Dimples01

Hi, I have been informed by my new Australian employers that I will need to take out private medical insurance as I will not be covered by Medicare on a 457 visa. Does the UK not have a reciprocal agreement with Oz for medicare? I believe I will also need to pay school fees!! Does anyone know if this can we claimed with LAFHA?
Thanks in advanced for any help.

quoll

The reciprocal arrangement is for necessary medical care - I believe the rules for a 457 state that you need to have additional health insurance but remember that the vast majority of people coming in on that visa are not Poms and there may not be a reciprocal arrangement for them. As for school fees - you only pay them in NSW and ACT and you can reduce them by going for the Catholic system which will probably give you local rates rather than international rates.

LAFHA is to some extent designed to cover these additional costs which you would not incur were you living at home.

JAJ

Can they sponsor you for permanent residence?

Deutschmaster

I'm in the same boat. I have to pay for my health insurance. I pointed out that being a UK citizen I'm entitled to medicare. But, my employer says that health insurance for me is more to do with them not being financially responsible for anything that may happen to me while here. They wouldn't let me come off of it because HR were concerned of the financial risk to them should I get ill.

Dimples01

Thanks for the advice. I am going to Sydney and as a Catholic will be looking for a Catholic school (depending where I live of course)

Ruskee

Not all schools in NSW charge the proposed fees. Some exercise some discretion. We don't pay for either of our kids

SunnyMD

Hi, on arrival in Oz go to Medicare and you will be given a Medicare card for reciprical cover - emergency, doctors appointments etc, however, what your employer says is true, you take out private health cover to protect him from having to pay for your treatment, not sure how it works but thats what we had to do !
We have Medicare for everyday stuff and emergencies, private cover for everything else and, I believe, the payments for the private cover are tax deductable too !