Medical Cover While in Australia
Registered nurses and midwives from overseas may be entitled to limited health care cover whilst working temporarily in Australia under a Business Sponsorship Visa. Reciprocal arrangements are in place for residents of Finland, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom (including Northern Ireland).
Under these arrangements you are entitled to Medicare benefits for services of immediate medical necessity only. This means any ill health or injury you have while in Australia which requires treatment before you return home. The entitlement includes:
- the services of a General Practitioner (GP) and
- accommodation and treatment which is immediately necessary as a Medicare (public) patient in a public hospital, free of charge.
The Agreement does not cover:
- treatment that is not immediately necessary
- elective treatment
- treatment arranged before your visit to Australia
- accommodation and treatment in a private hospital or
- accommodation and treatment as a private patient in a public hospital.
Period of cover:
- Visitors from the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Sweden, Finland and the Netherlands are covered for the duration of their approved visit to Australia
- Visitors from Malta and Italy are covered for a period of six months only from the date of their arrival.
Visitors from the Republic of Ireland are entitled to hospital and medical treatment as a public patient in a public hospital, subject to production of their Passport. This entitlement covers services of immediate medical necessity only, relating to any ill health or injury you have while in Australia which requires treatment before you return home. It does not cover treatment for pre-existing conditions. If you require the services of a private General Practitioner (GP), you are responsible for the full cost of these services.
Visitors from countries other than those listed above, must make provision for their own health care cover and that of any family members included on the Temporary Business Visa, for the duration of their stay in Australia. If you fall into this category you must:
- Make arrangements to take out appropriate private health care cover with a private health insurance provider in Australia. Contact details can be obtained from the Yellow Pages Telephone Directory
- Provide evidence to SESIH that you have taken out appropriate private health insurance cover
- Arrange for the cost of that cover to be deducted from your fortnightly salary as evidence that the cover is current
- Provide written confirmation to the employing hospital that you agree to these arrangements.
Do You Need More Information?
For further information, go to Medicare Frequently Asked Questions on the Australian Government website.
For the cost of a local call anywhere in Australia you can contact the Medicare Information Service on 132 011 from 7.30 am, Monday to Saturday (the office is closed from 7.00 to 7.30am each day and on Sunday) or write to Medicare, GPO Box 9822 in any Australian capital city.