Australian census data reveal that 59 % of all general practitioners were born overseas, and the proportion is even higher in regional areas, according to demographer Simon Kuestenmacher.

Hiring an international medical graduate is costly. The practice owners estimate that sponsorship for each doctor can reach up to $12,000, and the registration process often takes 12 months or more.

Practice owner Aarielle Turner explains the shortage of local applicants: "Our recruitment process is open to anybody, but we get very limited, if not no applications from Australian graduates," she said.

Turner adds that navigating the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency and the Medical Board of Australia adds weeks of paperwork, and "It can take 12 months-plus from start to finish," she said.

Proposed cuts to net overseas migration by 2028 have raised concerns. Simon Kuestenmacher warns that reducing migration visas will negatively affect health staffing, noting that "cutting migrant numbers will adversely affect many industries, including health care."