How Internationally-Trained GPs Become Salaried GPs in the UK and Ireland

Who This Route Suits

This pathway is for doctors who already hold, or are working towards, general practice/family medicine specialism gained outside the UK and Ireland — including GPs from India, Pakistan, Nigeria, South Africa, the Gulf, Australia, Canada and elsewhere.

• A recognised primary medical qualification and full/unrestricted registration in your home country.
• Evidence of substantial general practice experience, ideally recent and continuous.
• English language proficiency at the level required by the GMC (IELTS 7.5 overall with no band under 7, or OET Grade B in all four components) or the Irish Medical Council's equivalent standard.
• For the UK, GMC registration with a licence to practise is mandatory before you can work as a doctor at all — GP Register entry is a separate, additional step.

UK Route One: Certificate of Eligibility for GP Registration (CEGPR)

The CEGPR (assessed under Article 14 of the European Qualifications Regulations, administered by the GMC with expert input from the RCGP) is the main equivalence route onto the GP Register for doctors who haven't completed a UK GP training programme.

• You submit a detailed portfolio of qualifications, training and experience mapped against the RCGP curriculum.
• Assessors judge whether your combined training and practice is equivalent to that of a UK-trained GP (holder of a CCT in General Practice).
• Applications can take many months to assess and are notoriously document-heavy — incomplete portfolios are the single biggest cause of delay or refusal.
• Success grants entry to the GP Register without needing to repeat UK GP training or sit MRCGP, though many employers still value MRCGP membership.

There is also a separate, faster GfC (General Practice - Guidance for Certification) style equivalence assessment for European-trained specialists in defined circumstances — eligibility depends on where and when you trained, so it's worth checking your specific case against current GMC guidance.

UK Route Two: MRCGP and UK GP Training / MTI

Many IMGs instead join UK general practice via a structured route that leads naturally to full GP Register entry with MRCGP membership.

1. PLAB test (PLAB1 and PLAB2) or an acceptable postgraduate qualification, plus GMC registration with a licence to practise.
2. Entry into an NHS GP Specialty Training programme (3 years, full-time equivalent) via the national recruitment process, or a supervised clinical post such as a Medical Training Initiative (MTI) placement, or a GP Fellowship/International GP scheme run by some Integrated Care Boards.
3. Passing the MRCGP exam suite: the Applied Knowledge Test (AKT) and the Simulated Consultation Assessment (SCA), which replaced the Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA).
4. Award of a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) or equivalent, leading to automatic entry on the GP Register.

This route takes longer but gives you a UK-recognised training record that many practices and PCNs actively prefer.

The Irish Route: Medical Council Registration and ICGP

In Ireland, you first need registration with the Medical Council of Ireland (IMC), typically in the General Division initially, moving to the Specialist Division for general practice once your GP specialism is recognised.

• The Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) assesses non-EU trained doctors' qualifications and experience for entry to the Specialist Division/GP register, broadly comparable in spirit to the UK's CEGPR route.
• Alternatively, doctors can join a structured ICGP GP training scheme (4 years) if they don't yet meet direct equivalence.
• English requirements are typically met via IELTS or OET, at levels set by the Medical Council.
• Ireland's GP workforce shortage means IMGs with solid primary care experience are actively sought, particularly outside Dublin.

Documents and Verification

Both regulators rely heavily on primary source verification, so gather these early.

• Primary medical degree certificate and transcript, verified via ECFMG/EPIC where applicable.
• Certificates of Good Standing from every medical authority you've been registered with.
• Detailed logbook or portfolio evidencing GP/primary-care clinical hours and case mix.
• References from supervising consultants or senior GPs.
• English test certificates within the regulator's validity window.
• Identity and right-to-work documentation for visa sponsorship (UK Skilled Worker visa, or Irish employment permit/Stamp arrangements as applicable).

Salaried GP vs Partnership vs Locum

Once you're on the GP Register (UK) or Specialist Division (Ireland), you'll typically choose between three working models.

Salaried GP

Employed directly by a practice or Primary Care Network on a contract specifying sessions, pay and duties. The lowest-risk, most straightforward option for a newly arrived IMG and the one most Ava Medical placements start with.

Partnership

GP partners hold an equity share in the practice, sharing profits and business risk under the practice's GMS/PMS (or Irish GMS) contract. Usually considered after building UK/Irish experience and local knowledge, often 1–3 years post-registration.

Locum

Short-term, session-based cover, offering flexibility and often higher hourly rates, but no continuity of patient list, sick pay or pension unless separately arranged. Popular for doctors wanting to trial different areas before settling.

Timelines and Indicative Costs

Treat these as 2026 planning estimates and confirm current fees on GMC, RCGP, ICGP and Medical Council websites.

• CEGPR route: portfolio preparation 3–6 months; GMC/RCGP assessment typically 6–12 months; total often 12–18 months.
• MRCGP/training route: 3 years of training plus exam preparation; total often 3–4 years from arrival.
• Ireland ICGP equivalence: broadly 12–24 months depending on portfolio complexity.
• GMC registration fee, annual retention fee, MRCGP exam fees (AKT and SCA charged separately), CEGPR application fee, and IELTS/OET costs all apply — budget several thousand pounds across the full process.

Salaries and What to Expect

UK salaried GP pay is usually set with reference to the British Medical Association (BMA) model salaried GP contract as a benchmark, though actual pay is negotiated locally. Full-time salaried GPs in the UK typically earn in the region of £65,000–£98,000, varying by region, sessions worked and out-of-hours commitments — always confirm current figures directly with employers. Irish salaried GPs typically negotiate pay against HSE/GMS-linked benchmarks, with strong demand pushing packages upward in under-doctored areas. Both markets increasingly offer relocation packages, visa sponsorship and, in the UK, NHS pension scheme access.

Pitfalls to Avoid — and How Ava Medical Helps

The biggest time-wasters we see: submitting a thin CEGPR/ICGP equivalence portfolio without expert input, underestimating GMC/IMC processing times, and accepting posts without clarity on visa sponsorship or on-call expectations.

• We help you choose the right route — equivalence vs training — based on your actual experience, not guesswork.
• We review and strengthen your portfolio evidence before submission.
• We match you only with practices offering genuine Skilled Worker/employment permit sponsorship and fair salaried contracts.
• Our service is completely free to candidates, always, in line with WHO Code ethical recruitment standards.

Ready to find out which route fits your background? Get in touch with Ava Medical for a free eligibility review.

Frequently asked questions