Australia and NZ Jointly Manage Overseas Immigration Physicians
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
According to a recent announcement, New Zealand and Australia
agreed to jointly manage an offshore network of panel physicians to
improve the quality of health examinations visa applicants receive.
Panel physicians consist of doctors and radiologists who undertake immigration health examinations for visa applicants.
Australia and New Zealand signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU)
which creates a jointly managed network co-ordinated by Immigration New
Zealand (INZ) and the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC).
The MOU is considered to bring several benefits to both countries,
according to the Head of INZ, Nigel Bickle, and his Australian
counterpart, the Secretary of DIAC, Martin Bowles.
The benefits of alignment include:
- improved customer service
- targeted communication, administration, performance management and
training for a single panel physician network, and related cost savings
- enhanced integrity through robust auditing and analysis
- expansion of tuberculosis screening and treatment networks, and
- progression of Five Country Conference objectives including the
promotion of health protection and efficiency through effective shared
management and quality assurance, and promoting best practice,
partnership and shared investment.
Mr Bowles said the arrangement would facilitate INZ implementing
electronic processing of its immigration health examinations and support
broader alignment of Australian and New Zealand immigration health
policies and processes.
The implementation of the network will occur in three phases and is expected to be fully implemented by July 2014.
If you are interested in Australian visas, contact Migration Expert
for information and advice on which visa is best suited to you. You can
also try our visa eligibility assessment to see if you are eligible to
apply for a visa to Australia.
Hanna Eliasson | Migration Expert Australia |
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