485 Visa Health Insurance Comparison

If you’re a recent graduate staying in Australia on a 485 visa to work or study further, you’ll need to switch from Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) to Overseas Visitor Health Cover (OVHC) or a higher level of private cover.

Private health cover is a 485 visa requirement, which means in most cases, you need to have it to get your visa. Not only that, but it can be a great safety net to help you avoid big bills if you ever need medical treatment while you’re in Australia temporarily.

Let’s look at how 485 visa health insurance works.

What is a 485 visa?

A 485 Temporary Graduate visa allows you to stay in Australia to study more or work after graduating here. Depending on your home country, qualification and reason for staying, a 485 visa can last between one and five years.

To be eligible for a 485 visa, you need to:

• Have held a student visa (subclass 500, 570, 572, 573 or 574) in the past six months

• Be under 50 years of age

• Have adequate health cover for the duration of your visa

• Meet several other requirements set by the Australian Government

Do I need health insurance with a 485 visa? 

In most cases, yes. You’ll need basic Overseas Visitor Health Cover (OVHC) as a minimum, which is a special type of cover designed for some visa holders in Australia.

One exception to this is if you’re from a country that has a reciprocal healthcare agreement with Australia, which includes:

• The United Kingdom

• The Republic of Ireland

• New Zealand

• Sweden

• The Netherlands

• Finland

• Belgium

• Norway

• Slovenia

• Malta

• Italy

If you’re from one of these countries and have enrolled in Medicare in Australia, you could be able to apply for an exemption from getting private health cover. 

While private health insurance will give you more comprehensive cover, being registered under Australia’s public health system will still make it cheaper for you to manage your day to day health by having doctors appointments and other basic health care costs covered.

Moving from a student visa to a 485 visa 

International students transitioning from a student visa and having Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) can apply for a 485 visa with their current health cover. 

But while your application is being processed, you’ll need to switch to Overseas Visitors Health Cover (OVHC). 

You can do this through your current health fund (as long as they offer OVHC) or through a new one. 

Our experts can help you find a policy that’s within your budget and also meets your needs as an overseas student.

Are 485 visa holders eligible for Medicare?

Generally, no. You won’t be eligible for Medicare on a 485 visa unless your home country has a reciprocal healthcare agreement with Australia. These countries include:

• The United Kingdom

• The Republic of Ireland

• New Zealand

• Sweden

• The Netherlands

• Finland

• Belgium

• Norway

• Slovenia

• Malta

• Italy

If you’re from one of these countries, you can enrol in Medicare to get free treatment through the public healthcare system. You’ll also need to apply for an exemption from visa condition 8501 (more on that below).

Even if you don’t need it for visa purposes, it could still be worthwhile getting private health cover because it can cover you for services and treatments Medicare won’t, such as:

• Treatment in a private hospital

• Treatment as a private patient in a public hospital

• Your choice of doctor

• Emergency ambulance fees (some policies)

• Extras including optical, dental, physio, chiro, natural therapies, podiatry and more (some policies)

Having a private health insurance cover can also help reduce waiting periods for elective surgery since you will be able to skip the queue by going to a private hospital.

What is considered ‘adequate’ health cover under the 485 visa rules?

To be eligible for a 485 visa, your health insurance must maintain adequate arrangements to cover:

• Public hospital treatment, including overnight accommodation and theatre fees

• Emergency department fees that lead to an admission

• Admitted patient care and postoperative services

• Surgically implanted prostheses

• Medicines listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)

• Medical services with a Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) item number

• Essential ambulance transport

As a general rule of thumb, basic OVHC meets all health insurance requirements for a 485 visa. Adequate health insurance requirements are set out by the Department of Home Affairs, which is a branch of the Australian Government.

Keep in mind that most health funds offer higher tiers of health cover with added benefits, such as:

• Treatment in a private hospital

• Your choice of doctor

• No excess or gap payment

• Extras benefits including optical, dental, physio, chiro, natural therapies, podiatry, psychiatric treatment, elective cosmetic treatments and more

Although these higher levels of cover tend to be a bit more expensive, they can provide added protection and can end up saving you money in the long run.

Do 485 visas need a medical examination?

In most cases, international visitors do not need to undergo a medical examination to acquire a 485 visa. 

It’s recommended that you get professional advice from an immigration advisor to see whether or not a health check will apply to you.

What is the 8501 visa condition?

 Condition 8501 says that you “must have and maintain adequate health insurance for the whole of your stay in Australia”. It applies to 485 visas, as well as most other temporary Australian working visas and all student visas. 

It essentially exists to make sure that visa holders in Australia can meet any medical costs that they might incur while living here.

Which health insurance policy covers 485 visas?

Several different health funds offer health insurance options for those seeking to apply for a 485 visa. 

These products are all slightly different from one another but are required to meet the same benchmark for adequate health insurance as set out by the Department of Home Affairs.

Compare Club can help you find better value cover that meets the requirements for getting your 485 visa with the insurers on our panel.

How does 485 visa health insurance work for couples and families?

If you’re bringing your partner or family with you on a 485 visa, everyone needs to be covered by appropriate health insurance. In these cases, it’s worth considering family health insurance or couples health insurance, which could work out to provide better value than buying separate policies and offer added benefits over basic OVHC.

If you have dependent children under 18, they’ll also automatically be covered under a family health insurance policy. 

What’s the cheapest health cover for a 485 visa?

 Our experts can work off price points if that’s a main point of focus for you. However, the “cheapest” health insurance could cost you more in the long run if you have to pay high out-of-pocket costs that aren’t covered by your current policy.

Instead of jumping to the cheapest option, comparing policies from multiple providers can help you find the policy that offers better value for money in your situation. That’s where our experts can help.

Need health insurance for a 485 visa? There’s a lot of options to choose from, but using a comparison service like Compare Club can help you find the level of health cover that meets your budget and circumstances quickly and easily. Click the button below to get started.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is medical repatriation?

Medical repatriation is when someone is returned to their home country specifically to get medical treatment there or if they have passed away. It usually takes place when the necessary treatment is either unavailable or too costly in their host country.

Can a non-resident get private health insurance in Australia?

Yes, a non-resident can get private health insurance in Australia if they are on a temporary visa. The Australian government strongly recommends all visitors make arrangements for private health cover so they can ensure they are covered for any medical services they may require while in Australia.

Can I stay in Australia without health insurance?

If you are not classed as a permanent resident, you can’t stay in Australia without an adequate visa, and your visa application will require you to obtain an adequate level of health cover. The only exception to this is if you are from a country with a reciprocal health care agreement with Australia, which would entitle you to Medicare.

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Chris Stanley is the sales & operations manager of health insurance at Compare Club. With extensive experience and expertise, Chris is a trusted leader known for his deep understanding of health insurance markets, policies, and coverage options. As the sales & operations manager of health insurance, Chris leads a team of dedicated professionals committed to helping individuals and families make informed decisions about their health insurance needs.

Meet our health insurance expert, Chris Stanley

Chris's top health insurance tips

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  Family health cover means your children are covered under the same policy as you.

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  Many health insurance policies come with a 12-month waiting period for pregnancy-related cover, so it’s a good idea to get a family policy organized well before starting your family. This means your child will be covered from birth until at least their early twenties (depending on which health fund you select).