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457 Visa Health Insurance Requirements

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  • 30-12-2009 8:56am
    #1
    Gypo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 110 ✭✭


    Hi,

    Does anyone here know if the current Australian reciprocal health agreement for Ireland is enough to satisfy the heath insurance requirement for a current Temporary Business (Long Stay) 457 visa application?

    I've a feeling it's not, as it doesn't meet the minimum standard required by failing to provide out-patient cover but some of the literature I've been trawling through this avo is ambiguous and confusing to say the least.

    Any enlightenment would be much appreciated!

    Apologies if this has been asked before - I had a quick look but didn't find anything.


Comments

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    #2
    Vorsprung
    Registered Users Posts: 2,815 ✭✭✭Vorsprung


    Nope, don't think it is.


  • Options
    #3
    DrIndy
    Registered Users Posts: 3,461 ✭✭✭DrIndy


    The reciprocal health agreement provides equivalent health care that an australian citizen would get in ireland or an other country they visit.

    Therefore - An Ozzie in ireland gets:

    Free (or fixed cost) hospital care
    Free Public Outpatients
    Subsidised medicines
    Full Rate GP fee

    So Irish in Oz get:
    Free ED and hospital care including retrieval to the best of my knowledge
    Free Public Outpatients
    PBS Medicines (subsidised)
    No Medicare Card - as in ireland we need to pay for GPs

    But British citizens get full medicare entitlements including free/subsidised GP Care as this is what ozzies get in the NHS. They also get a formal Medicare Card.

    We get the same deal as New Zealand citizens do in australian health service - they also do not have a free GP service, but instead have a low-fee GP co-op service.

    Scandinavians and Benelux citizens get full medicare as british do.

    BUT the caveat to needing to pay to see a GP is that we are also entitled to a medicare rebate at the end of the tax year as we do not use that component of the service. British Citizens need to pay full medicare costs as a result.

    Depending on where you are in australia - access to public healthcare can be difficult and you sometimes need private health insurance - but you do not need it to access the public hospital system. The irony is that Emergency department attendance is free for Irish citizens but you pay for GP. (If there is any increase in ED attendance as a result of this post I will kick your asses! Please pay and stay with a GP! ;-) )

    I don't have private health insurance and it was not a problem for me getting a 457. BUT I AM NOT AN IMMIGRATION AGENT. The conditions may have changed. Double check this. The Immigration site is a monster to read, but all the information is there somewhere.


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