Yes, Australia definitely needs more doctors, facing a growing shortage, particularly in rural, regional, and remote areas, with projections indicating thousands more needed by 2030 and 2031, creating "bidding wars" for GPs and significant access issues for patients, though the government is increasing training spots and streamlining pathways for international medical graduates (IMGs) to help fill the gap.
Australia is facing a critical doctor shortage. By 2026, we'll need an additional 13,000 doctors to meet demand, yet hundreds of qualified international physicians already living here but cannot practice due to bureaucratic barriers.
Shortages exist and are growing in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Germany. Several causes of the current and anticipated shortages have been suggested, but not everyone agrees that there is a true physician shortage, at least in the United States.
As a result, despite a shortage of GPs in NHS general practice, by the end of 2024 nearly 20,000 licensed GPs were not working in NHS general practice.
GP can still pay very well, and you can get to that good pay much faster than any other specialty. The average income for a full time GP these days is similar to what full time public hospital physicians get.
Yes, $130k is a very good salary in Australia, placing you well above the median income and in the top earnings bracket, but whether it's "comfortable" depends heavily on your location (high-cost cities like Sydney/Melbourne vs. regional areas) and lifestyle, as high rents can still strain finances, though it generally allows for a solid middle-class life with budgeting.
Jobs paying $500k+ in Australia are primarily in highly specialized fields like Medical Specialists (surgeons, anaesthetists), Senior Finance/Executive Roles (CFO, Head of Treasury, Investment Directors), and high-end Sales & Construction Management (Elite Stockbrokers, Senior Project Managers/Estimators in complex sectors). While roles like Neurosurgeon and Ophthalmologist average well over $500k, achieving this in other sectors often involves performance-based bonuses or leading major projects, with opportunities listed on job boards like SEEK and Jora.
The specialties with the lowest supply adequacy in 2038 are vascular surgery (66%), ophthalmology (72%), thoracic surgery (73%), plastic surgery (74%), and family medicine (76%). emergency medicine (116%), critical care and pulmonology medicine (112%), endocrinology (109%), and neonatology (106%).
These are the most in-demand doctor careers.
While there are many reasons why a practice might hand back its contract, a major factor is recruitment and retention challenges - particularly of GP partners, who are responsible for the running practices - in general practice.
Racially, the composition of U.S. physicians indicates that 56.3% identify as White, 18% as Asian, 8.9% as Hispanic or Latino, and 4.7% as Black or African American.
According to the latest 2025 CEOWORLD Health Care Index, Taiwan once again ranks as the country with the best healthcare in the world, maintaining its top position with an overall score of 78.72. South Korea (77.7) and Australia (74.11) remain in second and third place, respectively.
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No, Australia is not 90% white; while a large majority identify with European ancestry (around 76-80% in recent years), a significant and growing portion identifies as Asian, African, Middle Eastern, or Indigenous, making it a highly multicultural nation with diverse ethnic backgrounds, not overwhelmingly white. Recent census data shows European ancestry (English, Irish, etc.) makes up a large chunk, but Asian ancestries are also substantial, with over 17% Asian population and around 3.8% identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, per the 2021 census data from Wikipedia.
Jobs paying $150k+ in Australia span various sectors, including Tech (Senior Business Analysts, IT roles), Healthcare (Podiatrists, Clinical Managers), Construction & Trades (Construction Managers, Electricians, Site Supervisors, Drillers), Finance (Finance Managers, Financial Planners, Accountants), Sales, and Leadership (HR Directors, Operations Managers, School Principals, Government Directors). High-demand areas often involve senior or specialized roles in Engineering, Mining, Digital Marketing, and Management, with opportunities both with and without degrees.
The easiest jobs to get in Australia typically involve sectors with high demand and low entry barriers, like hospitality (waitstaff, bartender, barista), retail (sales assistant, checkout operator), cleaning, and warehousing, often requiring no experience and offering flexible hours, with farm work and delivery driving also being accessible options for quick employment. Roles like receptionist, call center operator, labourer, and event staff are also readily available for those seeking entry-level positions.
For example, oral and maxillofacial surgery and plastic surgery are both considered among the rarest specialties in medicine. In the case of oral and maxillofacial surgery, professionals are trained in both dentistry and surgery, which makes it an even rarer specialty.
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Orthopaedic surgery
Aspiring orthopaedic surgeons in Australia must complete three years of postgraduate clinical work before applying to one of the most competitive training programs in Australia.
Pulse reported growing numbers unable to secure regular work, with some travelling long distances or facing months without shifts. The analysis highlighted how shrinking locum opportunities, alongside rising numbers of newly qualified GPs, left many doctors available for work but unable to access posts.
With an ageing population and higher incidences of chronic disease, the Australian community requires more GPs. However, not enough of our Australian medical graduates are choosing general practice as a career.
To be in Australia's top 1% of individual taxpayers, you generally need an annual income of around $375,000 to $390,000, though figures vary slightly by source and year, with higher thresholds for households (around $530,000). For context, the median individual income is much lower (around $55,000), and while top earners often include surgeons and anaesthetists, reaching the top 1% of net worth requires significantly more wealth, often exceeding $7 million.
FAQs
Here are some of the lowest-paid jobs in Australia: