Federal government policy has sought to direct overseas-trained GPs to more remote areas to fill workforce gaps. Overseas-trained GPs in Australia make up a higher proportion of the GP workforce in regional and remote areas and account for less of the workforce in major cities. A rural generalist programme enables GPs to be upskilled so they can perform some specialist roles including anaesthetics and obstetrics. The programme has expanded, and there is scope for the creation of more of these positions through rural generalist training pathways.