian Immigration Department).

These two application processes are separate and success in one does not guarantee success in the other.

More information on visa applications, including skills assessments and assessing authorities is available on the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs website.

Certain applicants and registered practitioners are required to apply for an international criminal history check from an approved supplier. The international criminal history page on the Ahpra website has more information on checking international criminal history.

The Australian Physiotherapy Council assesses practitioners with international qualifications who want to practise in Australia. Their website has information about the different assessment pathways to become a registered physiotherapist in Australia.

General registration

You must successfully complete the Australian Physiotherapy Council assessment process to qualify for general registration as a physiotherapist, if you have international qualifications.

The Ahpra website has information on approved programs of study for application for general registration as a physiotherapist in Australia. If your qualifications are not an approved program of study, you should contact the Australian Physiotherapy Council to have your qualifications assessed.

Please use the Contact page on the Australian Physiotherapy Council website if you have any questions.

Limited registration

If you do not meet requirements for general registration, you may be able to apply for limited registration.

Practitioners with international qualifications may participate in supervised training under limited registration for postgraduate training or supervised practice. Limited registration for postgraduate training applies to and requires your enrolment in an Australian postgraduate physiotherapy program of study.

The Registration Standards page has more information about the types of limited registration.