help needed on 457 visa health insurance

[Guest AlliePallie]

I am planning to move to Adelaide and I am currently processing my 457 visa. I was completing all my requirements when I stumbled upon this website: http://www.austhealth.com/457-visa-healthinsurance.php and it says here that I need to submit a health insurance policy certificate before my visa will be processed. I am from the UK, so I'm wondering if I am under any exemptions? Thanks guys!

[Guest lebour]

No, you need to comply with the 8501 condition for you to be granted the visa, which states that you need adequate health insurance cover.

 

Being from the UK you are eligible for Reciprocal Health Care, you need to register to Medicare when you arrive in Australia. Being registered to medicare complies with the 8501 condition, but you cant apply until you are in Australia and have a visa.

 

So you need to show that you have health cover so the visa will be granted, once you have registered with medicare you can cancel your health insurance.

[beckdownunder]

Yes thats what I did - took out health cover for a month. Applied for medicare when we landed and then cancelled the private health cover :-)

[spanners]

I bought a UK policy from Walkabout Insurance (name might not quite be right) which was for only 30 days and specifically designed for this situation. It fullfilled the 457 visa requirements and gave me a month to sign up with medicare.