SA IMET

What are areas of need?

What is an area of need:  Commonwealth definition

An Area of Need (AON) is any location in which there is a lack of specific medical practitioners or where there are medical positions that remain unfilled even after recruitment efforts have taken place over a period of time. Area of Need applies to both public and private sector positions and most International Medical Graduates are required to work in an Area of Need when they first come to Australia. For more information go to Doctor Connect.

Unlike the Districts of Workforce Shortage, which are determined by the Australian Government, Areas of Need are determined by the State and Territory Governments and methods of defining them vary.

Area of need: South Australia

Provisions within the Medical Practice Act 2004 Part 4, Division 2 Registration, 33 (2) (d) (iii) & (e) allow for limited registration of International Medical Graduates to provide services into areas that the Minister and the Board consider in urgent need of services of a medical practitioner; or in the Minister and the Board's opinion it would be in the public interest to do so. Medical Board of SA.

To qualify for 'in urgent need of a medical practitioner' an employer is expected to meet the following criteria:

  1. a genuine vacancy exists;
  2. that the provision of medical services would fall below an acceptable level if the vacancy was not filled; and
  3. that the market has been tested. The Australian medical community does need to have a vacancy brought to its attention (state and national and relevant specialty advertising) and the SA IMET, Department of Health be satisfied that no Australian trained medical practitioner can be appointed to the position.