OSHCstudents-Overseas Health Insurance Cover (OVHC) or Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) is required for certain visa holders in Australia to ensure they have adequate health insurance during their stay in the country. The need for OVHC or OSHC arises for the following reasons.
Visa Requirements.
Australia’s immigration laws mandate that certain visa types require health insurance to be granted. For instance, international students studying in Australia on a student visa (subclass 500) are generally required to have OSHC for the duration of their study.
Access to Healthcare
Australia has a world-class healthcare system, and having health insurance allows overseas visitors to access medical services and treatments at a subsidized cost. Without OVHC or OSHC, international visitors may be liable to pay full fees for medical treatments, which can be quite expensive.
Fulfilling Visa Condition 8501
For some visa holders, such as subclass 482 Temporary Skill Shortage visa holders, having OVHC is a condition of their visa grant. This condition (8501) requires the visa holder to maintain adequate health insurance throughout their stay in Australia.
Protecting against High Medical Costs
Healthcare in Australia can be costly, especially for emergency situations or major medical treatments. Having OVHC or OSHC provides coverage for various medical services, hospitalization, prescription medicines, and other essential healthcare needs, reducing the financial burden on the individual.
Compliance with Healthcare Policy
The Australian government wants to ensure that all visitors to the country have appropriate health insurance to prevent overburdening the public healthcare system and to ensure visitors can access timely and quality healthcare services.
Peace of Mind
Having health insurance gives visa holders peace of mind knowing that they are covered in case of illness or injury during their stay in Australia.
It’s important to note that the specific requirements for OVHC or OSHC may vary depending on the visa type and personal circumstances. Therefore, it’s essential to check the specific visa conditions and requirements before traveling to Australia.
If you are international students, foreigners arriving to Australia, or Australian citizens traveling abroad looking for OSHC, OVHC, travel insurance, please contact OSHCstudents Team at email: info@oshcstudents.com and our partners for further information and assistance.
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