485 Temporary Graduate
Once you move from a student visa to a 485, OSHC no longer applies. Switch to OVHC with no gap.
OVHC
OVHC for visitors and work visas
Not on a student visa? You need OVHC (Overseas Visitors Health Cover). Each visa has its own health insurance requirements, so check your visa conditions before you buy, or ask us.
WHICH VISAS
Visas that need OVHC
482 and other work visas
Employer-sponsored visas require adequate health insurance for your stay. Family members can be added.
600 Visitor
Visiting parents and short stays. Cover for the whole stay is recommended, and some visas require it.
590 Student Guardian
Parents accompanying a child who studies here need cover that meets the visa conditions.
PLAN LEVELS
Roughly three levels
Both insurers offer several OVHC plans under their own names. Broadly:
Basic hospital
Meets the minimum for condition 8501: public hospital treatment and emergency ambulance. The cheapest.
Hospital plus medical
Private hospital choice, more hospital items, and some cover for GP visits. Most work visa holders choose this.
Hospital plus extras
Adds dental, optical and physio with yearly limits.
Exact plans and prices are on the insurers' sites. Where your visa names a level, the visa conditions decide.
OVHC VS OSHC
How it differs from OSHC
| Payment | Payment: OVHC can usually be paid monthly or fortnightly rather than in one go. |
|---|---|
| Refund on leaving | Refund on departure: leave Australia permanently and you can claim the unused part back, under the insurer's rules. |
| Policy types | Policy types: single, couple and family, like OSHC. |
| Waiting periods | Waiting periods: pre-existing conditions usually have one, so arrange the switch early and avoid a gap. |
Common questions
I've moved to a 485. Can I keep using OSHC?
No. Once the new visa takes effect you need OVHC, joined to your OSHC with no gap. Arrange it before the 485 is granted.
Do my visiting parents need cover?
We recommend it. Most 600 visitor visas require or strongly advise health insurance, and medical care in Australia is expensive.
How do I prove my cover meets the visa?
The insurer issues a visa letter or certificate of insurance stating it meets condition 8501, which you submit with the visa application.
Is OVHC 92% too?
No. The 92% price is Bupa OSHC only. Both insurers' OVHC is at list price: send the request, we quote for your visa and stay, and you pay once you confirm.
Not sure which level your visa needs?
Put your visa and length of stay in the request and we'll quote before you pay.