They’re the lifeline helping Western Australia’s ailing health system, but migrant doctors are being forced to live in holiday accommodation.
Promised a life of sun, sand and sea, the Irish doctors moved to the state as part of a government strategy that is facing questions over its future.
Cliona McCullough is moving week by week between holiday accommodation as she tries to find a permanent home.
“We’re all Irish doctors, we’ve finished college at home and did a year of working there – nearly a right of passage to come to Australia,” she said.
“We come for the nice weather, the beaches and the nice houses, the opportunity to live with friends as well.
“It’s been stressful enough, we’ve been to loads of viewings most days, we’re starting work soon so it will be more tricky to go to viewing and find places.
“It also means we can’t kind of set up a life, haven’t joined gyms, bought bicycles because we have nowhere to put the stuff.”
Last year 442 Irish doctors came to Australia on skilled working visas and around the same are expected this year.
Now the Australian Medical Association says the state government should help.
“The shortage of housing just compounds the difficulty we have getting doctors and nurses getting to come to WA,” AMA WA president Dr Michael Page said.
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“The health care system is extremely stretched at the moment, understaffed, a hundred junior docs short at tertiary. Anything that would reduce the support would be a terrible thing for our health system.”
Relocation consultant Melissa Vajada said she gets dozens of calls from people who want to move, but they worry about finding a place to live.
“I think it’s a piece of the relocation puzzle that they do worry about,” she said.
“I would field at least 25 inquiries a week with families ready to make the move.”
The state government says it is acutely aware of the housing crisis.
Recruiting medical graduates on skilled visas is a key strategy of the health department, but one that now faces its own challenges.
In a letter to the prime minister, Premier Roger Cook calls for a 70 per cent cut in nominated migrants to WA to be scrapped.
This year more than 8000 places have been granted, and under the plans it will be reduced to nearly 2000.
