WHEN moving to Australia to study or work the applicant is required to provide evidence of adequate health insurance and for that policy to be maintained for the duration of the stay. There are three classes of Australian health insurance.
1) Overseas Visitor Health Insurance
Those looking to apply for a working visa (such as the subclass 457 visa) must have health insurance that meets DIAC (Australian government requirements). The health insurance that most Australians have does not meet this requirement, rather a specialist policy must be applied for. A list of these specialist health policies can be viewed here. It’s important to note all of these compliant health policies provide a document on purchase as proof of coverage which is required when making a working visa application.
2) Student Health Insurance (OSHC)
Like individuals looking to work in Australia, students are also required to apply for and maintain health insurance during the length of their studies. This overseas student health cover (OSHC) is significantly cheaper than other forms of health insurance to help make studying in Australia more affordable. A list of OSHC providers are listed here. It should be noted that Norwegian, Swedish and Belgian students in some circumstances don’t require OSHC due to their countries reciprocal health care agreement.
3) Working Holiday Health Insurance
Those looking to visit Australia on a tourist visa or a working holiday visa are recommended to have health insurance during their stay. Many visitors will view a solid travel insurance policy as enough to meet their requirements during their visit. It’s important that these tourist visa holders make sure the policy they purchase meets their needs and takes into account the pre-existing medical issues they may have.
Overall, its critical to ensure you choose the health insurance that is not only right for you but also is compliant with your visa.
You can compare a full list of overseas visitor health insurance policies at 457 visa compared and view migration advice for those looking to work in Australia.
