Meet Visa Health Requirements (PIC 4005 & 4007) | Why is it Important?
Most Australian visa applications require applicants to meet certain health criteria to be eligible to make a visa application. If an applicant fails to meet these criteria, a visa cannot be granted unless a health waiver is applicable and exercised.
What Is the Visa Health Requirement?
Australia’s health requirements aim to:
Protect the Australian community from public health threats.
Minimize public expenditure on health and community services.
Safeguard access to health and community services for Australian residents.
The health requirements for granted visas are outlined in Public Interest Criteria (PIC) 4005 or Public Interest Criteria (PIC) 4007. Both criteria require applicants to be free from tuberculosis and from diseases or conditions that may:
Require health care or community services.
Lead to a “significant cost” to the Australian community or prejudice the access of Australian citizens or permanent residents (PR) to healthcare services.
What is the difference between PIC 4005 and PIC 4007?
PIC 4005: If the health requirement is not met, the visa cannot be granted.
PIC 4007: If the health requirement is not met, the applicant can apply for a health waiver.
Which Visa does PIC 4005 & PIC 4007 applies?
The applicable PIC depends on the visa type you are applying for. For example, PIC 4007 applies to visas such as:
Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) Subclass 186 (Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream only)
(Note: This list is not exhaustive.)
How much is the ‘Significant Cost’ for Visa Health Requirement?
The health criteria require applicants to be free from diseases that are likely to incur a ‘significant cost’ to the Australian community. The current threshold for significant costs is currently AUD 86,000.
For temporary visa applications, costs are assessed over the proposed stay period.
For permanent visa applications, costs are typically assessed over five (5) years, or up to ten (10) years for permanent conditions.
Costs are determined by the Medical Officer of the Commonwealth (MOC) based on what a hypothetical person with a similar condition would incur.
What is ‘Prejudice the Access’ of Australians to Healthcare referring to?
Visa applicants must also be free from conditions that may prejudice the access of Australian citizens or PR to healthcare. This means they should not require treatments or services that are in short supply, such as organ transplants or dialysis.
What is the procedure to calculate the cost?
After a health examination, the MOC will use clinical judgment, guided by departmental “Notes for Guidance” (NfG), which details costs for various pharmaceuticals and treatments. MOCs typically provide a breakdown of costings upon request.
How Can Agape Henry Crux Help
If you are in a similar situation and wonder if you may or may not meet the health criteria, speak to one of our Accredited Specialist(s) in Immigration Law with our team of immigration lawyers at Agape Henry Crux. The team specialises in handling highly complex matters. You can schedule with one of our lawyers or agents to seek professional advice by calling 02-8310 5230 or emailing us at info@ahclawyers.com.
We speak fluent English, Mandarin, Cantonese and Malay. If this isn’t your language, we can also help you arrange an interpreter.
This article/presentation (“publication”) does not deal extensively with important topics or changes in law and is not intended to be relied upon as a substitute for legal or other advice that may be relevant to the reader's specific circumstances. If you find this publication of interest and would like to know more or wish to obtain legal advice relevant to your circumstances, please contact our office.