Irish nationals who are sponsored by their employers on 457 visas do not need to take out private health insurance to be compliant, the Irish Echo has learned.
Many Irish 457 visa applicants are told by their employers, Medicare officials and even by their Department of Immigration case officers that they need private health cover to fulfil the terms of their visa.
However, the Irish Echo has learned that according to the department’s own guidelines, applicants from the Republic of Ireland are exempt because of the reciprocal health care agreement that exists between the two countries.
While this could potentially save applicants hundreds or even thousands of dollars, welfare workers have encouraged Irish temporary residents to take out insurance to account for medical expenses not covered by the reciprocal agreement.
The Irish Echo contacted the Department Of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) following a number of queries by readers on the subject.
One reader, Jennie, said she had been given conflicting information about her responsibilities as a would-be sponsored 457 applicant.
“My boyfriend and I are in the middle of applying for sponsorship and have been told to get private health
insurance. I have spoken to several people who said we don’t need it because of the reciprocal agreement
Ireland have with Australia.
“However after several phone calls to Medicare and immigration, Medicare are stating that we definitely need private health cover and immigration saying they don’t know anything about it and it is up to me to sort it out with Medicare. I was wondering if you would be able to help?
“Are Medicare in fact right or are they misinformed? How have all these other Irish couples managed to get sponsored without health insurance?
“I really don’t want to be paying $160 a month on health insurance if I don’t have to,” Jennie wrote.
Other readers have corroborated the story, and again have been given conflicting instructions. The Irish Echo contacted the department to clarify the rules.
In a written reply, the department’s media spokesperson would only say that: “if you are from a country with which Australia has a reciprocal healthcare agreement (as is Ireland) and are eligible to access Medicare you may be able to meet the health insurance requirement if you can produce a Medicare card or receipt.
“If you are outside Australia at the time of application and cannot produce a Medicare card or receipt, you should make arrangements for travel or health insurance and then enrol with Medicare after arrival in Australia.”
The Irish Echo explained that Ireland does have a reciprocal health care agreement with Australia, but Irish nationals on temporary visas are not eligible for Medicare.
British nationals here on temporary visas are entitled to Medicare because there is a parallel universal health care system in Britain – the National Health Service – which Australians can avail themselves of.
But in the DIBP’s written policy guide book, it clearly states that those from the Republic Of Ireland are not required to have health insurance.
Subsection 13.3 states: “Citizens of the Republic of Ireland are not eligible to receive a Medicare card but may
access certain Medicare services by showing their passport.
Therefore, for citizens of the Republic of Ireland, evidence of an Irish passport is sufficient to consider the requirement for adequate health insurance to be met without further enquiry.”
Applicants who are given different information are encourage to direct case officers to the relevant passage as it is apparent that not everyone is aware of this effective loophole.
While the reciprocal deal fulfils the health insurance requirement, it merely offers “limited subsidised health services”.
This means, essentially, that Irish residents are eligible to receive emergency treatment in a public hospital. It also covers maternity care in a public hospital for temporary residents. But there are many expenses the deal does not cover.
For instance, calling an ambulance or non-emergency hospital treatment like sports injuries or rehabilitation treatment which can run to many thousands of dollars.
