Physiotherapists assess, treat, and prevent disorders in human movement caused by injury or disease.

Skill Level

1

Alternative Titles

• Physical Therapist

Specialisations

• Aquatic Physiotherapist
• Cardiothoracic Physiotherapist
• Continence and Women’s Health Physiotherapist
• Gerentological Physiotherapist
• Maori Physiotherapist (NZ)
• Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist
• Neurological Physiotherapist
• Occupational Health Physiotherapist
• Paediatric Physiotherapist
• Sports Physiotherapist

Unless you are exempt in very limited circumstances, you are required to have a positive Skills Assessment to apply for the visas listed above.

Skills Assessment authority for Physiotherapist is Australian Physiotherapy Council Limited (APC). To have a positive skills assessment, you must meet the following criteria:

• You can apply for a Skills Assessment if you hold:
  • Qualification completed in Australia that is on the Board’s Approved Programs of Study list; or
  • Council-issued Certificate of Substantial Equivalence after completing the Equivalence of Qualification Pathway
  • Council-issued Final Certificate after successfully completing the Standard Assessment Pathway
  • Current and unconditional General Registration with the Physiotherapy Board of Australia
  • Current and unconditional Annual Practising Certificate with the Physiotherapy Board of New Zealand

AND

• You meet AHPHRA’s English Language Skills Registration Standard:
  • English is the applicant’s primary language AND all primary and secondary education taught and assessed in English in a recognised country AND tertiary education in the relevant professional discipline; OR
  • Applicant has at least two years of secondary education taught and assessed in English in a recognised country AND tertiary qualifications in the relevant professional discipline taught and assessed solely in English in a recognised country; OR
  • Applicant has completed at least six years continuous (full-time equivalent) education taught and assessed solely in English in any of the recognised counties; OR
  • English skills assessed through an English Language Test with the applicant achieving the following minimum scores:
    • IETLS – minimum 7.0
    • OET – minimum score of B in each component
    • PTE Academic – minimum 65 in each communicative skills
    • TOEFL iBT – minimum 94 and the following minimum scores in each section: 24 in listening and reading, 27 in writing and 23 in speaking
• Standard Assessment Pathway
  • Applicants must have a minimum diploma level qualification; AND
  • Meet the qualification requirement registration without any restriction or already hold registration, OR
  • Be able to legally practice without restriction in your country of training
• Equivalence of Qualification Pathway
  • This pathway evaluates whether an overseas physiotherapy qualification can be considered comparable to an accredited Australian course as a route to General Registration
  • Cultural Safety Training – completion of this program is required for applicants from 15 January 2020

Assess, treat and prevent disorders in human movement caused by injury or disease.

Tasks

• Administering muscle, nerve, joint and functional ability tests to identify and assess physical problems of patients
• Designing treatment programs to address patients’ problems
• Treating patients to reduce pain, improve circulation, strengthen muscles, improve cardiothoracic, cardiovascular and respiratory functions, restore joint mobility, and improve balance and coordination
• Using the therapeutic properties of exercise, heat, cold, massage, manipulation, hydrotherapy, electrotherapy, ultraviolet and infra-red light and ultrasound in the treatment of patients
• Reviewing, continually monitoring, assessing and evaluating programs and treatments
• Consulting with other Health Professionals as required about patients’ problems, needs and progress
• Instructing patients and their families in procedures to be continued at home
• Recording treatments given and patients’ responses and progress
• Developing and implementing screening and preventative health promotion programs

Skill Level

Occupations in this unit group have a level of skill commensurate with a bachelor degree or higher qualification (ANZSCO Skill Level 1).

Registration or licensing is required.

Occupations in this Group

• 252511 Physiotherapist