If you’re coming to Australia to work or visit on a temporary basis, it may be a requirement of your visa that you take out private health insurance while you’re here. The type of health insurance you need will depend on your home country, your reasons for visiting Australia and the type of visa you’re on.
We’ve teamed up with a leading health insurance provider, Australian Unity, to help you find Overseas Visitor Cover that meets your visa’s legal requirements while also providing you with peace of mind should the unexpected happen during your visit to Australia.
If you’re coming to Australia to work, you may be coming on a working visa, including a Temporary Work (457) visa. As part of your visa requirements, The Department of Immigration and Border Protection state that unless you have access to Medicare, you must have adequate private health insurance while you are working in Australia – for both yourself and any family members coming with you.
The good news is Australian Unity can help you find cover to suit your needs while also satisfying the requirements of your visa. Australian Unity’s Overseas Visitor Cover can offer you:
Get a quote today or call 1800 557 096 to speak directly to a consultant at our trusted partner, Australian Unity. Feel confident that you’ll have the peace of mind provided by private health insurance during your Australian adventure.
If you’re coming to Australia for a holiday or to visit family, you may be eligible for a Visitor Visa (600). While most people on a 600 visa don’t require health insurance as a condition of obtaining their visa, there are some cases where the Department of Immigration and Border Protection won’t grant the visa until an applicant holds adequate private health insurance.
Consider Australian Unity’s Overseas Visitors Cover for your upcoming visit to Australia. Get a quote online now or call 1800 557 096 to speak directly to a consultant at our trusted partner, Australian Unity.
Overseas visitor health cover – or OVHC – is a form of health insurance for international visitors who intend to work or travel within Australia. It ensures overseas travellers are covered if they need to be admitted into the public hospital system in Australia. Some visitors on workers visa may require OVHC to fulfil the conditions of their visa.
This will depend on what type of policy you have. Generally, there are three types of OVHC policies:
Typically, OVHC includes the following:
However, the higher-level policy you purchase, the more features it’ll have. Always read the policy brochure of any policy for specific information on what’s covered.
OVHC is a requirement for many international travellers looking to get a visa. Visitors looking to stay in Australia on a working visa – including temporary skill shortage (482) and temporary graduate visas (485) – typically need OVHC to fulfil their visa requirements. Visitors on student visas may also require a form of overseas students’ health cover.
The following visa types are eligible for OVHC:
While most visitors require an OVHC policy, you may not need it if your country has a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement with Australia. That said, a higher-level OVHC is still something you should consider if you’d like to have the option of being treated in a private hospital without paying for it in full.
The Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA) is a scheme where visitors from other countries can receive treatment in Australian public hospitals and have their costs covered through their own country’s public health system.
The following nations have a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement with Australia:
If you’re from another country, however, you’ll need overseas visitor health cover – otherwise, you’ll have to pay for treatments entirely out of your own pocket.
