A Melbourne man jailed for years for his part in the attack which left prominent doctor Mukesh Haikerwal with serious head injuries will be allowed to stay in Australia after originally having his visa cancelled.

New Zealand-born Sean Gabriel was one of a trio who battered Dr Haikerwal with a baseball bat during a robbery spree in the bayside suburb of Williamstown in 2008.

Dr Mukesh Haikerwal has made a full recovery.

Gabriel, along with Alfer Azzopardi and Michael Baltatzis, bashed the former president of the Australian Medical Association so badly that his skull audibly cracked during the assault.

Gabriel was originally sentenced to more than nine years in prison, a term reduced to seven years with a minimum of four years on appeal. He was released from jail in October, 2012.