Hi

I got a 176 for WA last year, which was validated soon after. I'm looking to go to Perth in the next 6 months with the rest of the family following shortly after. Unfortunately my wife fell ill over Christmas and has today been diagnosed with Crohnes disease.

My question is how does this affect our visas. I assume the health check is stop anyone entering Aus with health problems, but to what extent do they reject people on health grounds. Would this now exclude us from entering? Are we entitled to use the Australian health care system if it flares up again in the oncoming years once we have relocated?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated,

Not at all. It might be different if you (and I presume by you, you mean the whole family) had not validated before your wife fell ill as you have to keep DIAC informed of changes of circumstances before you validate. But now you have validated, there is no issue. You will be entitled to Medicare as soon as you relocate.

Louie,

Phew, thanks for that information I'm glad we went out there so quickly! I didn't realise that I should be informing DIAC either so thanks for that as well!

Kind regards
Dom

You don't need to inform DIAC. As long as all of you have validated the PR, DIAC don't care anymore. You are permanent residents, and unless you go off and kill someone, they won't take your PR away. Just make sure you move before the five years is up though because it might be much harder to get another visa under the circumstances if you let this one lapse.