19AA | 3GA Training Programs | GP Training Programs | 19AA Exemptions

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Date Updated: 2026-09-29

What is 19AA?

Basically, 19AA requires NON-Vocationally Registered (Non-VR) Doctors who are Permanent Residents or Citizens of Australia to be enrolled on an approved 3GA training program prior to commencing work to be able to gain access to Medicare benefits.

What does ‘Vocationally Registered’ mean? When referring to General Practitioners, it means that they have sat their Fellowship exams via RACGP or ACRRM and becoming a Fellow in General Practice. This is also referred to as being a “VR” or “FRACGP” or “FACRRM.”

Please note GPs who are hoping to achieve Fellowship with ACRRM or RACGP are required to join a GP Training Program (AGPT, RVTS, IP or FSP) to be eligible to sit the Fellowship exams. Once you achieve Fellowship and gain Specialist Registration, you’ll become a Vocationally Registered (VR) Doctor which means you no longer need to remain in a 3GA training program.

Who is restricted by 19AA?

All Non-Vocationally Registered Australian Citizens or Permanent Residents are restricted by 19AA. This restricts both people born here in Australia and those who have become Australians.

This means if you are born in Australia, have become an Australian Citizen or hold Permanent Residency, you will be restricted until you achieve Fellowship with either ACRRM or RACGP, and are recognised as a Specialist in General Practice.

What does it mean to be restricted by 19AA?

If you are restricted by 19AA, you are required to join a 3GA program to gain access to Medicare benefits. As soon as you receive Permanent Residency (from 5pm the day you become a Permanent Resident) you will need to cease practice until you are on an approved 3GA program.

If you are restricted by 19AA and not on a 3GA program, you will not be granted access to Medicare Benefits. Medicare can issue a fine if they discover you have continued to claim Medicare Benefits without being on a 3GA Program. You’ll be responsible for 50% of that money—Medicare will also chase your clinic for the other half of it.

Once you achieve Fellowship and gain Specialist Registration, you’ll become a Vocationally Registered (VR) Doctor which means you no longer need to remain in a 3GA training program.

What if I just don’t want to join a 3GA program?

If for some reason you don’t want to join a 3GA program, you are still able to practice, you just won’t be able to provide services that offer a Medicare rebate through Medicare. Therefore, your patients, even if they have Medicare and are eligible to be bulk-billed, will have to pay the full cost of the appointment out of pocket and will not receive a rebate.

If you’re billing 100% privately, and your patients do not expect to get a rebate from Medicare, this restriction doesn’t apply. It only applies to those who want to be able to bulk bill and their patients have the ability to claim on Medicare.

What are the options for 3GA programs?

Your 3GA program options will depend on if you meet the eligibility criteria and on your practice location, if relevant. We have put together a summary of all the 3GA programs below:

Australian General Practice Training Programs (AGPT)

AGPT is a commonwealth-funded training program for registrars on the journey to either RACGP or ACRRM Fellowship and Specialist Registration as a General Practitioner. It’s a 4-year program that provides a lot of support to GPs with limited training spots and competitive selection process. Applications open each year in April and commence the following January and they take on up to 1500 registrars (+200 in 2026, +300 in 2027, and +400 places in 2028) each intake.

Eligibility: To be eligible you need to:
- Hold General AHPRA Registration before the program commencement
- Be an Australian or New Zealand citizen, or Australian permanent resident, or hold a visa:
  - ACRRM: 820, or Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) 482, 457, 491, or 494 (NOT ELIGIBLE: 408 or 485)
  - RACGP: 309, 482, 485, 491, 494 or 820 visa
- RACGP Applicants:
  - Have at least 2 exam semesters remaining if you have already sat RACGP Fellowship exams since January 2019

There are 2 different pathways available for GPs and these depend on your 19AB restriction.
- Rural Pathway: If you are restricted by 19AB, you will join the Rural Pathway with AGPT. GPs in this pathway will undertake all of their training in rural areas that fulfil their 19AB restrictions.
- General Pathway: The General Pathway of the AGPT program is for GPs that are not restricted by 19AB. GPs on this pathway will work in inner and/or outer metropolitan areas.
  - Exemption: You can apply for Rural Pathway exemption, specifically for RACGP AGPT, to join the General Pathway. Please note that you have to apply for your Rural Pathway exemption first before applying for the AGPT program, because if you applied for the AGPT program first and have been granted a placement, you may not be able to transfer to a General Pathway placement.

Placement: You aren’t able to choose a specific practice to work in on this program, but you can nominate your preferred area regions. Once you have been accepted for a region, you will be provided with a list of practices to contact to try to join.

Application: Applications for AGPT generally open in March – April and July – August each year and you can apply through the ACRRM website or RACGP website.
Fees: Australian Government funding for the AGPT Program covers the cost of your training, but you will have to pay your own application fees, assessment fees, and college membership costs.

Remote Vocational Training Scheme (RVTS)

RVTS is a Fellowship training program for registrars on the journey to either RACGP or ACRRM Fellowship, designed to provide vocational training through distance education and remote supervision, letting registrars practice in some of Australia’s most remote locations while training for Fellowship..

RVTS offers two training streams:

The Remote Stream for doctors working in rural and remote Australia in MMM4-7 locations.
The AMS Stream for doctors working in Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services in MMM2-7 locations.

The Applicant Guide for each training stream includes important information on eligibility and selection into the RVTS program. You may refer to the relevant guides published on the RVTS website here.

Additionally, through its ‘Targeted Recruitment process’ RVTS in collaboration with eligible locations is facilitating recruitment to 30+ rural, remote and First Nations communities across Australia.

Eligibility: To apply, you must:
- Be an Australian Citizen, or a Permanent Resident, or a Temporary Resident, and
- Hold General, Provisional, or Limited Registration for Area of Need with AHPRA, AND have Level 2, 3, or 4 supervision (Note: Applicants with Level 1 supervision are not eligible for RVTS.)

Placement: You can apply to RVTS through either the Remote Stream or AMS Stream on their website.
- To apply through the Remote Stream, you need to be practicing as a GP in an MM 4 – 7 area.
- To apply through the AMS Stream, you need to be working as a GP in an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service with an MM 2 – 7 location.
Application: RVTS conducts two intakes with training commencing in January and July each year.
Fees: Training with RVTS is funded by the Commonwealth, and there are no application fees. However, you will have to pay your own assessment fees, and college membership costs.

Fellowship Support Program (FSP)

FSP is a self-funded education and training program that supports aspiring Doctors with general practice experience to complete their Fellowship through RACGP.

Eligibility: To participate in FSP you will need to:
- Have a General, Provisional (with AMC Certificate), or Limited AHPRA Registration with *Level 3 or 4 supervision
  - *Level 2 Supervision will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis
- Have the right to work in Australia or have a supporting evidence for visa
- Have at least 1 exam semester remaining if you already sat RACGP Fellowship exams
- Be employed or have a job offer in a practice in an MM 2-7 location at the time of application
- Have an accredited training site
- Note: The training site and supervisor details on your AHPRA registration must match the nominated supervisor and training site on the FSP application.
Placement: You will be required to find an accredited practice that is in a MM 2-7 location to work in. If you wish to join FSP, but you’re employed in an MM1 area, you can continue to work there if you’re eligible for extenuating and unforeseen circumstances.
Application: Applications for the program usually open in January – February and July – August. You can apply via their website.
Fees: You will need to pay an education program fee ($10,000-14,000 AUD per six-month term) and other fees, so you will need to be prepared to cover these costs if you plan to join. For a breakdown cost of the program, you may refer here.

Independent Pathway (IP)

The ACRRM Independent Pathway is a self-funded training program that assists GPs on the pathway towards Fellowship of ACRRM (FACRRM) and Specialist Registration.

Eligibility: You will be eligible for the program if you:
- Hold an Australian/NZ citizenship, or a Permanent Residency status, or a Temporary Residency status (skilled migration or business visas – student visa is not permitted)
- Hold General Registration, Provisional Registration, Limited Registration, or Specialist Registration with AHPRA
Placement: You will be required to find a practice that is in a MM 2-7 location to work in.
Application: Applications are open various times in the year and are listed in the key dates calendar on their website. If applications are not open when you apply, you can submit an expression of interest to be notified when applications next open.
Fees: The ACRRM Independent Pathway does have an education program fee ($24,950) and other fees, so you will need to be prepared to cover these costs if you plan to join.

If you are accepted into any of the program above (AGPT, RVTS, ACRRM IP, and RACGP FSP), you will have the opportunity to apply for a new Medical Provider Number that is at the A1 level. As per the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS), A1 level is equivalent to consultation fee bracket being charged by VR General Practitioners.

Pre-Fellowship Program (PFP)

PFP is a 3GA program that enables IMGs and Non-VR doctors to practice in a Distribution Priority Area (DPA) and access Medicare. This prepares doctors for Fellowship by allowing them to acquire more GP experience.

Whilst it is a 3GA program, it is not a Pathway to Fellowship. This means you will need to join a College-led GP training program before you are eligible to sit for the Fellowship Exams.

Eligibility: To be eligible for the program you need to:
- Be a non-vocationally registered doctor or an IMG
- Be a temporary resident, a permanent resident, or an Australian citizen
- Have a General, Provisional or Limited AHPRA Registration
- Be in Postgraduate Year (PGY) 3 or above
- Have an offer of employment

Placement: As part of this program you will need to find a practice in a DPA area.
Application: Applications are open throughout the year and you can apply for this program by emailing the Rural Workforce Agency in your State or Territory. The application process depends on the state. Applications take around 28 business days to process.
Fees: There are no costs associated with PFP.

After Hours Medical Deputising Services (AMDS)

AMDS program allows you to gain clinical experience during the after-hour periods. AMDS services can either be clinic-based or involve visiting patients’ homes and these practices are available in both metropolitan and regional areas.

Your eligible working hours are after 6pm and before 8am on weekdays, before 8am and from 12pm onwards on Saturday, and all-day Sunday and on Public Holidays.

Whilst AMDS fulfils your 19AA requirements, it is not a fellowship training program and you will need to transfer to AGPT, ACRRM Independent Pathway, RVTS or FSP in order to sit the Fellowship exams.

Eligibility: You are eligible if you:
- Are a non-VR doctor actively working towards specialist registration in general practice
- Are subject to the 19AA requirements (which requires a doctor to be on an approved 3GA training program to access a Medicare benefit)
- Hold temporary or permanent residency in Australia
- Hold *Limited, *Provisional, or General medical registration with the Medical Board of Australia
  - *Limited and Provisional registrants can provide in-clinic services only, unless approved by the AHPRA to provide services in the patient’s home or in a Residential Aged Care Facility.
- Hold a current Level 1 Advanced Life Support (ALS) Course Completion Certificate
- Have at least 2 years of post-graduate experience, including paediatrics, accident and emergency, and medicine and surgery
Application: You can apply for AMDS at any time through an AMDS service provider. The practice will need to be accredited through AMDS – a practice that operates in the after-hours but is not accredited with AMDS will not be accepted in an application. Essentially, all AMDS clinics are after hours, but not all after hours clinics are AMDS. So make sure you check!
Fees: There is no cost associated with AMDS.

Important Note: Becoming an Australian Permanent Resident / Citizen DOES NOT negate the 19AB / DPA requirement that all doctors who completed their degrees outside of Australia, or who were not residents when they completed their Australian degrees are also restricted by. Some of the 3GA programs also have specific 19AB requirements linked to them.

So, what now?

This, all in all, is a brief summary of this part of the health act. The aim is to encourage people into rural areas and give them the tools and the support to provide great healthcare. The issue is that when you put it into practice – people have set up their lives somewhere and relocating can be challenging and frightening.

It’s important to look at your options and make a decision based on what is best for you and your family. Don’t be afraid of change, because you never know what amazing things and new friendships you can build in our rural areas.

There are lots of people here to help take you through the options and we will wait patiently whilst you decide what it is that you want to do.

Need help with your application documents or have more questions? Email us at help@peoplemedical.com.au and we can help you with your concerns and documents!

We Can Help You

Here at People Medical Consulting, we have a passion for guiding medical practitioners through their career pathways to Australia. We have extensive experience in assisting medical facilities in recruiting doctors from local and overseas who will best suit their requirements.

We provide Document Assistance for those requiring support for their PESCI with IME, ACRRM or RACGP, registration and all other mandatory AHPRA requirements, fellowship program related forms and letters, application for Medicare provider and prescriber numbers, application for 19AB or 19AA exemptions and preparation of employment documents.

If you want to talk to someone about your pathway or practice management—book a consultation with us below, or if you need Recruitment or Document Assistance, contact us at help@peoplemedical.com.au or click the buttons below. We’d be glad to help you!

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Information from this blog has been taken directly from: