Guest emmiepowell Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 I've just found out I'm pregnant, my partner and I are coming to Oz in just over 2 months from the UK on a 12 month working holiday visa, with a view to my partner getting a 4 year business visa once we're out there & I don't know what to do I'm freaking out!! :arghh: Will my pregnancy care be covered under Medicare as I'm a UK citizen? Will I have to pay a fortune to have my baby out in Oz? Will I be able to get private healthcare or will my premiums be massively high as I'm already pregnant? Can anyone help/advise me as to what to do as I'm really worried? Thanks :unsure: Emmie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Hi Emmie, I found this information: Those from the United Kingdom, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Belgium and the Netherlands: Receive a Reciprocal Medicare Card for the duration of their stay in Australia, from a Medicare office. Eligibility is determined by Medicare - they must have come directly from their home country to Australia i.e. have been paying tax recently in their home country. (Take proof of your country of citizenship/residence i.e. your passport) Receive medically necessary treatment in a public hospital Are entitled to claim benefits from Medicare if they obtain a Reciprocal Medicare Card. Please note: some services may not be claimable. Receive pharmaceuticals at subsidised Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) levels, which is the same cost as Australians pay (by presenting their Reciprocal Medicare Card) Cannot seek exemption from the Medicare Levy (1.5%). Will be liable to pay the Medicare Levy Surcharge of 1% (MLS) also this link: http://www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/public/migrants/visitors/uk.jsp#N10101 I can't find if pregnancy falls into the necessary treatment catagory. The other thing to consider is that employers may not want to employ someone as you get more heavily pregnant. Mecications/dental etc., is not free here - but if you were to remain in the UK you these would be covered whilst you were pregnant. Additionally, all doctors don't bulk bill, so unless you can find a bulk billing Dr. you may find yourself faced with quite a few costs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cerberus1 Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Hi For Working Holiday Visas (417) the eligibility requirements say General Requirements You Must: .... not be accompanied by dependent children at any time during your stay in AustraliaNote: A dependent child is the child, or step-child, of you or your partner who: is not married, engaged to be married, or in a de facto relationship has not turned 18. If you would like a dependent child to join you in Australia you must apply for a different visa such as a Tourist visa Hopefully, someone more qualified will be able to better advise you on what options are open to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quinkla Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 You need to come home to Yorkshire in case it's a boy! Seriously, but, you should have access to Medicare facilities under the reciprocal agreement. However, I have no idea what the immigration status of your baby would be. If I were you, I would get in touch with Medicare and DIAC asap to find out exactly what you would and wouldn't get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joebloggs Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 I have no idea what the immigration status of your baby would be. Baby would be UK citizen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joebloggs Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 I've just found out I'm pregnant, my partner and I are coming to Oz in just over 2 months from the UK on a 12 month working holiday visa, with a view to my partner getting a 4 year business visa once we're out there & I don't know what to do I'm freaking out!! To be honest that is not as as easy as it sounds, getting sponsored these days is a bit of a long shot as so many people want it with all the changes to the immigration over the last few years. The amount of willing sponsors and available jobs is bound to be reaching saturation, plus I heard on the radio today that by June the government expect unemployment to hit 5.7% (currently 5.1%) its only going get tougher. If you are pregnant you might be limited to what work you can do, and realistically could your partner earn enough to support you both considering that he will be on basically a holiday visa? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 I've just found out I'm pregnant, my partner and I are coming to Oz in just over 2 months from the UK on a 12 month working holiday visa, with a view to my partner getting a 4 year business visa once we're out there & I don't know what to do I'm freaking out!! :arghh: Will my pregnancy care be covered under Medicare as I'm a UK citizen? Will I have to pay a fortune to have my baby out in Oz? Will I be able to get private healthcare or will my premiums be massively high as I'm already pregnant? Can anyone help/advise me as to what to do as I'm really worried? Thanks :unsure: Emmie As you've not gone already I'd consider having a rethink of your plans if you are pregnant and planning on going over on a WHV. I say this for any number of reasons. I don't say any of it lightly and appreciate it might not be music to your ears. Firstly, I guess you will be covered under Medicare for your pregnancy but have you considered if your partner can support you both should you not be able to work during the pregnancy or for parts of it? As has been said, employers may not consider you suitable if heavily pregnant or it might mean you can't do some jobs at all for safety reasons. You can't do any job longer than 6 months on the visa and hopefully there will be some work but consider if it isn't forthcoming. Will your partner be able to support you both on one wage? Do you have money for return airfares and all that and more saved on top of that? Usually on a WHV each person needs to work to supplement the holiday part of it all. Many may work more than 1 job or a couple of part time and its not always easy to find work, hence having savings to fall back on and all that. Also pregnancy can be extremely hard and often its an emotional roller coaster of hormones. Many women are fine, but quite often complications can occur in pregnancy that require bed rest or docs appointments, visits or time in hospital and so on. Are you prepared for a healthcare system the other side of the world and being away from your family during your pregnancy? It can be a time you want them around more than ever. I had a great pregnancy but it was still sleepless nights from leg cramps and indigestion and lots of heartburn for months on end. I was glad I had people around me I knew and no stresses of finding a job or worry about an income. Although we did house hunting and moving when 5-6 months pregnant and that was a really stressful thing. But this was all in the UK and we both had secure jobs, a home and so on. I can't imagine doing all that on a WHV in Aus, put it that way. Another thing to consider is that you (and I guess by extension your BF as he is the father) cannot have dependants on a WHV. So, investigate this very carefully. Once your baby is born it could be this will void your WHV visas but maybe not. You really need to contact the Aus Immigration about this and clarify exactly what is what for you in this respect, both now before the baby is born and once it arrives. Also look into if being pregnant when you arrive in Aus has any impact on your WHV status. I can't comment on it either way, but I know I would be checking with the visa dep. all the small print to ensure I knew exactly what was what. Don't leave it to chance or think you can find all the answers via this forum. Be sure to find out for yourself. Or an agent perhaps but am sure if they deal with this sort of thing or not. You have your visa so its maybe you need to contact immigration/visa dep. Also then if you were to have the baby in Aus you need to consider all the thing you'll need for one. Clothes, car seat (if you have a car), pushchair, cot and so on. Even if you buy second hand it can all add up. Having a baby means you'll have to spend some money. Then there is the whole Gov benefits aspect. If you leave the UK and have your child overseas you won't be eligible for any UK maternity pay that I am aware of. You can be pregnant in the UK and take maternity leave and have it paid from your employer but only if you work to the qualifying timeframe and if you leave to go to Aus in 2 months, you won't be into it. You won't be able to claim it should you return to the UK either after you have the baby iirc but this is something you will need to check out carefully. You will have been out of the UK for an extended time and this cancels many aspects of benefit eligibility and the Gov stops paying maternity pay if you leave the UK so not sure they'll pay if you return. And don't quote me on this, but its most likely you won't be entitled to anything from the Aus Gov as you will be on a WHV and not entitled to claim anything. So you won't even have that to fall back on. Your partners income will be supporting you all (that is if you are allowed to stay once you have the baby, WHV and all that). Also have you considered how you will cope in the early weeks after baby is born? Its a tough slog, well it was for me, I make no bones about it. And I had a great straightforward birth with no problems. But those first weeks after my son was born were hellish for no end of reasons. Think about your wellbeing and the support people you know well can give you here in the UK. Maybe you don't have family or friends around you in the UK but it can be a really big thing having a baby a long way from home. And the last thing that springs to mind and others have mentioned. There is no way of knowing if your BF is going to get that 4 year visa. Many people are out there after the same thing and the rules are changing in July visa wise and it might not be easy at all for him to get that visa. Good luck with everything I know that was mostly doom and gloom but honestly, it might not be. I gave lots of the worst case scenarios for the WHV to Aus, but having a baby is a wonderful thing, at least from where I am sitting. That for me is something to be happy about and enjoy, just a case of you working out where the best place for that is. Just do your research, get fully informed of the facts and where you stand now with your visa and once you land in Aus and also once baby is born, if this is in Aus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freesia Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 HiFor Working Holiday Visas (417) the eligibility requirements say Hopefully, someone more qualified will be able to better advise you on what options are open to you.[/quote wonder what she's decided to do- .... just wondering,given the above, whether the decision HAS to be not going at all on a WHV- since she could not meet the stated conditions?? wouldn't the OP be risking being sent straight home once the baby's born?? any knowledgeable agents out there?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest emmiepowell Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Well we decided to come out here anyway... I'm currently covered under the medicare reciprocal healthcare for free midwife care/tests etc... My partner has been offered the 4 year business visa with the view to accept it, therefore we should all be covered. Thanks for all your replies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicolac34 Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Well we decided to come out here anyway... I'm currently covered under the medicare reciprocal healthcare for free midwife care/tests etc... My partner has been offered the 4 year business visa with the view to accept it, therefore we should all be covered. Thanks for all your replies Thats good news and must be a big relief! I was just about to add that we knew someone who was on a WHV and got pregnant whilst over here, they were allowed to have the baby in Oz but they had to leave the country as soon as they could get the baby a passport (which took around 6 weeks). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freesia Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 brilliant news!! so far so good....hope the job offer works out well for you now ..where have you decided to settle ??:wub: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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