SA Health receives many enquiries from qualified medical practitioners and people studying or considering medicine as a career from within and outside of Australia.

This page will provide you with broad information about SA Health, eligibility criteria for medical roles, employment priorities and conditions of employment.

About SA Health

SA Health is committed to protecting and improving the health of all South Australians by providing leadership in health reform, public health services, health and medical research, policy development and planning, with an increased focus on well-being, illness prevention, early intervention and quality care.

SA Health is the brand name for the health portfolio of services and agencies responsible to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing.

The portfolio consists of the:

Eligibility for medical roles with SA Health

There are a range of eligibility criteria for each role in SA Health and those criteria are specified in the individual role descriptions. To be eligible to practice as a medical practitioner in SA Health the minimum requirements are:

  • Registered or eligible for registration with the Medical Board of Australia through the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)
  • Pre-employment screening prior to commencement eg satisfactory criminal history check, immunisation status, occupational health and safety checks.

Additional criteria will be dependent on the classification of the role and specific requirements of the position. All criteria and special conditions are detailed in the individual role description.

Employment priorities

Priority for appointment is given to applicants who are either Australian Citizens or Australian permanent residents in the first instance, which is in accordance with the Immigration Department requirements.

Visa holders and candidates requiring sponsorship continue to have a right to apply, however the right to placement is secondary to local applicants (Australian Citizens or residents).

In recent years Australia has seen an increase in the number of medical graduates which has a direct impact on SA Health's requirement to appoint visa holders or to sponsor candidates. It is anticipated that sponsorship (by SA Health) for medical roles will be primarily used for specialty and hard to fill positions.

Conditions of employment

Employment conditions and salary rates for medical officers employed by SA Health are excellent.

SA Health has generous provisions for salary packaging, work life flexibility, professional development, private practice (where relevant) and a range of allowances.

Conditions of employment and salaries are in accordance with the South Australian Medical Officers Award and the SA Health Salaried Medical Officer Enterprise Agreement.

The conditions of employment and salary rates for Visiting Medical Specialists are outlined in the SA Health Visiting Medical Specialists Enterprise.