Australasian Sonographers Association

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Workforce

Workforce

The sonography workforce in focus

The ASA has recently launched two new workforce reports, bringing together key workforce data to support informed decision making across the sonography profession and the health systems in Australia and New Zealand.

These reports have been developed in response to growing demand for workforce information to guide policy development, service planning, education capacity and regulatory reform. 

Aotearoa New Zealand Sonography Workforce – in focus (May 2026)

The New Zealand workforce report provides a comprehensive summary of the sonography workforce, consolidating information from the ASA, the NZ MRTB and other key sources. It supports the ASA’s advocacy work by providing insight into workforce dynamics and sector trends, as well as highlighting areas where further information is needed. We look forward to engaging with stakeholders to expand this publication in future editions.

Aotearoa New Zealand Sonography Workforce – in focus

The Australian Sonography Workforce – in focus (Dec 2025)

The Australian workforce report provides a timely and practical snapshot of the national sonography workforce, including a clear understanding of workforce size, distribution, training pipelines, recruitment pressures and emerging risks facing the profession.

The Australian Sonography Workforce - in focus

Australian Student Placement Poverty

The ASA surveyed sonography students in Australia to better understand the financial and other difficulties experienced during placements to help advocate for those facing placement poverty. The results show many students face significant pressure, which is impacting their health, their ability to perform academically, and is leaving some to question how they will manage future placements.

Australian Student Placement Poverty Survey Findings

The sonographer workforce shortage

Sonographers are highly skilled health professionals that perform the majority of comprehensive medical diagnostic ultrasound services for many medical conditions, including pregnancy, cancer and a wide range of other diseases. Despite increasing demand for sonographer services, there is a significant, ongoing shortage of sonographers across both Australia and New Zealand. Several risks arise from the critical shortage of sonographers, including: 

  • Delayed or limited access to timely, quality diagnostic ultrasound services for patients – especially for non-acute and specialist services and in rural and remote areas. 
  • Increased cost to the patient and the health system, if patients are referred to more costly imaging services, or if delays result in more advanced health conditions and avoidable poor health outcomes.
  • Bottlenecks for new graduates due to poor availability of clinical supervisors and clinical training placements for students.
  • Detrimental physical and mental health impacts on the existing sonographer workforce, such as staff burnout and workplace injury.


The most significant barrier to addressing the sonographer workforce shortage is the poor availability of sonographer clinical training placements. This is particularly acute in the private sector (where most diagnostic imaging occurs) with businesses struggling to invest the necessary time and resources to support students on placements.


The ASA calls on all Australian and New Zealand governments to support initiatives to assist both private and public health services increase the number of clinical training placements and overcome the workforce shortage. 

If you have any questions, or for more information, please email policy@sonographers.org