Although Australia has an exceptionally developed healthcare system, international visitors are not entitled, or are only partially entitled to government-funded services. As a result, obtaining health insurance is extremely important when travelling to Australia, as healthcare services without coverage can be very expensive for visitors.

OVHC – Overseas Visitor Health Cover

For those traveling to Australia on a Work and Holiday visa or a tourist visa, it is recommended to obtain and OVHC, which would cover travellers’ healthcare needs in case any issues arise. Although insurance is not mandatory for these types of visas, it is strongly advised. We do not arrange this type of insurance for our clients, as the insurer directly deducts the fees from their cards on a monthly basis.

OSHC – Overseas Student Health Cover

For those traveling to Australia on a student visa, an OSHC is mandatory. For our student visa clients, we provide full assistance in arranging this type of insurance, completely free of charge.

The Australian OSHC must cover the full duration of the student visa and must be paid in its entirety before submitting the visa application. Unfortunately, instalment payments are not available but in the event of a visa refusal, the prepaid insurance fee can be refunded.

OSHC insurance must cover not only the main applicant but also their accompanying family members (spouse/partner, children). The more people are added to the visa, the higher the cost of the insurance.

We work with one specific insurance provider, but there are multiple providers that can help you arrange your OSHC insurance, so if you would prefer not to take our offer, you can arrange it by yourself through a different company. The covered services may vary slightly between insurers, but the one we work with includes the following services: in-hospital and out-of-hospital medical treatments, prescription medicines, surgically implanted prostheses, and ambulance services.

It is important to note that you can only enter and stay in Australia during the period covered by your OSHC. If, for example, you receive your student visa earlier than expected and wish to travel as soon as possible but your insurance coverage has not yet started, you will need to adjust the policy start date which can be accomplished by paying for the additional coverage period. This would enable you to enter the country sooner. Naturally, we are happy to assist you with this as well!

For more details on OSHC insurance or Australian student visa assistance, feel free to contact us!