Condition 8501 (med Insurance)???

[karen79]

Hi all, hope someone can help, we have just been granted our 457 visas with health insurance in-place of course. I have previously read from other people that they have cancelled their health insurance on arrival in Oz as the reciprocal agreement with the UK is pretty good and all emergency health care is covered with their medi care system etc..Query is if in 12 months time we are wanting to sit TRA and go for PR employer sponsored visa, is their any requirement to show proof of ongoing health insurance cover during life of the 457 for this PR employer sponsored visa? Would we be disadvantaged in applying for the PR Employer sponsored visa if could not show ongoing health insurance, as it is apparently condition 8501 stated on visa that we have the Insurance? Any advice appreciated folks, and thanks in advance....

[Guest The Pom Queen]

To be honest I wouldn't like to risk it as if you do cancel it they may say you are in breach of your visa conditions and cancel your visa. I am not a migration agent though but I would make sure you check with one before doing anything that could cancel your visa.

Good luck

Kate

[lebourvellec]

You dont need to show medical insurance for PR visas as if granted you are entitled to same medical care as an Australian.

 

As for the 8501 condition:

"Being enrolled with Medicare under reciprocal health care arrangements is sufficient to meet the health insurance requirement at visa grant and to comply with visa condition 8501."

http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/457-health-insurance-faq-visa-holder.htm

 

 

If people are already in Aus, say on student visa, or WHV and have medicare they could use this cover for their visas. Since you can only apply for medicare while in Australia, you needed medical insurance to cover the time you arrived and was able to register with medicare.