Assessment of overseas qualified practitioner complaints
We assist with complaints about the assessment of overseas qualified practitioners seeking to become registered in Australia
About the assessment process
We know it can be challenging to navigate how to become a registered health practitioner in Australia.
Contact the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) with any questions before applying for registration. Reaching out early in the process can help ensure you are on the right path from the start.
Each health profession has different requirements that need to be met to become a registered health practitioner in Australia. We encourage you to check the requirements for the National Board that oversees your health profession. For example, if you are a medical practitioner, you will need to check the requirements of the Medical Board of Australia.
There may be different pathways to registration based on where you completed your qualification/s and where you have practised.
We can assist with complaints about the assessment process
You can make a complaint to us if you feel your qualifications or skills were unfairly assessed, for example:
-
you experienced an unfair examination process, including the delivery of an examination or the assessment of your qualification
-
you were dissatisfied with the reasoning for an examination or assessment-related process or outcome.
Remember, unless there is a reason not to, it’s best to first complain to the organisation who conducted the assessment or examination, so they have an opportunity to address the complaint.
We can also assist with complaints about the registration process
For example, we can assist with complaints about an unfair registration process, such as if:
-
you’re experiencing delays in the process
-
you are concerned the application of the English Language Skills Registration Standard was incorrect
-
you think a decision to refuse, or place conditions on, your registration was unfair
-
you were charged incorrectly for your registration application or renewal.
Please remember that our office cannot force a National Board to change its decision or re-issue an examination or assessment result.
Download our fact sheet
You can access and share the information on this webpage via our PDF fact sheet.
The fact sheet has resources to assist overseas qualified practitioners through the registration process.
-
Learn more
Make an anonymous complaint
We accept anonymous complaints, or you can contact us anonymously to learn about how we manage complaints. You can also make a confidential complaint, where your identity is withheld from the organisation you’re complaining about.
-
Find out more
Our complaints process
Our empathetic staff hear your concerns and consider the most appropriate way to address them. This may include asking you or the organisation you’re complaining about for more information, suggesting another early resolution process or deciding to investigate.
If we decide that we cannot consider your complaint and there is an organisation better suited to considering your concerns, we’ll provide you with information about alternative ways to progress your complaint.
-
Learn more
Responding to your complaint
We seek to address complaints as informally and efficiently as possible by reaching an agreement with those involved. This may include, for example, the organisation providing an update on the progress of an application, or providing further reasons for their decision.