On 6 October the Department of Home Affairs released a new factsheet clarifying what constitutes ‘adequate health insurance’ for temporary visa holders. The notice reminds applicants that most visitors are not covered by Medicare and risk breaching visa conditions if they arrive without suitable private cover. While the obligation is longstanding, officials say confusion persists – particularly among Working Holiday Makers and short-term assignees who assume reciprocal-health-care agreements negate the need for insurance. The factsheet lists visa subclasses that mandatorily require health cover (Student-500, Temporary Graduate-485, TSS-482, etc.) and warns that evidence may be requested at the border. Employers sponsoring staff on temporary visas should incorporate health-insurance verification into mobility checklists. Failure to maintain cover can lead to visa cancellation under s.116 of the Migration Act, exposing businesses to lost labour and compliance findings. For inbound assignees, the guidance recommends purchasing insurance that covers Covid-19 treatment, ambulance transport and medical repatriation. Policy start dates must align with the traveller’s arrival, not course or employment commencement dates. Relocation providers can download the factsheet for client briefings and should note that digital copies of insurance certificates are acceptable at check-in provided they show policy number, duration and Australian contact details.
Source: Department of Home Affairs
