457 visa and healtg cover

I'd urge you to apply for health insurance as soon as you arrive, on a number of levels.
Not least you need it to reduce your tax bill, some big levies and loading if you don't have it as the government views you as a "burden" when I'm Medicare.
Also things are pretty expensive, but its a catch 22, the medical providers charge big fees knowing that an insurance company is paying the bill however if you don't have insurance you still have to pay same. For example an x ray or two and a filling could run you $750+. Eye check up around $200, With insurance paying 60-70% it is more manageable.
Jump on line and take out a basic cover with someone like HCF or HBF etc.

If you have Irish insurance they might cover you for first few months abroad.

Medicare will really only cover basics, think of it like a card giving you access to the public health system.
If you need anything done you'll need insurance.
Minimum you'll need ambulance cover, mad world but ambulance can refuse to carry you if you can't pay....

is the health insurance requirement not ben done away with lately?

Browney7 wrote: »

Are you not exempt from the levy if you are Irish?

You have to pay it all year round but then can claim it back by applying for a Medicare exemption cert at the end of the tax year.

Irish are entitled to emergency medical care due to a reciprocal agreement between Ireland and Australia however it's not worth much and as stated above you are mad if you don't take out private health cover.

I reckon it's only a matter of time before the Medicare levy refund for Irish passport holders is done away with. The govt are looking for any way to screw temp visa holders (as they don't have a vote) so I reckon it can't last too much longer.

uncertain2014 wrote: »

Hi all,
Just looking for some advice , I've done a lot of googling and no definitive answer.

So I've been granted a 457 visa and with it the condition 8501 that I have fully comprehensive health insurance. It is my understanding that as an Irish citizen I have reciprocal health cover with Medicare in Australia. Although I won't be to apply for a Medicare card until I reach Australia, does this mean I will need health insurance until that point?

You aren't entitled to apply for a medicare card under the Irish reciprocal agreement. You care covered for emergency health care only. This is sufficient for a 457

The irish reciprocal agreement is automatic, you don't apply for it. That means you can covered the moment you land. You don't need to have interim cover until you get a medicare card.

If you were on a UK passport (or from NI with no irish passport) you would need interim cover.

d.pop wrote: »

I'd urge you to apply for health insurance as soon as you arrive, on a number of levels.
Not least you need it to reduce your tax bill, some big levies and loading if you don't have it as the government views you as a "burden" when I'm Medicare.

The loading an levies only apply if you earn over $90k. Below that it won't affect you tax bill.
I agree that health insure is a smart decision, but to answer OPs question its not a requirement for the 457 visa

catbear wrote: »

It's a legal condition of the 457 for you to provide your own private health insurance. If you have an irish policy it should cover you for your first month (check with provider).
After that you're required to take out your own policy, I took mine out with IMAN.

That's not correct.
The irish reciprocal agreement is sufficient to satisfy the 467 health cover requirement.

The last time I checked the HSE does not have a reciprocal agreement like the NHS has with Medicare.

Ireland has a reciprocal agreement. It's a different agreement to the UK.
And its between the two governments, not between the HSE/NHS and medicare.

bestleftfull3 wrote: »

fair play mellor just seen this on the gov website might save us having to get health insurance (even though it is worth getting)

extract taken from gov website but what the hell is the biodata page and what would be on this to suggest anything ?

The biodata page is simply the photograph page on a new passports. Also know as an e-passport, electronic passport, etc. It's got a machjine readable photo, and there’s a chip in it.

bestleftfull3 wrote: »

Applying for our 457 this week but travelling home in 6 weeks for a brief holiday ! Once we have our bridging B visa should there be any issues coming back into the country ?

No issues.
Once you apply for and receive your bridging visa B you're fine

Who is asking for it? An agent?
Just mention you are an irish citizen and cover under the reciprocal agreement and include the relevant pages from medicare/IMMI

bestleftfull3 wrote: »

Nobody asking yet, not going through an agent as can't afford it so hopefully doing it ourselves will be alright !

ah, I didn't see the "IF"
You'll be grand.
I did my 457, my partners 457 and our 186 visa without an agent. The case officers at DIBP never even mentioned the health requirements, they are used to seeing Irish/NZ/UK/etc applications, its a non-issue.

Those visa's really are design to self manage, and you'd have to generate the same information for an agent anyway.

bestleftfull3 wrote: »

Just submitted and payed the fee:eek:

have the majority of our documents mellor just a quick question, would you advise that all documentation is stamped by the police? I've heard conflicting stories on whether this matters or not

also we have copies of the missus qualifications (got them sent over) do we need the real thing or is the copy fine?

Thanks in advance

For my 457 I had no documents stamped by the police. I uploaded scanned copies of all my documents. They didn't ask for originals. Some of my documents bber left ireland.

bestleftfull3 wrote: »

It does say however about keeping up health insurance as a condition.

It's a generic condition, mine said it too.
Reciprocal agreement = health cover = insurance