457 renewal, Medicare and health insurance

[peter5678]

We are based in the UK, and spend a month working in Sydney two times a year, and have done so for the last 4 years. We are currently in UK, and our 457 visas and Medicare both expire before our next visit. You cannot renew Medicare from overseas, it seems, so our migration agent getting our 457 renewal application together tells us we need overseas visitor health insurance. Anyone know a way round this? Or if not, can we take out insurance and immediately cancel it once our Medicare is renewed after arrival in Oz? Do the providers differ in this respect?

[AJ]

How can you get a 457 sponsored visa yet live in the Uk?

[peter5678]

Well, that's what happened when I started this 4 years ago! I have an ongoing part-time appointment in Sydney, and the same in the UK (where I am permanently resident). My employers in Sydney organised my original 457 visa application, via a migration agent (and now it needs to be renewed). No one - the employer, the agent, or the Dept of Immigration has ever questioned that this is the right kind of visa. The only complications from my residency status has been things like banks misunderstanding. Are you saying a different kind of visa would be more appropriate?

[AJ]

I have just never heard of a 457 being used in this way before. Normally you are sponsored to work full time in Australia by the sponsor because they cannot find someone in Australia to do the job. You would also have to be paid a certain salary.

[peter5678]

OK, well, we have both learned something! But do you have an answer to my question?

[AJ]

Do you have the same employer in the UK? Under a 457 you can only work for the company who is sponsoring you.

[Bungo]

OK, well, we have both learned something! But do you have an answer to my question?

 

Your question is a bit unanswerable, because I also don't believe you should have a 457 visa and then spend 10 months a year out of the country. The 457 should be used for full time employment in Australia or cancelled. For your scenario, I believe you should be getting a new 457 for each period of employment in Australia.

[peter5678]

All right, thank you both for the information, which I will pass to the migration agent and my employer. In fact I think the rule you are referring to is that you cannot have another employment _at the same time_ - and I don't, the UK and Australian jobs are in different parts of the year. At https://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visa-1/457-

you can read that:

This visa allows you to:

•work in Australia for up to four years

•bring your family to work or study in Australia

•travel in and out of Australia as often as you want.

which does not imply that the Australian employment has to be continuous.

 

However, whatever the outcome of this issue, the question still stands - my 457 visa expires on the same day as my Medicare enrolment, shortly before my next visit to Australia. You cannot renew Medicare from overseas, it seems, so our migration agent getting our 457 renewal application together tells us we need overseas visitor health insurance. Anyone know a way round this? Or if not, can we take out insurance and immediately cancel it once our Medicare is renewed after arrival in Oz? Do the providers differ in this respect?

[Bungo]

All right, thank you both for the information, which I will pass to the migration agent and my employer. In fact I think the rule you are referring to is that you cannot have another employment _at the same time_ - and I don't, the UK and Australian jobs are in different parts of the year. At https://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visa-1/457-

you can read that:

This visa allows you to:

•work in Australia for up to four years

•bring your family to work or study in Australia

•travel in and out of Australia as often as you want.

which does not imply that the Australian employment has to be continuous.

 

However, whatever the outcome of this issue, the question still stands - my 457 visa expires on the same day as my Medicare enrolment, shortly before my next visit to Australia. You cannot renew Medicare from overseas, it seems, so our migration agent getting our 457 renewal application together tells us we need overseas visitor health insurance. Anyone know a way round this? Or if not, can we take out insurance and immediately cancel it once our Medicare is renewed after arrival in Oz? Do the providers differ in this respect?

 

Well I was not referring to the one employer rule. Actually whilst your 457 is valid you can only work for that employer in Australia, I don't see how you are breaching that.

 

But I think you need to look into this harder, I am sure that you cannot spend ten months out of the country on your 457 visa. Your 457 is dependent upon your continued employment with the sponsor.

 

This really needs to be your priority not medical insurance as I think there a good chance you have been in breach of your visa rules for the last four years. In which case, your chances of getting a new 457 to do the same are remote. Suggest you find a better migration agent than the one you have been using.

[Tomdickanarry]

All right, thank you both for the information, which I will pass to the migration agent and my employer. In fact I think the rule you are referring to is that you cannot have another employment _at the same time_ - and I don't, the UK and Australian jobs are in different parts of the year. At https://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visa-1/457-

you can read that:

This visa allows you to:

•work in Australia for up to four years

•bring your family to work or study in Australia

•travel in and out of Australia as often as you want.

which does not imply that the Australian employment has to be continuous.

 

However, whatever the outcome of this issue, the question still stands - my 457 visa expires on the same day as my Medicare enrolment, shortly before my next visit to Australia. You cannot renew Medicare from overseas, it seems, so our migration agent getting our 457 renewal application together tells us we need overseas visitor health insurance. Anyone know a way round this? Or if not, can we take out insurance and immediately cancel it once our Medicare is renewed after arrival in Oz? Do the providers differ in this respect?

 

To benefit from Medicare (under a 457 visa) you must have private medical insurance. However, you can buy insurance from the likes of BUPA and pay monthly. Simply cancelling a direct debit would achieve your aims but i'm sure they'd soon latch on to it after you did it a couple of times. You have a privileged position with the 457.....you should pay for annual insurance....or your sponsoring company should....suck it up princess!

[Guest guest90395]

To benefit from Medicare (under a 457 visa) you must have private medical insurance.

 

I'm not sure this is correct, I am on a 457 and cancelled my medical insurance shortly after arrival as by that time I was covered under Medicare.

[Chortlepuss]

When I was on a 457 my sponsoring company told us we had to have private medical insurance - Has this changed?

[Nemesis]

When I was on a 457 my sponsoring company told us we had to have private medical insurance - Has this changed?

It changed about 6 years ago. If you are eligible for Medicare under the reciprocal scheme (as are most from the UK) then you only need medical insurance to cover you until you register. Once registered with Medicare you can cancel the insurance.