How to apply for an Area of Need Position
An application requesting a determination for a position to be deemed Area of Need (AoN) must be submitted to SA MET (Department for Health and Ageing). Following assessment by the Chief Medical Officer, the outcome is returned to the requesting body (within 10 working day) to be forwarded to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) to go towards the applicant gaining their Limited Registration.
Position description
A position description for the vacant position should be attached to the AoN application. The position description should outline the key duties that the incumbent is required to undertake, including information on the nature and scope of the position. The essential skills, knowledge and experience essential to the position must be included.
Labour market testing
The employer must demonstrate that labour market testing has been undertaken and that the vacancy could not be filled by a medical practitioner with general registration in Australia (i.e. previous advertising of the position has been unsuccessful). Australian-registered medical practitioners must not be disadvantaged by the recruitment of medical practitioners from overseas.
Expired determination for AoN
Determinations for an AoN are granted for one to five years depending on the circumstances on which the determination is based. Once this time has elapsed it is the responsibility of the applicant to submit a new application to SA MET if the AoN is to continue to enable the ongoing employment of international medical graduates (IMGs) in that location.
It is it the responsibility of the requesting body (e.g. recruitment agency, employer, health service) to notify SA MET when the doctor, who was the subject of the Area of Need application, either ceases employment or progresses to full registration.
Unsuccessful applications
An applicant can appeal to SA MET in writing if their application for AoN is unsuccessful please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Further details on the preparation of an application for an AoN may be found in the AoN Resources section.