Australia Medical Q & A

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Medical questions, Australian medicals,Visas and medicals

Why do I need a health clearance tocome to Australia?

Australia enjoys some of the best health standards in the

world. In order to help maintain these standards you must

satisfy the health requirements specified in the Migration

Regulations before you can be granted a visa for Australia.

Dependants and family members who are included in the visa

application are individually required to satisfy health

requirements.

Australia's health requirements are designed to:

minimise public health and safety risks to the

Australian community,

contain public expenditure on health and community

services, including Australian social security benefits,

allowances or pensions, and

maintain access of Australian residents to health and

other community services.

In line with Australia's global non-discriminatory immigration

policy, the health requirement applies equally to all visa

applicants from all countries. Please note that Australia

reserves the right to request medical information in any

circumstances.

In view of the World Health Organisation's declaration of a

global epidemic of tuberculosis (Tb), particular care is taken

to screen for this disease including stringent treatment

recommendations where signs of earlier infection, however

small or old, are apparent. Should you have Tb, you will not

be permitted to visit Australia until you have completed

recommended treatment and successful re-testing.

I have cancer/heart disease /diabetes/tuberculosis /HIV/AIDS /am obese...will Imeet health criteria?

No health condition, with the exception of tuberculosis,

automatically precludes the issue of a visa. Apart from

tuberculosis, every condition identified in the course of the

examinations, or through the questions you are asked in your

application, will be individually considered for possible impact

on the Australian community, including the costs of treatment

or support that would be attracted by that condition. Visa

officers are not authorised to advise on medical conditions:

the opinion on whether a condition means an applicant does

or does not meet the criteria comes from the Medical Officer

of the Commonwealth.

If my doctor says there are no signs ofactive tuberculosis in my x-ray, or that theyare old scars, why do the Australian

Medical Q & A's - Medical questions, Australian medicals, Visas and me... http://www.australia-migration.com/page/medical_q_and_as/12

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If my doctor says there are no signs ofactive tuberculosis in my x-ray, or that theyare old scars, why do the Australianauthorities keep asking me for furtherx-rays and proof of treatment?

Tuberculosis is in global epidemic and emergency status, as

declared by the World Health Organisation, with the disease

now being the biggest killer of adults in the developing world.

Australia has managed to maintain a position of third lowest

on the world for some years, so that the disease is no longer

common here. Many other countries have not been so

fortunate, nevertheless, and where there is a high prevalence,

indeed some signs of tuberculosis will be seen in such a high

proportion of the population that local doctors may regard

them as 'within normal limits'. As 'old' tuberculosis that has

formed calcifications or scars may reactivate in ten percent of

cases, and as relocation, and the stress of travel is often a

triggering factor in reactivation, a much stricter view of small,

old signs of tuberculosis is maintained by Medical Officers of

the Commonwealth.

Why is a health clearance needed if I amgoing to care for myself/my dependent athome, as there will be no costs toAustralian taxpayers?

Australia has a national health insurance and benefits

schemes, including income support, nursing home

entitlements, and other allowances which, once there is an

entitlement based on need, cannot be denied to an Australian

resident or citizen. The potential eligibility based on the

medical condition of you and/or your family member

concerned will be calculated according to the standard

accepted medical practice available across Australia,

regardless of the level of wealth or private care intended.

Do I need to arrange another healthexamination if I have recently had one?

If you have completed a health examination in the last twelve

months you may not need to undertake a fresh examination if

the visa processing office can confirm the details, substance

and date of the earlier reports.

How do I arrange a health clearance?

Medical examinations and x-rays are conducted by qualified

doctors and radiologists usually nominated by the

Department.

Outside Australia: Do not complete your health examination

before you lodge your visa application - you will be advised

when you need to do so. Contact your nearest Australian

diplomatic office for the health requirements, forms and

available doctors.

In Australia: You may complete your health examination

before lodging your application for a visa (and for some visas

it is a formal requirement that you do). Contact Health

Services Australia (HSA), to arrange a medical examination,


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In Australia: You may complete your health examination

before lodging your application for a visa (and for some visas

it is a formal requirement that you do). Contact Health

Services Australia (HSA), to arrange a medical examination,

on 1300 361 046 or at www.healthoz.com.au. Fees for

medical examinations are set by HSA and you pay the fees

directly to them. The forms are available from the

Department's nearest regional office.

When you present yourself for your health examination, you

should bring the following:

Form 26 Medical examination for an Australian visa,

with a passport photograph attached,

Form 160 Radiological report on chest x-ray of an

applicant for an Australian visa ,with a passport

photograph attached

your passport for identification,

any prescription spectacles or contact lenses that you

may wear, and

where you have a known medical condition, any

existing specialist reports.

If you think or know that you are pregnant you must tell the

person taking the x-ray. It is most likely that you will be asked

to complete the x-ray examination after the birth. If you are

female, you should not undergo the medical examination

during your menstrual period.

What health examinations are needed forvisitors to Australia?

Australia enjoys some of the best health standards in the

world. In order to maintain these standards everyone entering

Australia must meet health requirements, although this does

not always require a formal examination.

If you are visiting Australia and not using ETA, you are

required to declare your health status on your visa application

form. In certain circumstances you may be asked to provide a

doctor's report or undertake a medical and/or radiological

examination. These may include where you are:

aged 70 years old or older,

a parent of an Australian and you have a "queued"

migration application, and intend to stay for more than

6 months,

likely to enter a hospital or other health care

environment, including nursing homes as a patient,

visitor, trainee or employee, or for any purpose,

likely to enter a classroom environment, including

preschool, creche and child care situations,

known or suspected of having a medical condition,

regardless of your length of stay, or

intending to stay in Australia for more than 3 months,

and you have recently visited or lived in a country with

a Very High-risk rate of tuberculosis (Tb).

What health examinations are needed forOverseas Students?

Individuals applying to study in Australia must satisfy the

health requirements specified in the Migration Regulations.

Any family unit members who are included in the visa


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Individuals applying to study in Australia must satisfy the

health requirements specified in the Migration Regulations.

Any family unit members who are included in the visa

application are also required to undergo at least the same

level of health assessment examinations. The health of

overseas students studying in Australia is of special concern

due to the close contact in the classroom environment.

Classroom situations include all levels of schooling and study.

Overseas countries are divided into four risk levels in terms of

public health - low, medium, high and very high - according to

the incidence rates of tuberculosis, as reported by the World

Health Organisation, or as otherwise advised by Australian

health authorities.

Please note that if you are required to undergo health

examinations, whether you are applying in or outside

Australia, processing of your student visa application cannot

be completed until medical examinations and x-rays results

are provided to the visa processing office.

Outside Australia: You will be requested to undertake health

examinations once you have met the criteria for the student

visa.

In Australia: You should complete health examinations

before lodging an application for a student visa.

If you have completed a health examination in the last twelve

months you may not need to undertake a fresh examination, if

the details, substance and date of the earlier reports can be

confirmed to your visa officer by Departmental staff. Nationals

of Sweden and Norway, applying for a student visa in

Stockholm or in Australia, are not required routinely to

undergo formal health examination.

What health examinations are needed fortemporary residence?

If you are intending a temporary stay in Australia, you are

required to declare your health status on your visa application

form. In certain circumstances you may be asked to provide a

doctor's report or undertake a medical and/or radiological

examination. This may include where you are:

likely to enter a hospital or other health care

environment, including nursing homes as either a

patient, visitor, trainee or employee,

likely to enter a classroom environment, including

preschool, creche and child care situations,

known or suspected of having a medical condition,

regardless of your length of stay,


or


and you have recently visited or lived in a country with

a Very High-risk rate of tuberculosis (Tb).

What health examinations are needed formigration/permanent residence?

All applicants for permanent visas, or for a temporary visa (for

example, a provisional spouse visa) that leads to the grant of

a permanent visa, are required to undergo health


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All applicants for permanent visas, or for a temporary visa (for

example, a provisional spouse visa) that leads to the grant of

a permanent visa, are required to undergo health

examinations.

You and all dependent family members must meet strict

health standards designed to protect Australia from high

health risks and costs. All members of your immediate family,

including dependent family members who do not intend to

migrate, must meet the health requirement. If an applicant

cannot meet the health requirement, the visa application must

be refused under the Migration Regulations, and refusal of

one family member will mean the whole family unit will not be

able to proceed. There are strictly limited provisions for

overriding a failure to meet the health criterion.

If you are applying outside Australia, please do not complete

health examinations before lodging your visa application. You

will be informed by staff processing your migration application

when to arrange your medical examination. Processing of the

entire application can be a lengthy process, and health

clearances undertaken too early may expire before other

matters are prepared. Costs will be your responsibility, unless

you are a UNHCR recognised refugee (accepted subclass

200 applicant).

If you are applying in Australia, you may complete health

examinations before lodging your visa application, but be

aware that clearances have limited validity.

Why is a health clearance needed if I amgoing to care for myself/my dependent athome, as there will be no costs toAustralian taxpayers?

Australia has a national health insurance and benefits

schemes, including income support, nursing home

entitlements, and other allowances which, once there is an

entitlement based on need, cannot be denied to an Australian

resident or citizen. The potential eligibility based on the

medical condition of you and/or your family member

concerned will be calculated according to the standard

accepted medical practice available across Australia,

regardless of the level of wealth or private care intended.


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Australia Medical Q & A