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Health Issues & Waivers

Why your health matters to the Department of Immigration?

All visa applicants must meet strict health criteria for any visa application. There are some limited exceptions for temporary short stay visas however there are no exceptions in most cases.

For a permanent visa application, the person is required to complete a full health examination at an immigration approved clinic. It is not sufficient to provide a general health clearance report from a local general practitioner. A person must complete a full medical examination, a chest x-ray and a blood test at immigration approved clinic.

A visa will be refused if the person has active tuberculosis. In some circumstances, a Medical Officer of the Commonwealth may ask the person to complete a course of medication to clear up any signs of tuberculosis before a decision is made on the visa application.

Apart from tuberculosis, a visa applicant must be free from any disease or medical condition that poses a threat to public health in Australia. If a person has any other medical condition requiring significant treatment, daily prescribed medication and regular medical check-ups, a visa must be refused if the cost to the Australian government for managing the person’s health condition exceeds a certain amount.

Health Waiver

A visa can still be granted so long as the applicant can demonstrate its contribution to Australia and any impact on an Australian person or business

For certain employer and family sponsored visa applicants who do not meet the health or costs criteria on the basis of their medical condition, a visa can still be granted so long as the applicant can demonstrate its contribution to Australia and any impact on an Australian person or business. This is known as a health waiver. If a health waiver is available under that particular visa category, the Department of Immigration will invite the person to submit a health waiver for further consideration.

A health waiver is a significant aspect of a visa application. A visa can be refused on the basis of health even if the applicant will never use medical services or pharmaceuticals in Australia.

Published Tue 12 March 2019. Tags: ,

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