457 Visa - Urgent Question :-)

jockey#1

Hey Everyone,

I am in the process of getting sponsored. My question relates to the requirement to have adequate private health insurance, does the reciprocal health agreement that Aus has with Ireland count as adequate cover because of the fact that we can't be enrolled in Medicare? (Anybody know why we can't get it and people from the UK can?)
Probably because our health care system sucks!!!

Cheers

Jockey

hussey

jockey#1 wrote: »

Hey Everyone,

I am in the process of getting sponsored. My question relates to the requirement to have adequate private health insurance, does the reciprocal health agreement that Aus has with Ireland count as adequate cover because of the fact that we can't be enrolled in Medicare? (Anybody know why we can't get it and people from the UK can?)
Probably because our health care system sucks!!!

Cheers

Jockey

Yes it covers it, and has been answered many times - do a search on the forum, should be plenty of info out there

saraj14

I rang immigration last week and asked that very question. she said the reciprocal will cover if you have a medicare card. under the reciprocal agreement we can't get a medicare card. So insurance is needed.

Hanumanmaman

I am on my British partners' 457 since October 2010.
I had to get private health insurance, he didn't.
So yes, you do need to get it if you are Irish on a 457....

ArseBurger

Seperate insurance is required for a 457. It needs to be an approved plan also. i.e. covering shipping of your body back to Ireland in case of death etc...

laoisforliam

I have searched these boards and also asked the same question and nearly every time someone has a different answer...

Even in this thread there are contradictory answers to the question...

My employers have hired the WA Local Gov Association to lodge my 457 Visa as they never did one before.

I had a meeting with the agent last week and she said that the reciprocal agreement covers the health insurance issue and private health insurance is not needed. She told me that she has done a number of 457's for Irish in WA so I was pretty sure I that I would be ok, but after reading this thread doubt is creeping in again.

Feelgood

saraj14 wrote: »

I rang immigration last week and asked that very question. she said the reciprocal will cover if you have a medicare card. under the reciprocal agreement we can't get a medicare card. So insurance is needed.

I was also told the reciprocal agreement cover is fine. Its not that we can't get a medicare card, we don't need one. All we need to do is show our passport at the hospital which covers both the inpatient and out patient requirement for the 457 visa. I asked both the Immi agent and medicare about this to be sure to be sure. I haven't however gotten my 457 yet, once it comes through I can confirm with 110% certainty that this is
the case.

ArseBurger wrote: »

covering shipping of your body back to Ireland in case of death etc...

My understanding is that your sponsor is obliged to cover this cost?. I believe it is covered under sponsors obligation - "Obligation to pay travel costs to enable sponsored persons to leave Australia". The fact that you are dead in a box still counts so I believe.

uglyjohn

not to be rude but hussey is right. all the official information is very confusing and i was unsure myself but i can tell you that I 100% did not need any health insurance to get my 457 in WA.

lg123

we didnt need it for the 457 either, the reciprocal covers you.

and yes you can get a medicare card, its a special reciprocal healthcare agreement card. go into your local medicare office and register, they will give you a medicare number immediately and send you a card in the post in a few weeks. i photocopied the receipt and submitted it with the application as proof.