One embodiment of the present invention provides a method for fabricating a group III-V nitride structure with an ohmic-contact layer. The method involves fabricating a group III-V nitride structure with a p-type layer. The method further involves depositing an ohmic-contact layer on the p-type layer without first annealing the p-type layer. The method also involves subsequently annealing the p-type layer and the ohmic-contact layer in an annealing chamber at a predetermined temperature for a predetermined period of time, thereby reducing the resistivity of the p-type layer and the ohmic contact in a single annealing process.