Registration complaints

The registration process

Practitioners must be registered by the National Board that represents their profession in order to work within one of the 16 registered health professions.

Registered practitioners are required to renew their registration every 12 months.

The registration process is generally managed by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra), which is responsible for receiving and processing registration applications. Depending on the nature of the registration application, the relevant National Board may also make decisions about the matter. 

We can receive complaints about many different points in the registration process including the:

• initial application process

• registration renewal process

• assessment of an international practitioner’s qualifications 

• decision to refuse registration, including because a practitioner does not meet the Board’s requirements as outlined in its registration standards

• decision to place conditions on a practitioner’s registration (such as supervised practice conditions) and the process for ensuring compliance with these conditions.

Common registration complaints

In 2023–24, we received 123 registration-related complaints. The most common issues raised in registration-related complaints included that:

• the process for satisfying the English Language Skills (ELS) Registration Standard in relation to an application for general registration was unfair

• registration fees were unfair or unreasonable

• an unfair or unreasonable decision was made about the application of the ELS Registration Standard in relation to an application for general registration

• there was delay in Ahpra’s management of an application for general registration

• there was delay in assessing an international qualification for a practitioner seeking general registration

• an unfair or unreasonable decision was made about an application for general registration.

Who makes registration complaints

It is free to make a complaint about the registration process and we welcome complaints from people who have concerns about this process.

We receive complaints from people at different stages of the registration process including:

• recent graduates applying for registration for the first time
• practitioners with overseas qualifications who are applying for registration in Australia
• practitioners renewing their registration
• practitioners moving between registration types (for example, from non-practising to practising registration) .

Outcomes for registration complaints

Our office works with the complainant and Ahpra to resolve the issue.

This could include Ahpra:

• answering an individual’s queries about the registration process
• providing an update on the progress of an application
• speeding up the processing of a delayed matter in exceptional circumstances
• providing further information about a registration policy or standard.

We generally do not investigate registration matters that are still active with Ahpra. This is because the concerns may be resolved when a decision is made about the practitioner’s registration. Where we do decide to investigate a registration-related complaint, possible outcomes include suggesting that a decision be reconsidered by Ahpra or a National Board, or making suggestions for improvement to Ahpra or a National Board.