Live vacancies: browse current podiatry jobs in Australia on the IMEA POD jobs board, or search directly on LinkedIn.
Australia is one of the most established podiatry markets in the world and a natural target for podiatrists trained in the Middle East, Africa, South Asia and India who want a clearly defined, nationally regulated profession with a broad scope of practice. Podiatrists in Australia work across private clinics, public hospitals, community health, aged care and disability services, and the profession has well-developed pathways in high-risk foot and diabetes care, sports and musculoskeletal podiatry, paediatrics and podiatric surgery.
The titles “podiatrist” and “podiatric surgeon” are protected under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law, which means you cannot use them, or practise, until you hold registration with the Podiatry Board of Australia. Chiropody is not used as a separate title in Australia; overseas-trained chiropodists apply through the same podiatry registration process.
How podiatry is regulated in Australia
Podiatry is regulated nationally by the Podiatry Board of Australia, supported by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra). One registration covers practice in every state and territory. The Board states plainly that you must be registered to work as a podiatrist in Australia and advises against applying for jobs or setting up a practice until your registration is confirmed (podiatryboard.gov.au).
Many older guides refer to the Australian and New Zealand Podiatry Accreditation Council (ANZPAC) as the body that assessed overseas podiatrists. That is out of date. ANZPAC’s transitional role ended on 30 June 2019, overseas applicants were redirected to the Board from May 2019, and accreditation functions moved to an independent committee from 1 July 2019 (podiatryboard.gov.au). Today Ahpra assesses international qualifications on the Board’s behalf.
There are three main routes to general registration (podiatryboard.gov.au):
- New Zealand practitioners: podiatrists holding current New Zealand registration and a practising certificate can apply under the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Act 1997.
- Recognised International Qualification Pathway: if your qualification matches one the Board has already assessed (same education provider, same year, same degree title), you can apply directly for general registration.
- Qualification Assessment Pathway: if your qualification has not been assessed before, you submit a qualification portfolio (form PNAQ-70) for assessment before applying for registration.
Ahpra assesses portfolios against three criteria: professional registration in the country of training, quality assurance and accreditation (including a recommended minimum of 1,000 hours of assessed clinical practice), and academic level. A qualification comparable to an Australian bachelor degree (AQF level 7) that meets all the higher criteria can be found “substantially equivalent”, while one meeting only the threshold criteria (for example AQF level 6) may be found “relevant to the profession” (podiatryboard.gov.au).
Applicants whose qualification is found relevant but not substantially equivalent must pass the new National Podiatry Examination. At the time of writing the Board says the exam is not yet available and is expected to launch from mid-2026, so candidates should check its current status before planning (podiatryboard.gov.au). All applicants must also meet the Board’s registration standards, including English language skills, recency of practice, criminal history and professional indemnity insurance. Endorsement for scheduled medicines can be sought alongside the assessment or after general registration.
The podiatry employment landscape in Australia
Most Australian podiatrists work in private practice, from solo clinics to multi-site groups and franchise networks offering general podiatry, biomechanics and custom foot orthoses, nail surgery and sports podiatry. Public health services employ podiatrists in hospital high-risk foot services, diabetes and vascular teams, wound clinics and community health centres, where experience in diabetic foot ulcer management and offloading is valued. Aged care, home visiting and disability services are also significant employers, particularly in regional areas where demand often exceeds supply.
Podiatric surgery is a separate specialist registration in Australia with its own internationally qualified pathway, so podiatrists with surgical training abroad should read the Board’s podiatric surgeon guidance rather than assume general registration covers surgical practice. Paediatric podiatry, sports and musculoskeletal work, and orthotic laboratories round out the main specialisms.
Employers and job search channels
The Australian Podiatry Association (APodA) runs classified listings for positions, locums, graduate roles and practices for sale (podiatry.org.au), and its guidance for overseas podiatrists points job seekers to these classifieds (podiatry.org.au). State and territory health departments and local health districts advertise public roles on their own careers portals, while large general job boards and LinkedIn carry most private-practice vacancies. Recruitment agencies specialising in allied health are active, especially for regional and rural roles.
Job titles you will see in advertisements include Podiatrist, Senior Podiatrist, Graduate Podiatrist, High Risk Foot Podiatrist, Community Podiatrist, Sports Podiatrist, Locum Podiatrist, Podiatry Team Leader and Podiatric Surgeon.
International candidates and documentation
Start by checking whether your qualification already appears on the Board’s list of recognised international qualifications. If it does not, prepare a full qualification portfolio: certified academic transcripts or diploma supplements, award certificates and, where these are unavailable, a letter from your university registrar. Ahpra contacts applicants directly if assessment will take longer than 28 days, and assessments cannot be fast-tracked.
Plan English testing early. The Board applies Ahpra’s English language skills registration standard; check the current accepted tests and minimum scores on the Board’s registration standards page before booking (podiatryboard.gov.au). Keep evidence of recent clinical practice, references from employers and proof of current registration with your home regulator, as these support both registration and later job applications.
Visa and employment considerations
Podiatrist (ANZSCO 252611) appears on the Core Skills Occupation List published by the Department of Home Affairs (immi.homeaffairs.gov.au), which is used for employer-sponsored visas such as the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) Core Skills stream and the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186). Home Affairs maintains separate lists for other skilled visas (immi.homeaffairs.gov.au).
Unlike many occupations, podiatry does not use VETASSESS for the migration skills assessment. The Podiatry Board of Australia is the assessing authority for ANZSCO 252611, and Home Affairs accepts a certificate of general registration as a podiatrist as evidence of a suitable skills assessment (podiatryboard.gov.au). Registration and visas are separate processes: success in one does not guarantee the other, and Ahpra cannot advise on visas. Occupation lists, salary thresholds and visa rules change regularly, so always confirm current requirements with the Department of Home Affairs or a registered migration agent.
Pedorthists, footwear and supplier-side roles
Pedorthics is not regulated under the National Law, so pedorthists, orthotic technicians and footwear specialists do not need Ahpra registration. Roles exist in custom orthotic laboratories, medical-grade and diabetic footwear retailers, and with distributors of orthoses, wound care and offloading products. Overseas podiatrists who are waiting for registration sometimes work in these settings, but they must not describe themselves as podiatrists or provide podiatry services until registered.
Why Australia matters for IMEA POD readers
For podiatrists from the IMEA region, Australia offers a transparent, published assessment framework, a single national registration and a recognised place on the skilled migration lists. The shift from ANZPAC to Ahpra assessment, and the arrival of the National Podiatry Examination, mean that applicants with qualifications that are relevant but not fully equivalent now have a defined route rather than a dead end.
Australian practice standards in diabetic foot care, wound management and evidence-based biomechanics also influence services across the Gulf, South Asia and Africa, and many clinicians move between Australia and the region during their careers. Whether you plan to relocate or simply benchmark your skills, understanding the Australian pathway is a useful career investment.