From January 2026, doctors from the UK and Ireland are no longer eligible for the AMC Competent Authority Pathway (CAP). They must now sit the AMC CAT (MCQ) exam and AMC Clinical Examination like other IMGs. This follows changes to the UK's GMC licensing requirements. Doctors with qualifications from Canada, USA, New Zealand, and Hong Kong retain CAP eligibility. Source: AMC.org.au

AHPRA and the Medical Board of Australia have announced updated English language requirements effective 1 July 2026. IELTS minimum scores increase to 8.0 overall (from 7.5) with 7.5 in each component. OET remains at grade B in all four sub-tests. Doctors who have held registration continuously for 5 years are exempt. Check AHPRA.gov.au for your specific pathway.

Health Workforce Australia has published updated DWS classifications for 2026. Several previously classified rural areas near major cities have been removed from DWS status, affecting immediate Medicare provider number eligibility for new IMG GPs. IMGs working in DWS areas still receive Medicare provider numbers immediately. Check the DWS locator tool on the Department of Health website.

The Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ) has introduced a streamlined assessment pathway for IMGs from comparable health systems including Pakistan, India and other Commonwealth countries. The new pathway replaces the previous competence review process with a structured supervised practice period of 12 months before consideration for general registration. Apply through MCNZ.org.nz.

The AMC Computer Adaptive Test (Part 1) has been updated with a revised blueprint from 2026. The exam now includes more clinical reasoning questions and fewer pure recall questions. The pass mark is determined by standard setting and is not published. Candidates should prepare using updated AMC MCQ preparation resources. The exam can be sat at Pearson VUE test centres globally.