If you're working in Australia on a 417 or 462 visa, you need Overseas Visitor Health Cover (OVHC). It's a condition of your visa, and could save you thousands if you need treatment. Luckily, you can find visa-compliant OVHC from around $53 a month.
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OVHC is mandatory for 417/462 visas, with policies starting from around $53 per month.
As a condition of your visa you must have and maintain adequate health insurance for the whole of your stay in Australia.
Whether you get the 417 or 462 visa is based on what country you're applying from.
What is the working holiday visa for?
The 417 and 462 visas are both types of working holiday visas, allowing eligible young adults to travel and work in Australia for one or two years. Both let people aged 18 to 30 live and work in Australia for 12 months. Both allow you to extend your stay for another 12 months under certain conditions, including completing 3 months of specified work during your first 12 months.
The 417 vs 462 visa
Whether you get the 417 or 462 visa is based on what country you're applying from. There are also some additional requirements for the 462 visa, which makes it a bit harder to apply for. Here's a bit more detail on the differences between the two:
Partner countries: Each visa is available to a different group of passport holders. If your passport doesn't give you access to the 417 visa, it may give you access to the 462 visa.
English language requirement: The 417 visa doesn't have an english language requirement, whereas the 462 visa does.
Education requirement: The 417 visa doesn't have an education requirement, whereas the 462 visa does.
Letter of support: The 417 visa doesn't ask you to get a letter of support from your government. For the 462 visa, there are 12 or so countries that require .
Age limits: Both visas are only available to people between 18 and 30 years of age. Depending on which country you come from, the 417 visa limit can extend up to 35.
For more information on the visas themselves, check the department of immigrations pages on the 417 visa and the 462 visa.
Health insurance rules for working holiday visas
To hold a working holiday visa, you need to satisfy condition 8501, which says "you must have and maintain adequate health insurance for the whole of your stay in Australia". There are two ways that you can sort this out:
Be from a country with a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement. See below for details on that.
Take out Overseas Visitor Health Cover (OVHC) from an authorised Australian provider.
Compare OVHC here to find a policy that will satisfy the visa condition. OVHC will cover you for health and medical costs while you're in Australia. There are very basic policies or very comprehensive ones to suit every budget and requirement.
Reciprocal Health Care Agreements
If your home country has a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA) with Australia, you'll have access to some services under Australia's pblic health care system, Medicare. This will generally only cover emergency medical treatment, but won't pay for ambulance, dental, funeral, optical, or any treatment that isn't immediately necessary.
More of the 417 visa countries have agreements with Australia, but it's not a perfect match. Similarly, there's at least one agreement on the list of 462 visas (at the time of writing, with Slovenia). My point is, check the list of RHCA countries to be 100% sure.
Frequently asked questions
You need to purchase OVHC before you arrive in Australia. It must be valid for the entire duration of your stay to meet your visa condition. You will typically need to show proof of your OVHC when you apply for your visa.
If you extend your working holiday visa for a second or third year you will need to ensure your Overseas Visitor Health Cover remains active and covers the entire extended period. Most providers allow you to extend your existing policy or purchase a new one. The Department of Home Affairs requires continuous cover for your visa to remain valid.
Yes some OVHC policies allow you to include your partner or dependent children. You can purchase a single, couple or family policy to ensure everyone travelling with you has adequate health cover. Check with individual providers for their specific family cover options and eligibility.
OVHC generally covers GP visits, hospital stays, some prescription medications and ambulance services. Policies vary so always check your Product Disclosure Statement for exact details. Common exclusions include cosmetic surgery, non-essential treatment, dental and optical services (unless you have purchased an extras option). Pregnancy related services often have a 12 month waiting period.
Waiting periods are specific timeframes during which you cannot claim benefits for certain medical services even if you have purchased cover. They are standard across all health insurance in Australia. For OVHC common waiting periods apply to pre-existing conditions, pregnancy related services and sometimes mental health treatment or major dental work. Emergency treatment usually has no waiting period.
When you purchase OVHC your provider will issue you a Certificate of Insurance or a policy document. This document serves as proof of your health cover. You will need to submit this with your visa application or provide it to the Department of Home Affairs if requested for an extension.
Yes you can generally get OVHC even with a pre-existing condition. However there will usually be a waiting period before you can claim benefits for treatment related to that condition. This waiting period is typically 12 months for hospital and medical services related to pre-existing conditions. Always declare any pre-existing conditions when applying for cover.
An excess is a fixed amount you pay towards your hospital admission before your insurer pays the rest. A co-payment is a small amount you pay per service such as a GP visit or specialist consultation. Not all policies have an excess or co-payment so compare options to find one that suits your budget and needs.
Yes you can switch OVHC providers while you are in Australia. Your new provider will usually recognise any waiting periods you have already served with your previous insurer provided there is no break in your cover. Ensure your new policy still meets your visa condition 8501.
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Gary Ross Hunter has over 6 years of expertise writing about insurance, including life, health, home, and car insurance. Having reviewed hundreds of product disclosure statements and published over 800 articles, he loves simplifying complex insurance topics for everyday readers. Gary has contributed to major outlets like Yahoo Finance, The Sydney Morning Herald, and news.com.au, and holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in English Literature from the University of Glasgow, along with a Tier 2 General Advice certification, ensuring his work adheres to ASIC’s RG146 standards.
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