Thinking about permanent residency (PR) in Australia as a Specialist Physician (General Medicine) (also known as Specialist Physician, General Medicine Physician, Internal Medicine Specialist)? This occupation carries the official Australian job code ANZSCO 253311 and sits on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), so you can apply for the skilled visas below. Here you will find how to get PR, your visa options, the points you need, the body that checks your skills, current fees, and how competitive it is right now, from live SkillSelect data.
How skilled migration works (in plain English)
Australia selects skilled migrants using a points test. If your job is on an official skilled occupation list (like this one), you can compete for a visa. Most people follow four steps:
- Get a skills assessment. An approved assessing body (listed further down) confirms your qualifications and work experience match this occupation.
- Submit an EOI. An Expression of Interest (EOI) is a free online profile in the government's SkillSelect system. It records your points score and the visa you want.
- Wait for an invitation. The government, and for some visas a state, invites the highest scorers to apply. A higher score means a better chance.
- Apply for the visa. Once invited, you lodge the full application and pay the fee.
The three main skilled visas on this page are:
- Subclass 189 (Skilled Independent): permanent residency, no sponsor needed, decided purely on points.
- Subclass 190 (Skilled Nominated): permanent residency where a state or territory nominates you and adds 5 points.
- Subclass 491 (Skilled Work Regional): a 5 year provisional visa for regional Australia that adds 15 points and leads to permanent residency later.
Your points come from things like age, English level, work experience and qualifications. The minimum to enter the pool is 65 points, but the scores that actually get invited are usually higher, as the tables below show.
Skilled Visa Pathways for Specialist Physician (General Medicine)
| Visa | Status | Main applicant fee |
|---|---|---|
| Subclass 189 (Skilled Independent) | Eligible | $6,135 |
| Subclass 190 (Skilled Nominated) | Eligible | $6,140 |
| Subclass 491 (Skilled Work Regional) | Eligible | $6,140 |
Fees shown are the primary-applicant base charge and change over time. Confirm current charges with the Department of Home Affairs before lodging.
Live SkillSelect Competition for Specialist Physician (General Medicine)
As at April 2026, the Subclass 189 (Skilled Independent) national pool held 20 Expressions of Interest submitted for Specialist Physician (General Medicine), based on official Department of Home Affairs SkillSelect data. Subclass 189 is points-only with no state nomination, so it is usually the most competitive pathway.
For the state-nominated pathways, submitted EOIs by state and territory are shown below. A single applicant can lodge one EOI selecting both 190 and 491, so the two columns overlap. Read each column across states rather than adding them together.
| State / Territory | 190 EOIs | 491 EOIs |
|---|---|---|
| Queensland | 10 | 10 |
| New South Wales | 10 | 0 |
| Victoria | 10 | 0 |
| Western Australia | 10 | 0 |
Points of Submitted EOIs, by Subclass
Where submitted EOIs for Specialist Physician (General Medicine) sit (median score): Subclass 189 around 70; Subclass 190 around 70; Subclass 491 around 85 points. Subclass 189 is points-only, so its score is directly comparable; 190 adds +5 and 491 adds +15 nomination points on top of your base score, which is why their pools typically show higher totals.
| Points range | 189 EOIs | 190 EOIs | 491 EOIs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 65 to 69 | 10 | 10 | 0 |
| 70 to 74 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| 75 to 79 | 10 | 10 | 0 |
| 80 to 84 | 10 | 10 | 0 |
| 85 to 89 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 90+ | 0 | 0 | 10 |
Source: SkillSelect EOI data, April 2026 (national, by subclass). Counts are rounded by the Department of Home Affairs.
Who Assesses Specialist Physician (General Medicine)?
Before lodging an Expression of Interest, a Specialist Physician (General Medicine) must have their skills assessed by the relevant authority:
- Medical Board of Australia
Subclass 189 Occupation Ceiling
Specialist Physicians: 473 of 578 189 places remaining for FY25-26
This is a shared, group-level figure. Australia sets 189 occupation ceilings for the broader ANZSCO occupation group (the 4-digit code 2533), not for each individual occupation. Specialist Physician (General Medicine) belongs to the Specialist Physicians group, so this ceiling is shared across every occupation in that group, not reserved for Specialist Physician (General Medicine) alone. When the group ceiling is close to full, 189 invitation rounds for the whole group slow down.
EOI Competition by State
See the live EOI competition for Specialist Physician (General Medicine) broken down by state: NSW · VIC · QLD · WA.
Check your eligibility and points across the 189, 190 and 491 visas in minutes, with Kobi, backed by live SkillSelect data.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are my chances of getting PR in Australia as a Specialist Physician (General Medicine)?
Your chances depend on your points score and pathway. Based on live SkillSelect data (April 2026), the most competitive Subclass 189 EOIs for Specialist Physician (General Medicine) sit around 70 points; the strongest state demand (Subclass 190) is currently in Queensland. The 65-point minimum only lets you lodge an EOI — a higher score, and pursuing a state (190) or regional (491) pathway, materially improve your odds of an invitation.
How do I get PR in Australia as a Specialist Physician (General Medicine)?
Specialist Physician (General Medicine) is on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), so the path to PR is: (1) get a positive skills assessment from Medical Board of Australia; (2) submit a free SkillSelect Expression of Interest (EOI) with your points score; (3) receive an invitation; and (4) lodge your visa. The main pathways are Subclass 189 (Skilled Independent), Subclass 190 (Skilled Nominated), Subclass 491 (Skilled Work Regional).
Can a specialist physician get PR in Australia?
Yes. Roles such as specialist physician, general medicine physician, internal medicine specialist are covered by Specialist Physician (General Medicine) (ANZSCO 253311) for Australian skilled migration, as long as your skills assessment maps to this occupation. The visa options, points and competition on this page apply.
Is Specialist Physician (General Medicine) on the Australian skilled occupation list?
Yes. Specialist Physician (General Medicine) (ANZSCO 253311) is on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), which makes it eligible for the Subclass 189, Subclass 190, Subclass 491 visa pathway.
Which visas can a Specialist Physician (General Medicine) apply for in 2026?
Based on the MLTSSL, Specialist Physician (General Medicine) can apply for Subclass 189 (Skilled Independent), Subclass 190 (Skilled Nominated), Subclass 491 (Skilled Work Regional). Eligibility also depends on your points score, skills assessment and (for 190/491) state nomination.
Who assesses Specialist Physician (General Medicine) for migration?
Specialist Physician (General Medicine) is assessed by Medical Board of Australia. You must obtain a positive skills assessment from this authority before you can be invited to apply.
How many points do you need as a Specialist Physician (General Medicine)?
Based on live SkillSelect data (April 2026), for the points-only Subclass 189 most submitted EOIs for Specialist Physician (General Medicine) sit around 70 points. For the state-nominated pathways, submitted EOIs sit around 70 for Subclass 190, around 85 for Subclass 491 (these include nomination points). Meeting the 65-point minimum lets you lodge an EOI, but a competitive score is typically higher.
How competitive is Specialist Physician (General Medicine)?
As at April 2026, the Subclass 189 independent pool held about 20 submitted EOIs; among state-nominated pathways the most 190 interest was in Queensland. Competition varies by state and subclass, so check each pathway rather than a single national figure.