Health requirements for an Australian visa

Australia enjoys some of the best health standards in the world. In order to help maintain these standards you must satisfy the health requirements specified in the Migration Regulations before you can be granted a visa for Australia . Dependants and family unit members who are included in the visa application are individually required to satisfy health requirements.

Australia 's health requirements are designed to:

•  Minimise public health and safety risks to the Australian community;
•  Contain public expenditure on health and community services;
•  Maintain access of Australian residents to health and other community    services.

Assessment of your health for temporary visa purposes depends on:

1. Your intended activities in Australia and some other circumstances

You may be asked to undergo a medical and x-ray examination if you:

•  Are likely to enter a hospital or health care area (including nursing    homes);
•  Are likely to enter a classroom situation;
•  Are likely to be engaged in an Australian preschool-aged child care    centre (including preschools and crèches);
•  Are aged 70 years old or older; or
•  If there are indications you may not meet the health requirement

These situations are considered to be of special significance for your health status.

2. The length of time you intend staying in Australia

If you seek to stay less than 3 months and no special significance activity or circumstances as described above will be occurring, there are no routine requirements for formal requirements for formal medical or x-ray examination. Please note that Australia reserves the right to request medical information in any circumstances.

3.Where you have been staying over recent years

The serious disease tuberculosis (Tb) has been declared an epidemic and global emergency. Many countries in the world have relatively low rates of the disease and there are no routine x-ray requirements for persons who have lived entirely in those countries, despite a proposed length of stay up to 12 months or sometimes longer, in Australia.

There are Routine requirements for people who have stayed more than 3 months over the last 5 years, or lived in the countries, where there are higher risk rates for this disease, you may be required to have chest x-rays and/or medical examination for stays of more than 3 months. (Please consult the table on the last page of this form).

Who will examine you?
Medical examinations and x-rays are conducted by qualified doctors and radiologists usually nominated by the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA). If overseas you will need to enquire about health requirements for your circumstances, forms and available doctors at the office where you intend lodging your application. Two passport-sized photographs will be required if you are to attend for examination.

If you are already in Australia, after seeking information and collecting the forms from DIMIA, you should contact Health Services Australia (HAS) for your medical examination. In Australian country areas you should contact the nearest HAS office to find you're nearest approved medical practitioner. You can contact HAS on 1300 361 046 or their website www.healthoz.com.au.

How does the Department decide if you meet the health criteria?
In the overwhelming majority of cases, there will be no requirement for formal examination, and a decision that you meet the health criterion will be made along with the assessment of other criteria for your visa. For those who do require formal medical examination, the decision usually can be made at the Australian office. From time to time, medical personnel in the country where an application is processed are not able to provide the reports required and all documents are passed to a Medical Officer of the Commonwealth (MOC). The MOC will provide an opinion on whether you meet the health requirement.

Of first importance as to whether you meet the criterion is any sign, however old or small, of tuberculosis. Tuberculosis is the only health condition listed in migration legislation as precluding the issue of a visa.

Any other health conditions are assessed for their likely impact on the Australian community. This includes health expenditure and does not necessarily lead to refusal of the visa.

About the information that you give
DIMIA is authorised to collect information under the Migration Act 1958. The information, including the results of any tests for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) will be used to assess your health for an Australian visa. A positive HIV or other test results will not necessarily lead to a visa being denied. Your result(s) may be disclosed to the relevant Commonwealth and State, and Territory Health agencies

Summary of routine health examinations

Country-Level of Risk
Low

Iceland, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Sweden, ( Australia )

Stay of up to and including 3 months

•  No formal health examination required unless special significance* applies

Stay of greater than 3 months, up to and including 12 months

•  No formal health examination unless special significance* applies

Stay of greater than 12 months

•  No formal health examination required unless special significance* applies
•  Health insurance for your period of stay

See below for meaning of "special significance"

Country-Level of Risk
Medium

Austria, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States of America, Vatican City.

Stay of up to and including 3 months

•  No formal health examination required unless special significance* applies

Stay of greater than 3 months, up to and including 12 months

•  No formal health examination unless special significance* applies

Stay of greater than 12 months

You will be required to undergo:

•  A medical examination and;
•  A chest x-ray

Note: if you are an applicant for a 457 visa, you will be required to undergo a chest x-ray only, unless your health is of special significance, or you are likely to enter a classroom situation for a stay of greater than 12 months in which case a medical examination will also be required.

Country-level of Risk
High

Algeria, Andorra, Bahrain, Czech Republic, Egypt, Fiji, Hungary, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritius, Oman, Palestinian Territories, Poland, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Slovakia, Spain, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates

Stay of up to and including 3 months

•  No formal health examination required unless special significance* applies

See below for meaning of "special significance"

Stay of greater than 3 months, up to and including 12 months

•  No formal health examination unless special significance* applies

OR

•  If you are likely to enter a classroom situation for more than 3 months, in which case a    medical examination and a chest x-ray will be required.

Stay of greater than 12 months

You will be required to undergo:

•  A medical examination
•  A chest x-ray

Country-Level of Risk
Very high risk

All countries not listed above including:

Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Chile, China, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Kor4eaq, Malaysia, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Vietnam, Zimbabwe.

Stay of up to and including 3 months

•  No formal health examination required unless your health is considered to be of special    significance*

OR

•  If you are likely to enter a classroom situation for more than four weeks, in which case a    medical examination and a chest x-ray will be required.

Stay of greater than 3 months, up to and including 12 months

•  You will be required to undergo a chest x-ray;
•  A medical examination and a chest x-ray will be required if you are likely to enter a    classroom situation for more than four weeks;
•  Any additional relevant special significance* requirements must be met.

See below for meaning of "special significance"

Stay of greater than 12 months

You will be required to undergo:

•  A medical examination and;
•  A chest x-ray
* Your health may be of "special significance" and you may be required to undergo a    chest x-ray and/or medical examination if:
•  You are likely to enter a pharmaceutical laboratory, hospital or health care area    (including nursing homes) for any reason. In this case an x-ray is minimum requirement    regardless of length of stay. Low and medium risk country inhabitants may make short    visits to patients in Australia without x-ray screening;
•  You are likely to be engaged or enrolled in an Australian childcare centre (including     preschool or crèches) either an employer or trainee. In this case an x-ray is minimum     requirement regardless of length of stay;
•  You are 70 years or older. A medical pro-forma (available from the Australian visa    office) must be completed by your doctor for stay of up to the periods listed above;
•  You are a parent with a "queued" migration application. A medical and x-ray are    required for stay greater than 6 months; or
•  There are any indications that you might not meet the health requirement regardless of    length of stay.