Occupational Therapy Board of Australia - Overseas qualified practitioners
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Overseas qualified practitioners

To work as an Occupational Therapist in Australia, you need to apply for and be registered with the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia.

You may also need to apply for a visa in order to work and live in Australia. We cannot advise you on matters related to visa eligibility - please visit the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs website for further information.

The visa application process and the Board registration process are separate and success in one does not automatically guarantee success in the other. For this reason we recommend that you do not apply for work or set up a practice until your registration eligibility is assessed and confirmed. Please note Ahpra and the Board cannot assist you in seeking employment or influence employment outcomes.

New Zealand applicants

Occupational therapists who have current registration and a current practising certificate that allows them to practise as an occupational therapist in New Zealand can apply for registration as an occupational therapist in Australia under the Commonwealth Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Act 1997.

Applicants for registration under Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition must also ensure they are familiar with the Board’s registration standards and codes and guidelines.

Applicants with qualifications and/or practice experience from New Zealand but who do not currently have the right to practise in New Zealand cannot register under Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition and must meet the requirements for other overseas applicants.

Fees

Applicants are required to pay an application fee and a registration fee. All the Board's fees are published on the schedule of fees.

The Occupational Therapy Council of Australia Ltd also charges fees to assess qualifications obtained overseas and the Council publishes a schedule of fees here

Recommended pathway to application for overseas qualified occupational therapists

Overseas-qualified occupational therapists wanting to practise in Australia are required to undertake an initial assessment to determine whether their qualification(s) are suitable for registration with the Board, and then undertake a period of supervised practice before they may apply for general registration.

This process is for you if you:

  • Qualified as an occupational therapist outside of Australia or New Zealand, and
  • You want to practise as an Occupational Therapist in Australia
  Action by applicant Action by Occupational Therapy Council of Australia (OTC) Action by Ahpra and Occupational Therapy Board of Australia
Step 1 Complete the Stage 1 Application for Desktop Assessment form and return to OTC with all required documentation, and applicable fee.

All forms and explanatory notes are available in the “assessment” section of the OTC website at www.otcouncil.com.au

OTC will assess whether your qualification is suitable for registration with the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia

OTC will contact you if further information is required.
An application may take approximately two weeks to assess, provided all required documents have been received.

If your Stage 1 assessment is successful, OTC will issue to you a formal acknowledgement letter

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Successful completion of the Stage 1 Desktop Assessment is required to progress to limited registration and practice              
Step 2

You need to:

  • Find suitable employment (must be a position requiring registration as an occupational therapist) and identify a supervisor and
  • Complete the application for limited registration form (ALPS-96) and provide all supporting documents. This must include:
    • Your Stage 1 assessment outcome letter (issued by OTC as above)
    • Relevant employment documents including a Supervised practice plan form SPPA-00
    • Curriculum vitae of your nominated supervisor
  • Ensure any documents provided are appropriately certified and translated if not in English
  • Submit to Ahpra using the online upload

 

Ahpra staff will assess your application on behalf of the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia and will contact you if further information is required.

  • Your application cannot be finalised until all information is provided

The Occupational Therapy Board of Australia will grant you limited registration if your application meets the eligibility and suitability requirements.

Ahpra will advise you and OTC when limited registration has been granted (including advising OTC details of the approved supervisor(s)).
Step 3

You must advise OTC and Ahpra when you will commence supervised practice.

 

  
 The period of supervised practice cannot commence until you have been granted limited registration.
Step 4

Within two weeks commencing supervised practice, you must

Submit to OTC the following documents:

  • Stage 2 application form
  • Position description
  • Your CV
  • Supervisor(s) CV
  • Supervised Practice Implementation Plan using the OTC template
  • Payment.

The OTC will monitor your progress in completing compulsory cultural awareness and responsiveness training via the IAHA portal (please see below for further information).

When all documents are received, OTC will assess the Stage 2 application, including the Supervised Practice Implementation Plan.

OTC will contact you if further information is required.

If OTC is satisfied with your Stage 2 application and approves your Supervised Practice Implementation Plan, they will issue to you a formal confirmation letter.

A copy of this confirmation will be forwarded by OTC to Ahpra.

 
Step 5 You must submit to Ahpra using the online upload evidence of successfully completing Orientation to the Australian Healthcare System - Appendix 5

 

Ahpra will contact you to acknowledge completion.

A copy of this correspondence will be provided by Ahpra to OTC.
Step 6

At the midway point of your period of supervised practice, you must submit to OTC your:

  • Stage 2 midway progress report, and
  • Stage 2 supervision log

OTC will assess your mid-way report and supervision log and provide feedback to you.

 
Step 7

At the end of your period of supervised practice, you must provide to OTC:

  • Stage 2 final report, and
  • Any other information specified in the midway feedback

The OTC will monitor your progress in completing compulsory cultural awareness and responsiveness training via the IAHA portal

OTC will assess your final report and other information.

If approved, OTC will issue to you a Certificate of Practice Completion (COPC).

OTC will advise Ahpra of your COPC number.

Note: A COPC will not be issued until Level 3 of the cultural responsiveness and awareness training has been completed successfully.

 
 Successful completion of Stage 2 (i.e. obtaining a COPC) is required to apply for general registration
Step 8

You may apply to the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia for general registration, using Form AGEN-96 via the Online upload.

    

More information

It is a requirement for all internationally-qualified practitioners, seeking registration to practise in Australia, to complete successfully a cultural responsiveness and awareness training programme developed by Indigenous Allied Health Australia Ltd (IAHA) on behalf of OTC. The IAHA training is comprised of three levels:

  • Levels 1 and 2 are accessible on-line and practitioners need to complete both levels successfully before moving on to Level 3.
  • Level 3 can be completed as an online module or, via an on-line webinar “yarning” session hosted by IAHA personnel, which would be the preferred module. These yarning sessions are held on a regular basis and accessed by the IAHA portal.

Upon successful completion of the OTC Stage 1 skills assessment, a link to the IAHA portal will be provided by OTC.

 
 
Page reviewed 12/09/2023