❓ A Member of Parliament questions the Minister for Health regarding internship opportunities for international medical students in WA, particularly in light of changes to federal migration laws. The Minister confirms the existing priority system favoring Australian citizens and residents and indicates limited capacity for international students due to increasing domestic graduate numbers.
AnsweredQoN 2166Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Can the Minister confirm that I approached the Minister for Health (himself) on behalf of a constituent regarding international medical students being offered internships in Western Australia last year?
(2) Can the Minister confirm that his response to this approach was to reply that international students were ranked the lowest in the current internship recruitment priorities and that there were no guarantees for an internship, meaning that many had to leave after five years of study here; and
(a) if not, what was the Minister’s response?
(3) Will the response given last year change following the recent announcement by the Federal Minister for Immigration and Citizenship on alterations to migration laws that place emphasis on the need for people from the medical profession to come to Australia; and
(a) if not, why not?
(2) Can the Minister confirm that his response to this approach was to reply that international students were ranked the lowest in the current internship recruitment priorities and that there were no guarantees for an internship, meaning that many had to leave after five years of study here; and
(a) if not, what was the Minister’s response?
(3) Will the response given last year change following the recent announcement by the Federal Minister for Immigration and Citizenship on alterations to migration laws that place emphasis on the need for people from the medical profession to come to Australia; and
(a) if not, why not?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
8 March 2010
Responded by
Minister for Health
Response time
13 days
(1) Yes.
(2) No.
(a) Western Australia (WA) is aligned with all other States and Territories to act in accordance with priority groupings in the appointment of internships, with Australian citizens or permanent residents being offered a position before non-residents. International graduates of Western Australian medical schools who are able to fulfil the visa requirements of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship are ranked third out of a total priority grouping of five.
At the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting of 14 July 2006, States and Territories agreed to provide intern training for Commonwealth supported medical students. Jurisdictions did not guarantee intern positions for international full fee paying medical students, but positions were offered due to the availability of more positions than domestic graduates. However as increasing numbers of domestic graduates enter the health system, fewer places will be available for international graduates.
Historically, WA has been able to offer internships to all international medical students, but this situation is changing as Australian graduate numbers increase. In 2010, ten of fifteen international medical students who applied for an internship did not receive an offer from WA. They did however subsequently accept offers from other jurisdictions.
National workforce projections indicate that without the establishment of new, funded intern placements from 2012, all jurisdictions including WA will have reached capacity for their own local graduates, with limited availability for interstate and international medical students.
(3) No.
(a) The alterations to migration laws will not change the capacity of the health system to provide internships to international students.
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(2) No.
(a) Western Australia (WA) is aligned with all other States and Territories to act in accordance with priority groupings in the appointment of internships, with Australian citizens or permanent residents being offered a position before non-residents. International graduates of Western Australian medical schools who are able to fulfil the visa requirements of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship are ranked third out of a total priority grouping of five.
At the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting of 14 July 2006, States and Territories agreed to provide intern training for Commonwealth supported medical students. Jurisdictions did not guarantee intern positions for international full fee paying medical students, but positions were offered due to the availability of more positions than domestic graduates. However as increasing numbers of domestic graduates enter the health system, fewer places will be available for international graduates.
Historically, WA has been able to offer internships to all international medical students, but this situation is changing as Australian graduate numbers increase. In 2010, ten of fifteen international medical students who applied for an internship did not receive an offer from WA. They did however subsequently accept offers from other jurisdictions.
National workforce projections indicate that without the establishment of new, funded intern placements from 2012, all jurisdictions including WA will have reached capacity for their own local graduates, with limited availability for interstate and international medical students.
(3) No.
(a) The alterations to migration laws will not change the capacity of the health system to provide internships to international students.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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