Health Insurance Requirements for Occupational Trainee (Subclass 442) Visa

You must provide evidence with your visa application that you have made adequate arrangements for health insurance. Evidence of insurance may be in the form of a letter or certificate from an insurance company or broker. As a guide to the level of health insurance the department will accept as adequate, review Attachment A to the health insurance standard template letter. Providing this template, as completed by your insurance provider, is sufficient evidence that the insurance meets the level of coverage required. Your sponsor can pay for your insurance but is not obliged to do so.
See: Health Insurance Standard Template Letter (106KB RTF file)

Note: The level of health insurance you will need to meet the health insurance requirement may vary depending on the training you are intending to undertake in Australia. You should consult with your insurer about obtaining an insurance policy appropriate for your circumstances. In most circumstances overseas travel or student insurance is not appropriate to meet the level of insurance required.

Reciprocal Health Care Arrangements

You may be eligible to access Medicare in Australia if your country of residence has a reciprocal health care agreement (RHCA) with Australia. Being enrolled with Medicare under reciprocal health care arrangements is sufficient to meet the health insurance requirement. The Australian Government has RHCA with the governments of the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Netherlands, Finland, Norway, Malta, Italy, Belgium, Slovenia, the Republic of Ireland and New Zealand.

If you are overseas, and not currently enrolled with Medicare, you must arrange insurance for your initial period in Australia. You should provide evidence of this insurance as part of your application. Once you arrive in Australia you can enroll with Medicare.

For the latest list of countries and further information on RHCA, including what Medicare services are available under RHCA, you should refer to the Medicare Australia website.
See: Medicare Australia – Visitors to Australia

Health Insurance Providers

There is a range of health insurance providers both in Australia and overseas that have suitable health insurance policies that meet the health insurance requirement.
See: PrivateHealth.gov.au

Note: It is a condition of your Occupational Trainee visa that you maintain an adequate level of health insurance for the duration of your stay in Australia.