What are the common restrictions in General Practice?
This is a FAQ BLOG and you can refer to our The Recruitment & Retention of General Practitioners in Australia blog here.
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Date Updated: 2026-05-13
There are 3 common restrictions within General Practice. These are 19AB, 19AA, and Area of Need- but what do they mean?
- 19AB restricts International Medical Graduates and requires them to work in a Distribution Priority Area for a moratorium of 10 years in order to access Medicare Benefits.
- 19AA restricts Australian Citizens and Permanent Residents who are not Fellowed and requires them to join a 3GA training program whilst preparing for Fellowship in order to be able to access Medicare.
- Area of Need Certificates are required for General Practices employing a General Practitioner seeking Limited Registration (Area of Need). An Area of Need Certificate is based on the need for doctors in the area.
As a practice manager, you should also check if a GP has current AHPRA registration, whether they’re a Specialist in Australia, where they did their degree and their residency. This will tell you their restrictions. Here are some examples:
- A GP on Limited or Provisional AHPRA registration will require supervision
- A Doctor who is not an Australian resident may require visa sponsorship
- A Specialist won’t be required to participate in a training program
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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