theshephards

Hiya, we are just applying for a 457 visa, was just wondering whether or not to have our x-rays now to save time or wait until they are requested, any ideas?

asher

it doesnt take long and they actually give you a list of approved centres so it may be a good idea to wait

mary1967

Quite a few people have frontloaded medicals (including me!), but only because we definitely want to be in OZ within a year and want to speed the application up. It's a personal decision, just make sure if you do frontload you'll be able to migrate or validate within 12 months, otherwise you may have to redo them.

jollyswagman

Hi, don,t wish to appear ignorant, but are they checking for cancer on these chest x-rays?

goldchoccycoin

They're looking for anything 'unusual' but specifically any signs of TB. They would also (obviously) let you know if there were other issues and request further checks etc.

jollyswagman

Thanks for your reply, i am an ex smoker and was worried that may effect my results!

jayr

It may effect your result but not your outcome.

I believe that the main thing X Ray is for is for checking current or past TB. If you have had it you wont get in. If you have had it you probably already know.

mary1967

That's my understanding as well!

verystormy

I have asthma and am a smoker - yeah i know bad combination, but it didnt effect the visa.
In hindsight i would have got the xrays out of the way earlier rather than waiting. The 457 process though doesnt take too long - ours took about three months

mkargo

Three months from start to finish? Does that include the time taken for the sponsorship to go through? (Going for my xray next week for a 457.)

verystormy

We got our TRN from my sponser on 24th December and submitted our application a week later. Had medical back end of February, i know they were posted by the hospital on the 28th February, last Tuesday it came up as medicals received and being processed, Wednesday showed medicals finalised and thursday visa granted.
I think it took about a month from me accepting the job to the company getting the TRN

lossiepickle

sorry to take over the thread i've been thinking about the x-rays is it only traces of tb there looking for? just that we got an immunisation against tb in high school.

mary1967

That's the main thing, although i guess if anything else shows up they'll want it investigated.

domco77

Just to chip in, I had a bit of an unexpected result from my X-ray. Apparently I have "slightly-overinflated lungs" (am a 30 y.o otherwise healthy recent ex-smoker), Australia House have since sent my medical report to Health Assessment Services (HAS) section in Australia" for them too look at. V.stressful! Fingers x'd, really hope that won't jeopardise the application as I thought it was only TB that was a big no-no....

domco77

If I can ask verystormy, did they ask for further tests, other than the standard X-ray?