Role Snapshot

ANZSCO Code: 251213 — Radiation Therapist
Role Variants: Radiation Therapist (RTT), Senior Radiation Therapist, Radiation Therapy Team Leader, Specialist Radiation Therapist (SBRT / brachytherapy / IMRT / IGRT / adaptive), Medical Dosimetrist, Radiation Therapist Educator, Clinical Trials Radiation Therapist, Research Radiation Therapist
Parent Category: AU Healthcare & Medical Roles
Skill Level: 1
CSOL Status: Yes — Radiation Therapist is on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL), enabling employer sponsorship under the Skills in Demand Visa (subclass 482) and the Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) (subclass 186)
Registration Body: Medical Radiation Practice Board of Australia, operating under AHPRA (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency) — statutory registration required before practising in Australia
Visa Pathways: Skills in Demand Visa (482) → Employer Nomination Scheme (186) Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) after 3 years; or ENS 186 Direct Entry stream for eligible applicants

🇳🇿Also available for New ZealandRadiation Therapist Roles in New ZealandMRTB registered · Green List Tier 2 · work-to-residence→

Radiation therapists in Australia are employed across a combination of public hospital-based cancer and radiation oncology departments, university teaching hospitals, and private radiation oncology networks. The Medical Radiation Practice Board of Australia, under AHPRA, has regulated the profession nationally since the introduction of mandatory registration for medical radiation practitioners. AHPRA registration is portable across all Australian states and territories, which is a significant practical advantage for radiation therapists who may want to move between employers or cities over their career. The Australian radiation therapy market is meaningfully larger than New Zealand’s: major cities each have multiple cancer treatment facilities, and the private sector (led by GenesisCare, with more than 30 radiation oncology centres across Australia) provides a substantial parallel employer market alongside the public system.

• Treatment planning: preparation and verification of radiation treatment plans in collaboration with radiation oncologists and medical physicists; contouring and plan review using treatment planning systems
• Patient set-up and positioning: daily accurate positioning of patients on linear accelerators using image-guided protocols (IGRT, CBCT, kV/MV imaging)
• Treatment delivery: operation of linear accelerators and associated equipment to deliver prescribed radiation dose to the defined target volume
• Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and volumetric arc therapy (VMAT): delivery of complex modulated treatment plans with patient-specific QA verification
• Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS): high-dose, highly precise delivery using specialised immobilisation, imaging, and planning techniques
• Adaptive radiation therapy: online and offline adaptive treatment approaches, including MR-Linac workflows at centres with this technology
• Brachytherapy: internal radiation treatment using sealed radioactive sources; available at major public centres and some private providers
• Image guidance and motion management: respiratory gating, surface-guided radiation therapy (SGRT), 4D CT and motion management protocols
• Patient care: daily therapeutic relationship with patients undergoing multi-week treatment courses; side effect assessment, wellbeing support, treatment compliance
• Quality assurance: machine and patient-specific QA; participation in departmental audit and quality improvement; contribution to clinical trials at research-active centres
• Medical dosimetry (specialist pathway): advanced treatment planning and plan optimisation at centres where radiation therapists extend into dosimetrist roles

Typical employers: Public: state hospital radiation oncology departments at major teaching hospitals (Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and Chris O’Brien Lifehouse in Sydney; Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and Royal Melbourne Hospital in Melbourne; Princess Alexandra Hospital and Mater Oncology in Brisbane; Royal Adelaide Hospital; Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in Perth). Private: GenesisCare (largest private radiation oncology network in Australia, with more than 30 centres); Icon Cancer Centre; Epworth Radiation Oncology; various private hospital oncology departments.

Salary Benchmark

Radiation therapist salaries in Australia vary by state, employer sector (public versus private), and classification level. Public hospital radiation oncology departments pay under state health enterprise agreements (EAs), which are negotiated between state health services, relevant health unions, and state governments. Private sector employers (GenesisCare, Icon Cancer Centre, and others) negotiate pay separately and have historically been competitive with public sector rates in order to attract experienced therapists. Senior and specialist therapists, and those in team leader or educator roles, earn materially more than entry-level practitioners. Shift and on-call allowances apply at some centres.

Typical Ranges (AUD per year, before tax):

• New graduate / entry-level Radiation Therapist (0–2 years post-qualifying): AUD $75,000–$90,000
• Intermediate Radiation Therapist (2–6 years experience): AUD $90,000–$110,000
• Senior Radiation Therapist / Specialist (6+ years, specialist modality, or team leader): AUD $110,000–$130,000+
• Radiation Therapy Team Leader / Clinical Coordinator: AUD $120,000–$140,000+ (varies significantly by centre size and state EA)
• Medical Dosimetrist (specialist planning pathway): AUD $115,000–$145,000+ at centres where this distinction is formalised

Superannuation (currently 11.5%) is paid in addition to base salary in Australia and should be factored into total package comparisons. Private sector employers often include salary packaging or packaging through organisational structures that can increase effective net pay. Ask about total remuneration rather than base salary alone when comparing offers between public and private sector positions.

Source: SEEK Australia — Radiation Therapist | Data reviewed May 2026

Cost of living: For an independent comparison of purchasing power by city, see Numbeo — Australia. TEFI provides clients with a detailed financial planning workbook to model living costs, net income, and purchasing power by Australian city — ask Tate for a copy.

Where Demand Is Strongest

Australia’s radiation therapy workforce is distributed across public hospital cancer centres and private radiation oncology networks in all major cities. Unlike New Zealand, where the employer pool is a small set of cancer centres, Australia offers meaningful choice by state, city, and employer sector. Demand is broadly consistent across all major cities, with the private sector (GenesisCare in particular) creating additional capacity that does not exist in New Zealand’s purely public-sector market.

• Victoria (Melbourne) — Home to Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, the largest and most clinically advanced cancer centre in Australia and one of the most respected cancer treatment and research institutions in the world. “The Peter” is the career benchmark for radiation therapists in the region: it offers exposure to the widest range of modalities, clinical research opportunities, and specialist pathways (including MR-Linac, adaptive therapy, and clinical trials). Competition for roles at Peter MacCallum is high, but for experienced therapists with specialist modality skills, it is the career development opportunity in Australian radiation therapy. Melbourne also has Royal Melbourne Hospital, Epworth Radiation Oncology, and multiple GenesisCare and Icon Cancer Centre sites. Ambulance Victoria’s radiation therapy workforce more broadly is active across metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria.
• New South Wales (Sydney) — Major employer market with Chris O’Brien Lifehouse (a comprehensive cancer centre at the Royal Prince Alfred campus), Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Westmead Hospital, and Sydney-wide GenesisCare and Icon Cancer Centre sites. Sydney has a mature radiation therapy employment market with multiple public and private employers. GenesisCare operates multiple centres across metropolitan Sydney and regional NSW.
• Queensland (Brisbane and regional) — Princess Alexandra Hospital and Mater Oncology are the principal public employers in Brisbane. Icon Cancer Centre has a strong presence in Queensland. Regional Queensland centres (Townsville, Cairns, Toowoomba) have consistent recruitment needs and are worth considering for overseas therapists open to regional placements, which may support regional visa pathways.
• Western Australia (Perth) — Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and Fiona Stanley Hospital are the principal public radiation oncology employers in Perth. Hollywood Private Hospital and GenesisCare operate in the private sector. Perth is a growing city with a relatively affordable housing market compared to Sydney and Melbourne; it is worth including in a targeted search for overseas therapists open to a West Australian placement.
• South Australia (Adelaide) — Royal Adelaide Hospital is the primary public radiation oncology employer. GenesisCare operates in Adelaide. A smaller market than Sydney, Melbourne, or Brisbane, but a stable employment environment with a lower cost of living than the eastern seaboard capitals.
• Private sector (national): GenesisCare operates more than 30 radiation oncology centres across Australia and recruits continuously. Icon Cancer Centre has centres across multiple states. For overseas radiation therapists who are open to private sector employment and want to secure a role quickly, the private networks are worth approaching directly alongside public hospital applications. GenesisCare in particular has an established overseas therapist intake process.

Licensing & Registration

Radiation Therapists in Australia must be registered with the Medical Radiation Practice Board of Australia, operating under AHPRA (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency). Registration is mandatory for all practitioners using the title “Radiation Therapist” and for anyone practising radiation therapy in Australia, regardless of employer sector. AHPRA registration is portable across all states and territories.

Key registration steps for overseas-trained Radiation Therapists:

• Application to AHPRA — Medical Radiation Practice Board: Submit your academic qualification (degree or equivalent), official transcripts, evidence of overseas registration or authorisation to practise, and documentation of your post-qualification clinical experience. AHPRA assesses whether your qualification and practice are substantially equivalent to the Australian standard for radiation therapy. Applicants from ASMIRT-accredited programmes (New Zealand), CAMRT-accredited programmes (Canada), and SCoR-accredited programmes (UK) have the most streamlined assessment pathway. ASMIRT (Australian Society of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy) is the professional body most directly relevant to radiation therapists in Australia; check their website for mutual recognition guidance relevant to your home country qualification.
• Provisional registration: If AHPRA assesses your qualification as not substantially equivalent, provisional registration may be granted, requiring supervised practice at an AHPRA-approved employer before general registration is issued. Confirm with your prospective employer that they can provide an approved supervisor if provisional registration is granted. The major public hospital cancer centres and GenesisCare are experienced with this process.
• General registration: The standard registration level for practising radiation therapists. Granted directly for applicants with substantially equivalent qualifications, or following completion of supervised practice under provisional registration.
• English language requirements: AHPRA requires a minimum IELTS Academic 7.0 overall (no band below 7.0) or OET minimum Grade B in all four components for applicants whose primary training language was not English. Applicants from countries where English is the primary language of health education may be exempt; confirm directly with AHPRA.
• Certificate of good standing: A certificate from your home country registration authority confirming current registration status, scope of practice, and absence of disciplinary findings. Request this document as early as possible, as processing times from overseas registration bodies vary considerably.
• Criminal history check: An Australian criminal history check and overseas police clearances for each country where you have lived for 12+ months in the previous ten years are required.
• Fitness to practise declaration: A health declaration confirming fitness to practise, as required by AHPRA for all health professions.

The AHPRA process for overseas radiation therapists has become progressively more consistent as the Medical Radiation Practice Board has accumulated experience with international applicants. For UK, New Zealand, and Canadian-trained therapists, the assessment pathway is reasonably well-documented. Allow 3–5 months from submission to registration outcome when all documents are complete and submitted without gaps.

Immigration Pathway

Radiation Therapist (ANZSCO 251213) is on Australia’s Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL), enabling employer-sponsored work and residence visa pathways. The standard sequence for an overseas radiation therapist seeking to work and then settle in Australia is:

1. Secure a job offer from an Australian employer who is an approved sponsor under the Skills in Demand (SID) visa programme. Major public hospital radiation oncology departments and the private sector networks (GenesisCare, Icon Cancer Centre) are all capable of holding or obtaining approved sponsor status. Larger employers with established overseas intake programmes are the most straightforward to work with on the visa sponsorship component.
2. Obtain AHPRA registration before or alongside the visa application process. AHPRA registration (or evidence that the application is in progress) is required before employment can commence. Employers who run overseas intake programmes are familiar with managing the AHPRA timeline alongside the visa sponsorship process — discuss this with your prospective employer at the offer stage.
3. Apply for a Skills in Demand Visa (subclass 482) — the standard employer-sponsored temporary work visa for CSOL occupations. The 482 visa is tied to your nominating employer and occupation. Confirm current visa conditions with a MARA-registered migration agent, as conditions and salary requirements are subject to legislative change.
4. Work in Australia for 3 years on the 482/SID visa with your nominating employer, then apply for permanent residence through the Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) subclass 186 — Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream. Your nominating employer must also nominate you for the 186 visa.
5. Alternatively, the ENS 186 Direct Entry stream is available for applicants with a formal skills assessment, relevant qualifications, and the minimum specified years of work experience, without requiring the three-year TRT period. Discuss eligibility with your migration agent.
6. Regional visa options: Radiation therapists willing to work in regional Australia may be eligible for state nomination through the subclass 190 (State Nomination) or subclass 491 (Skilled Work Regional) pathways, which can offer a faster route to permanent residence and may attract additional state-based incentives. Regional Queensland, South Australia, and Western Australia are worth investigating for radiation therapists open to non-metropolitan placements. Discuss these options with a MARA-registered migration agent who has experience in healthcare professional sponsorship.
7. Australian permanent residence provides a pathway to citizenship after meeting the residence requirement (typically four years total in Australia, with at least one year as a permanent resident).

AHPRA registration must be confirmed before clinical practice can begin. If provisional registration applies, the supervising employer must be equipped with an AHPRA-approved supervisor for your scope of practice. Confirm this arrangement at the job offer stage, before your AHPRA application finalises.

Immigration advice: TEFI does not provide immigration advice. MARA-registered migration agents are the appropriate resource for Australian visa strategy. Ensure your agent has experience with healthcare professional sponsorship and is familiar with the CSOL radiation therapy pathway. State-based regional options vary significantly, and an agent with state-specific knowledge for your target state will add meaningful value.

Migrant Readiness Signals

Overseas radiation therapists who move through the Australian transition process efficiently share a set of concrete preparation markers. The employer market is more diversified than New Zealand’s, but preparation still needs to be employer-specific rather than generic: the major public centres and the private networks have different cultures, clinical environments, and selection approaches.

• AHPRA application submitted or underway before the job search begins: Public and private sector radiation oncology employers will not progress an application meaningfully without confirmation that AHPRA registration is in progress. Begin the AHPRA process at least 3–4 months before your intended employment start date. Being able to state “my AHPRA application is submitted and under assessment” at the point of job application is the expected preparation standard.
• Clear target employer type: public versus private: The public hospital cancer centres (particularly Peter MacCallum, Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, and Princess Alexandra) and the private networks (GenesisCare, Icon Cancer Centre) are meaningfully different environments. Public centres tend to offer broader clinical complexity, research access, and teaching hospital exposure. Private networks offer reliable volumes, structured career pathways, and an established overseas intake process. Know which environment suits your goals and apply accordingly — a generic “anywhere in Australia” approach is less effective than a targeted, sector-specific strategy.
• Specialist modality documentation prepared: Australian radiation oncology departments, particularly the major teaching hospitals, actively value specialist experience in SBRT, IMRT/VMAT, brachytherapy, MR-Linac, SGRT, and adaptive therapy. Document your modality experience clearly and specifically in your CV. A one-page modality skills summary alongside your CV — explicitly mapping your experience to the Australian treatment landscape — is a proven differentiator in this profession.
• Peter MacCallum as a career benchmark (if relevant): For experienced radiation therapists with specialist skills, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne is the most prestigious career development opportunity in Australian radiation therapy. If Peter MacCallum is a realistic target based on your experience level, structure your application and professional narrative with that in mind. Research their current technology environment (MR-Linac, SBRT, adaptive programmes) and connect your experience to it specifically.
• Familiarity with Australian treatment planning systems in use: Varian Eclipse is the most widely used treatment planning system across Australian radiation oncology, with RayStation and Pinnacle used at some centres. If you have experience with any of these systems, state it clearly. If your home system is different, articulate your cross-system adaptability and learning history explicitly.
• CSOL and visa pathway understood: Knowing that Radiation Therapist is on the CSOL and that the standard pathway is Skills in Demand (482) visa leading to ENS 186 permanent residence, and being able to discuss this clearly at interview, signals that you have done complete preparation and have a realistic plan to remain in Australia. Employers investing in overseas sponsorship are more confident in candidates who clearly understand their own visa pathway and timeline.

Where to Find Roles

Radiation therapy roles in Australia are advertised through state health service careers portals, the careers sites of private radiation oncology networks, and general job boards. The private sector networks (particularly GenesisCare) recruit continuously and often have a faster and more structured overseas intake process than public hospital systems. Monitoring both public and private channels simultaneously is the most effective strategy.

• Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre — Careers — Australia’s flagship cancer treatment and research centre; the career benchmark for radiation therapists in Australia; monitor their careers page directly for radiation therapy vacancies
• GenesisCare — Careers (Australia) — the largest private radiation oncology network in Australia with more than 30 centres; continuous recruitment across all states; an established and well-documented overseas intake process for radiation therapists
• Icon Cancer Centre — Careers — the second major private radiation oncology network in Australia; centres across Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, and Western Australia; active radiation therapy recruitment
• SEEK Australia — Radiation Therapist — public hospital departments and private radiation oncology networks both advertise on SEEK; useful for monitoring new vacancies across all states and sectors from a single view
• LinkedIn Jobs — Australia Radiation Therapist — useful for senior, specialist, educator, and research radiation therapist roles; also valuable for building network connections with Australian radiation therapy professionals
• Australian Society of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy (ASMIRT) — the professional body for Australian radiation therapists and medical imaging technologists; membership provides professional development resources, a sector network, and job board access that is particularly useful for overseas therapists navigating the Australian market
• State health service careers portals: Each state health service posts radiation therapy vacancies on its own careers site. Key portals include Jobs Victoria (including Ambulance Victoria and Health Victoria listings), NSW Health Careers, Queensland Health, and equivalent portals for WA Health and SA Health.