theleggates Posted January 8, 2020 Share Posted January 8, 2020 Hi, I am considering moving back over to WA on a 482 visa with my wife and 2 kids after previously living there on a 457 visa in 2014/15. I am just figuring out costs of living etc and I know we had separate health insurance on our 457 visa that was quite expensive but I am wondering if it is required on the 482 visa? I have read that it is but I also read that if you are from a country with reciprocal health agreement then medicare will will be enough and health insurance is not required. We are moving over from Scotland so we do have reciprocal health care. Can anyone confirm if we will need additional health insurance or not? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lambert Posted January 10, 2020 Share Posted January 10, 2020 On 09/01/2020 at 04:10, theleggates said: Hi, I am considering moving back over to WA on a 482 visa with my wife and 2 kids after previously living there on a 457 visa in 2014/15. I am just figuring out costs of living etc and I know we had separate health insurance on our 457 visa that was quite expensive but I am wondering if it is required on the 482 visa? I have read that it is but I also read that if you are from a country with reciprocal health agreement then medicare will will be enough and health insurance is not required. We are moving over from Scotland so we do have reciprocal health care. Can anyone confirm if we will need additional health insurance or not? Thanks! You need it. I came from UK too and was required to have it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted January 10, 2020 Share Posted January 10, 2020 (edited) @theleggates, as you say, you could probably get by without private health insurance because of the reciprocal agreement, however you're required to have private insurance as part of the conditions of your 482. I hope you're aware that the 482 is just a short-term visa, you're not migrating? The 482 is designed to fill short-term gaps in the labour market, so the government wants you to go back to the UK at the end of it. There is a possibility of applying to stay permanently afterwards, but it is only a possibility, and the government is making it harder every year. Some employers will make it sound more definite because they want you to take the job, but it's smoke and mirrors. If you take the 482, plan on the basis that you'll be going home after 4 years - and make sure your employer will pay your relocation costs both ways, or it will be an expensive adventure. If you are keen to migrate to Australia, you might want to look into the 491, which is also a short-term visa - but the government wants you to stay at the end of it. it's designed to attract migrants to smaller towns and cities. When you get the visa, you have to live and work in a regional area for three years, and then you can apply for a permanent visa (and stand a good chance of getting it). The government's idea is that once you've been living in an area for three years, you'll feel so settled that you won't leave. Have you consulted a migration agent? All the good ones will give you an initial consultation free of charge so you can fully understand your options. Edited January 10, 2020 by Marisawright Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theleggates Posted January 10, 2020 Author Share Posted January 10, 2020 Hi Thanks for your replies. As I mentioned, we were previously been to Australia on a 457 visa in 2014/15 for around 18 months before moving back home for the birth of our second child. We are now considering moving back and have a job offer and visa sponsorship offer from my previous employer. They have been consulting with their migration agent who has suggested coming over on a 482 visa and then once we are in Australia applying for a 186 employer nomination pr visa. Alternatively they say I could apply for a 186 straight away. I was under the impression transferring from a 457/482 temporary visa to a pr visa was quite straight forward once you have been living in Australia on a temporary visa but maybe this is not the case. The 186 visa would probably be our best option as we will not need health insurance and public schooling will be free so it will make living in Australia cheaper for us. I am currently discussing with my potential employer if they will cover the full costs of this visa for us but it is looking like they are willing to do that but I will be expected to work for them for at least 2 years or have to pay back the visa costs. The only downside of going for the 186 visa is the processing times are much longer. At the moment it says 5-15 months but in the long run it would be worth the wait to have permanent residency straight away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted January 11, 2020 Share Posted January 11, 2020 If you know the employer and you’re able to apply for a PR visa immediately you arrive, then that’s the best of both worlds. The risk if you have to wait two or three years before applying, is that the rules are getting stricter all the time and there would be a risk the option won’t be available for you by the time you’re eligible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaggieMay24 Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 From what I understand, you need to either have private health insurance or Medicare. With the 457, people with reciprocal Medicare entitlement would take out private coverage until they arrived and could enrol in Medicare, then they were able to cancel the private health insurance. I'd assume the 482 works the same way however I'm not sure on that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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