Medicare (universal health care)

In Australia (unlike in the USA), healthcare is not a normal inclusion as part of anyone’s employment package. Majority of Australians procure and manage their own health insurance contracts with an external provider. There are health insurance packages available specific to the needs of those on 482 Visas (as you don’t get full access to Medicare unless you’re a citizen), so we encourage you to research the most appropriate package for your situation.

If you’re looking to become a permanent resident, as soon as you lodge an application for PR you usually get access to Medicare in the same way as citizens do, so if this is on your horizon you might want to investigate this as an option as well. More information is available from The Department of Home Affairs.

If your home country has the reciprocal health care arrangement you can apply for Medicare, our publicly funded universal health care system in Australia. If you have arrived on a permanent residency visa you may also apply for Medicare. Information on the application process can be found here

Private hospital insurance and the Medicare levy surcharge

If you earn $90,000 (singles) or$180,000 (families), you will attract an increasing Medicare levy surcharge and this will be deducted from your salary, unless you have an appropriate level of private hospital insurance. More information can be found here

Unless you take out private hospital before the age of 31, you will also face a Lifetime Health Cover loading (extra payment) on your private hospital insurance premiums, which will increase for each year over the age of 30 that you don’t have private hospital cover. Migrants over the age of 30 are exempt from the Lifetime Health Cover loading if they obtain a hospital policy within a grace period after registering for Medicare. More information about the Lifetime Health Cover loading, and the grace period for new migrants can be found here