Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners treat imbalances of energy flows through the body by assessing the whole person and using techniques and methods such as acupuncture, Chine herbal medicine, massage, diet, exercise and breathing therapy.

Skill Level

1

Alternative Titles

• Chinese Medicine Practitioner
• Oriental Medicine Practitioner

Specialisations

• Chinese Herbalist

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 Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner is Chinese Medicine Board of Australia (CMBA). To have a positive skills assessment, you must meet the following criteria:

• CMBA require that applicants are registered with the CMBA
• To apply for registration with CMBA, applicants must meet the following registration standards:
  • Continuing Professional Development
    • Complete at least 20 hours of CPD registration each year
    • Maintain a portfolio to demonstrate your CPD activities, reflections on the activities and how they will improve your practice and detail your learning goals
  • Criminal History
    • Criminal history will be assessed by the Board to consider its relevance by a consideration of:
      • Nature and gravity of offence
      • Time period since the offence
      • Finding of guilt or conviction
      • Sentence imposed
      • Age of the offender and any victims
      • Current status of the crime i.e. decriminalised
      • Health practitioner’s current behaviour
      • Future threat
      • Information provided by health practitioner
      • Any other relevant matter
  • English Language Skills
    • 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
  • Professional Indemnity Insurance Arrangements
    • Applicants must be covered by your own or a third parties professional indemnity insurance that:
      • Encompass all aspects of your practice
      • Cover all locations of your practice
      • Whether you are working in the public or private sector
      • Whether you are practising full time, part time, self-employed, employed or in an unpaid or volunteer capacity
  • Recency of Practice
    • Applicants must have completed a minimum of:
      • 450 hours of practice in the previous three years; OR
      • 150 hours of practice in the previous 12 months

Treat patients with physical, mental, spiritual and emotional needs by considering the whole person rather than focusing on specific symptoms and by using various therapies, techniques and practices.

Tasks

• Assessing patients to determine the nature of the disorder, illness, problem or need by questioning, examining and observing
• Developing and implementing treatment plans using applications such as acupuncture, homoeopathic and herbal medicine, and dance, drama, hypnotic and music therapies
• Evaluating and documenting patients’ progress through treatment plans
• Providing dietary and lifestyle advice and guidelines
• Prescribing natural medicines, such as herbal, mineral and animal extracts, to stimulate the body’s capacity for self-healing

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 may be required.

Occupations in this Group

• 252211 Acupuncturist
• 252212 Homoeopath
• 252213 Naturopath
• 252214 Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner
• 252215 Traditional Maori Health Practitioner
• 252299 Complementary Health Therapists nec