Overseas Visitors Health Care Cover (OVHC) is a type of health insurance designed specifically for international visitors coming to Australia. It can cover you if you become unwell or are involved in an accident while visiting or temporarily residing in Australia.
Some of the costs OVHC may cover, depending on the policy, include:
- Hospital fees
- General practitioner (GP) fees
- Ambulance transport
- Some pharmacy costs
You may also be able to get coverage for ‘extras’ treatments like dental, physiotherapy, optical and chiropractic services. These may be add-on options for your policy and could raise the cost of your premiums.
According to Canstar research, the cheapest policies tend to be hospital-only. More comprehensive products that add medical cover (like coverage for GPs, specialists, and prescriptions) on top of hospital can cost up to three times more than hospital-only cover.
What costs are not covered by OVHC?
Not all your medical costs will be covered under an OVHC policy. Many non-essential (or elective) services will not be covered. For example:
- Procedures not recognised by Medicare (Australia’s public health system)
- Elective cosmetic surgery
- Non-emergency ambulance
- IVF and other assisted reproductive services
What is offered by an OVHC policy will differ from fund to fund, so it’s important to read relevant policy documents, such as the Private Health Information Statement (PHIS), carefully before signing up.
What is working visa health insurance?
Working visa health cover is a similar type of health insurance that the Australian Government requires you to hold if you’re visiting Australia to work.
International workers must have working visa health cover because most foreign residents and visitors cannot access the Australian public health system. As an international worker in Australia, you’ll need private health insurance to help pay for your healthcare and limit your financial liability–this is called Condition 8501. Many health insurers offer a specific type of health insurance that meets this condition.
You must have health insurance for the whole time you’re in Australia on a working visa, and you must take out a policy before you arrive. If you extend your visa, you must renew your working visa health cover policy.
If your family is coming overseas with you on the visa, your spouse and any children under 18 years old must also be covered by working visa health cover, and can be covered by your working visa even if they’re not working. You need to choose a Couples or Family policy to cover someone other than yourself.
Some insurers may charge more for a couple’s policy than two single policies, and the cost of a family policy is often more than the cost of a couple’s policy.
If you decide your health cover is too expensive or doesn’t cover what you need, you can switch to a different insurance provider, as long as you do not let your policy lapse.
What working visas require health insurance?
There are plenty of working visas available in Australia, and most require health insurance. These include, but are not limited to:
- 482 Temporary Skill Shortage visa
- 485 Temporary Graduate visa
- 417 Working Holiday visa
- 462 Work and Holiday visa
When you apply for health cover, make sure it will satisfy the conditions specific to your visa type. Use the Department of Home Affairs Visa Finder online to find out which working visa you need.
If you’re from a country that has a reciprocal health care agreement with Australia, you may be able to enrol in Medicare. Visitors from countries with reciprocal health care agreements do not need to buy health insurance as a condition of their visa, but the Australian Government strongly recommends all visitors take out private health insurance, since Medicare only covers medically necessary treatment.
Since you can’t enrol in Medicare from outside Australia, you’ll still need to have adequate health cover before you arrive. Medicare only covers treatment in a public hospital, so you will still need to consider whether private health insurance is right for you. Plus, if you’re earning an income in Australia, not having adequate private health cover might mean you have to pay more tax, in the form of the Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS).
Is OVHC and working visa health insurance compulsory and who needs it?
Any non-Australian residents visiting Australia should consider securing private health insurance to help cover unexpected medical expenses. Any visa with condition 8501 (that you must have and maintain adequate health insurance for your stay in Australia), and applicants for working visas such as a Temporary Skill Shortage visa (subclass 482) or Temporary Graduate Visa (subclass 485), must hold an OVHC policy that meets their visa requirements.
International students studying in Australia may be required to take out Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC). If you are a recent migrant to Australia with permanent residency, or you have applied for permanent residency, you may be eligible for an interim (usually blue) or full (usually green) Medicare card. This can grant you immediate access to health care services, and may allow you to purchase residents' private health insurance.
Does Medicare cover overseas visitors?
Residents and citizens of countries that have a reciprocal health agreement with Australia will have some level of subsidised health cover, which may provide access to immediate necessary medical treatment in Australia’s public health system. These countries currently are:
- Belgium
- Finland
- Italy
- Malta
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Republic of Ireland
- Slovenia
- Sweden
- United Kingdom
Note that this agreement will only cover basic medical needs and it’s still worthwhile to consider an OVHC policy for additional cover.
Who offers working visa health cover?
The insurance providers that offer working visa health cover, according to Canstar’s database, are:
- Allianz Care
- Australian Unity Health Limited
- Bupa HI Pty Ltd
- GMHBA Limited trading as Frank Health Insurance
- HBF Health Limited
- The Hospitals Contribution Fund of Australia Limited
- Health Insurance Fund of Australia Limited (HIF)
- Medibank Private Limited
- NIB Health Funds Ltd
- Westfund Limited
As part of Canstar’s Working Visa Health Cover Star Ratings and Awards, our expert Research Team uses a unique and sophisticated ratings methodology to compare both cost and features across health insurance policies offered to people coming to Australia holding working visas. Canstar’s Star Ratings enable consumers to narrow their search to products that have been assessed and rated. Ratings range from one to five stars, with five stars representing outstanding value to consumers.
What does Working Visa Health Cover typically include?
The below table is a general guide. Cover levels and inclusions vary between providers and products. Check with your provider for information on what is and isn’t covered before you buy.
Hospital-only | Hospital + medical | What this means | |
Emergency hospital treatment | ✓ | ✓ | Treatment when you are admitted to hospital in an emergency |
Surgery and in-hospital care | ✓ | ✓ | Operations, doctors, and specialists who treat you in hospital |
Ambulance | Varies | Varies | Emergency transport to hospital by ambulance |
Doctor (GP) visits | x | ✓ | Visiting a doctor outside of hospital when you are sick or need advice |
Specialist appointments | x | ✓ | Seeing a specialist doctor referred by your GP |
Prescription medicines | x | ✓ | Medicines prescribed by your doctor |
Pathology and radiology | x | ✓ | Pathology: Blood tests and other lab tests Radiology: X-rays, scans and imaging |
Some providers also offer cover that includes extras such as dental and optical. These products are available but tend to cost more. Check with your provider for options.
What to consider when comparing OVHC policies
OVHC policies vary in price and inclusions, so it’s a good idea to compare before you choose one.
Some factors you could consider include:
- The cost of the premium
- What is and isn’t covered
- How much the excess is
- Whether you want optional extras
It’s a good idea to determine whether your chosen policy covers the requirements of your visa and consider the coverage you receive, rather than basing your decision purely on cost.
