Health Insurance for International Visitors

Further health information for overseas visitors to Australia is available from the Department of Health and Aged Care overseas visitor information web page. The cost of medical and hospital care in Australia can be very expensive; it is highly advisable that all overseas visitors take out some form of health insurance cover, including ambulance cover.

While Australia holds reciprocal health care agreements with the United Kingdom, Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands, Italy, Malta, New Zealand and Ireland, these agreements do not cover all health services, and time restrictions apply in some cases. Visitors from these countries are therefore advised to take out some form of health insurance cover. Brochures covering the Reciprocal Health Care Agreements are available in Medicare offices.

All visitors in Australia travelling on student visas are required to be insured with the Overseas Student Health Cover, which is administered by Medibank Private.

Visitors and temporary residents to Australia generally do not have access to Medicare (Australia's national public health care system).

Internet information is available from the Department of Health and Aged Care and Health Insurance Commission.