Health Insurance Application: Australian Temporary Visa Holders

457 visa holders, and other temporary visa holders, have been required, since September 2009, to provide proof that they have arranged appropriate health insurance in Australia prior to their visas being issued. Proof needs to be in the form of a letter from an Australian insurance company confirming that health insurance is in place.

All the policies appearing in the table below meet Australian government immigration requirements, with cover being provided by one of Australia's, and the world's, leading health insurers. An online application can be made by clicking on the appropriate button below, with most applicants receiving letters confirming they have appropriate health cover in place, for visa purposes, within two business days following receipt of an application. For a summary of the cover provided under each Health Plan please refer to our comparison page.

Please select the required plan below and click to "apply" and purchase:

Single Cover
 
Platinum
Executive
Gold
Classic
Essential
Annually
$2,900.64
$2,841.78
$2,168.76
$1,070.52
$1,032.24
Monthly
$241.72
$236.82
$180.73
$89.21
$86.02
  Apply Apply Apply Apply Apply


Couple or Family Cover
 
Platinum
Executive
Gold
Classic
Essential
Annually
$5,801.28
$5,683.56
$4,337.52
$2,141.04
$2,064.48
Monthly
$483.44
$473.63
$361.46
$178.42
$172.04
  Apply Apply Apply Apply Apply

(All prices are inclusive of GST)
All plans provide 100% in-hospital expenses
All Plans meet Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) requirements for 457, and other 400 series, visas. All plans provide the cover indicated immediately below, and a visa letter will usually be issued within two business days following the receipt of an application.
  • In-Hospital (In-Patient) cover includes expenses for sickness and injury, in either Public and/or Private Hospitals, including accommodation, theatre fees, medical and surgical specialists, intensive care, pharmaceuticals, x-rays, MRI scans, pathology and physiotherapy.
  • Same Day Surgery.
  • Hospital Emergency Room visits.
  • Air and Road Ambulance throughout Australia
  • Medical Repatriation to your home country
  • Repatriation of mortal remains or Funeral Expenses in Australia
  • Maternity cover and cover for pre-existing illnesses subject to a 12 month waiting period.
  • No waiting periods if transferring from an accepted Private Health Insurer with similar existing cover
 
Platinum
Executive
Gold
Classic
Essential
 

 
  • In-patient private hospital
  • Out-patient medical cover for doctor and specialist visits at 150% of the applicable MBS fee set by Medicare
  • Extras - dental, optical, physiotherapy etc., Benefits paid at 90% of the actual cost per service.
  • In-patient private hospital
  • Out-patient medical cover for doctor and specialist visits at 150% of the applicable MBS fee set by Medicare
  • Extras - dental, optical, physiotherapy etc., Benefits paid at a fixed cost per  service.
  • In-patient private hospital
  • Out-patient medical cover for doctor and specialist visits at 150% of the applicable MBS fee set by Medicare
  • In-patient public hospital
  • Out-patient medical cover for doctor and specialist visits at 100% of the applicable MBS fee set by Medicare
  • In-patient public hospital
  • No Out-patient benefits

General Information

Medicare Coverage

Sponsored Employees, directly recruited from a country with which Australia has a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA), may be eligible for Medicare benefits. For taxation purposes, these visa holders are treated in the same manner as Australian citizens and are subject to the same tax payments (Medicare Levy) and penalties (Medicare Levy Surcharge) as Australian citizens. RHCA Agreements are currently in place with the following countries:

  • United Kingdom
  • New Zealand
  • Sweden
  • Finland
  • Netherlands
  • Malta (6 months only)
  • Italy (6 Months only)
  • Norway
  • Belgium
  • Ireland (Hospital only)

Treatment under the RHCA is generally limited to immediately necessary treatment which occurred after arrival in Australia (ie. pre-existing conditions are not covered), and includes the following:

  • subsidised out-of-hospital medical treatment (visiting a doctor) under Medicare
  • subsidised medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme which arose after arrival in Australia, and
  • treatment in a public hospital.

Sponsored employees from non RHCA countries are able to request a refund for the Medicare Levy in arrears by applying to the Minister. Note that, for Lifetime Health Cover purposes, eligibility for Medicare does not include people who have limited eligibility under the RHCA. This means that the grace period for migrants who have limited eligibility under a RHCA does not start until they are granted full eligibility for Medicare – which starts when they apply for Permanent Residency.

Life and Travel Insurance cover for Temporary Visa Holders

Finally, please note that Life Insurance cover for 457 visa holders is now available from major Insurers to a maximum of AUD2M, with TPD and income and Income Protection cover also available. Travel insurance for 457 and other visa holders has also been a problem in the past with many companies requiring Australian citizenship or permanent residency, but it is now possible to arrange coverage online for most visa holders - see our page on travel insurance for 457 visa holders.