457 Medicare levy exempt or not

[Paul w]

Hi all 

can anybody tell me whether as 457 visa holder when filling tax return am I exempt from Medicare levy 

ATO are about as useful as a chocolate teapot and just refer the same to the same links 

Hoping somebody has experience of these matters 

thanks in advance 

[MaggieMay24]

If you're not eligible for Medicare, then you're usually exempt from paying the levy.

https://www.ato.gov.au/Individuals/Medicare-levy/Medicare-levy-exemption/

[Ken]

On 15/07/2019 at 19:06, Paul w said:

Hi all 

can anybody tell me whether as 457 visa holder when filling tax return am I exempt from Medicare levy 

ATO are about as useful as a chocolate teapot and just refer the same to the same links 

Hoping somebody has experience of these matters 

thanks in advance 

You haven't provided enough information to answer the question. Some 457 visa holders are not entitled to Medicare and so don't have to pay the levy. Other 457 visa holders are entitled to Medicare and so do have to pay the levy.

Nearly all British citizens on temp visas (which I'm guessing you are as you're on Poms-in-Oz but we do get a lot of members who aren't Poms) are entitled to Medicare through the Reciprocal Health Care Agreement between Medicare and the NHS. If that's you, then you do have to pay. Those very few exceptions are people who've been outside of the UK for so long they aren't entitled to NHS treatment and so the reciprocal agreement can't apply to them. You'll still need Medicare to issue a certificate to confirm you're not covered to escape the levy even if you think the NHS (and hence Medicare) wouldn't cover you.