The Australian Department of Home Affairs is dropping the health tests and examinations required for existing and potential applicants for temporary land-based visas, such as Working Holiday Visa, Work and Holiday Visa, Temporary Skills Visa, Student Visa and Visitor Visa.
Australia reduces Health Examination for Temporary Visa Applicants
The Australian authorities have announced that the country will reduce a number of medical examination requirements for certain categories of temporary visa applicants.
On 18 October 2022, the government announced plans to simplify immigration procedures under certain temporary visa categories. The Department of Home Affairs will contact all applicants if there is still a need for a medical examination.
The Australian authorities also said in an official statement that these measures will remain in place until the beginning of 2023.
The authorities announced a temporary change in the categories of individuals required to undergo health checks. If you are a temporary visa applicant who is already in Australia, you will in most cases not be required to undergo a health check unless you have declared that you:
- have applied for a medical treatment, temporary protection or a provisional visa;
- expect to incur medical costs or require medical treatment;
- are intending to work as (or study to be) a doctor, dentist, nurse or paramedic:
- will enter a hospital, aged or disability care facility (if higher tuberculosis risk);
- are pregnant and intending to have the baby in Australia;
- will work or train at an Australian childcare centre;
- are aged over 75 years (if applying for a visitor visa);
- have had previous household contact with tuberculosis; or
- are requested to do so by the Department.
Who needs Health Examinations to apply for an Australian Visa?
It may be necessary for you and your family members who are applying for a visa to undergo medical examinations to prove that you meet the health criteria.
You may have to have additional medical examinations if you are coming from a country where there are public health problems, such as polio or Ebola virus disease (EVD).
Whether you need the exams, and what type of examinations you need, will depend on:
- the type of visa you are applying for
- the period you plan to stay in Australia
- what your plans are in Australia
- the country you apply from
- any unique circumstances that might apply to you
- whether you have any significant medical conditions
In case you previously booked an appointment for a health check-up with Bupa Visa Medical Services and still have not attended it, your appointment may be annulled and reimbursed. Bupa will contact you via SMS to inform you of this. Please do not contact Bupa to make the cancellation yourself. If you are not informed that your appointment has been cancelled, you are required to attend if possible.
This arrangement applies to applications for the following visa subclasses, and only if you are already in Australia:
401 - Temporary Work (Long Stay Activity)
403 - Temporary Work International Relations
405 - Investor Retirement
407 - Training
408 - Temporary Activity
410 - Retirement
417 and 462 - Working Holiday
461 - New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship
476 - Skilled Recognised Graduate
482 - Temporary Skill Shortage
485 - Temporary Graduate
500 - Student
590 - Student Guardian
600 - Visitor
870 - Sponsored Parent (Temporary)
995 - Diplomatic (Temporary)
