Australia recognises Indian degrees amid doctor shortage as part of mutual ... trends now
Aussies struggling to book a doctor's appointment may soon find it a lot easier after India and Australia agreed to recognise each other's hard-earned degrees, including those in the medical profession.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited the Indian city of Ahmedabad, in the western state of Gujarat, on Thursday to announce Indians will have their bachelor degrees, postgraduate qualifications, diplomas and senior high school certificates recognised in Australia.
The India Education Qualifications Recognition Mechanism means Australians will also have their qualifications recognised in India as part of a reciprocal arrangement between the two cricket-loving, Commonwealth democracies.
The Australian government announcement was made as Deakin University establishes India's first overseas university-approved campus.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (pictured left with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi) has visited the Indian city of Ahmedabad, in the western state of Gujarat, to announce that Indians will have their bachelor degrees, postgraduate qualifications, diplomas and senior high school certificates recognised in Australia
Professor Tim Harcourt, the chief economist with the University of Technology's Institute for Public Policy and Governance, said such an arrangement could help Australia recruit doctors from India to address the desperate shortage of regional general practitioners.
'Regional Australia will benefit from this and cuisine will improve across the board,' he told Daily Mail Australia.
India would join the likes of Canada, New Zealand, Singapore and the United States to either officially, or via a professional group, recognise each other's qualifications.
In the field of medicine, Australia has reciprocal arrangements with Canada and New Zealand.
That means Australian specialists are recognised by the Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Canada and the Canadian College of Family Physicians, while the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons recognises both Kiwis and Australians.
Similar arrangements are being finalised with the UK, following its Brexit divorce from the EU.
Professions like medicine, architecture and engineering would still require Indian migrants with degrees to pass another set of exams so they can be accredited to work in Australia.
That arrangement applies to Australians who already have degrees in Australia.
The federal Department of Education stressed the relevant authorities in charge of a profession would still decide if someone from India had the right skills to practise.
'Occupations that require specialised knowledge and skills in Australia have registration, licensing, professional membership or other industry requirements that must be met before you can start working,' it said.
India would join the likes of Canada, New Zealand, Singapore and the United States were both nations, either officially or via a professional group, recognise each other's qualifications (pictured is Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in India celebrating Holi or the Festival of Colours)
The Architects Accreditation Council has reciprocal arrangements with Canada, Japan, Singapore and the United States.
Professor Harcourt said recognising the qualifications of Indians would also help address skills shortages, with Australian still having a low 3.7 per cent unemployment rate in January.
'You decide what level
