OSHCstudents – Australian Government has laid out what the COVID-19 Pandemic event visa is, who it’s for and the eligibility requirements, including having adequate health insurance in place. What is health insurance for people who have a 408 visa?
What is the 408 visa for COVID-19?
The 408 visa was introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic as a last resort for those living and working in Australia on temporary visas that are set to expire. If you can’t go home due to travel restrictions and you have no other visa options, the 408 can allow you to stay in Australia for an additional 12 months. At the moment, this additional 12 months cannot be extended.
There’s currently no charge for the COVID-19 Pandemic event visa and depending on your situation, your family members might be able to apply to join you in Australia later as a subsequent entrant.
Who is this visa for?
The 408 visa is for temporary visa holders that are due to expire who cannot apply for any other visa. It’s specifically aimed at people working in critical sectors to the Australian government at the moment, including:
- agriculture
- health care
- age care
- disability care
- child care
- food processing
This temporary activity visa can also include members of your family when you apply. You can also add family members to your application at any time before the Australian government makes a decision.
Do you need health insurance for this visa?
Yes. Like all Australian visas, you’ll need to have adequate health insurance in place. This is a common requirement set up to prevent Medicare – Australia’s public health care system – from having to cope with added financial burden. To make sure your visa is accepted, you can get Overseas Health Cover, which is widely available. If you need to get health insurance, you can begin to compare some affordable policies here.
If your country has a reciprocal health care agreement with Australia, this is usually enough to pass your visa’s health care requirement. However, it won’t cover you for things like dental care, optical and physic – which is known as extras cover here – so it’s still worth having Overseas Health Cover. OVHC is insurance is for you.
If you are looking at OVHC, you can check out the prices and purchase insurance please contact OSHCstudents Team for further information and assistance.
Email: info@oshcstudents.com
OSHCstudents (Source: finder.com)
