Meeting Australian visa health requirements
Australia enjoys some of the best health standards in the world. To maintain these standards, most visa applicants must meet minimum health standards before we will grant them a visa. This is called ‘meeting the health requirement’. DHA might assess your health as part of the visa application process.
Why you must meet the health requirement
Most visa applicants must meet the health requirement.
Your family members might also have to meet the health requirement even if they are not migrating to Australia. This will depend on what visa you apply for.
You might have to have health examinations to prove you meet the health requirement. The results of your examinations will be assessed by a Medical Officer of the Commonwealth (MOC). If you have a significant medical condition, the MOC will advise DHA whether the condition is likely to:
- threaten public health
- result in significant healthcare and community service costs (see below)
- place a demand on healthcare or community services that are in short supply
The MOC will consider what kind of services a hypothetical person with the same kind and severity of condition would need and advise us on that basis.
When the MOC gives DHA advice they can only consider your medical situation, not your other personal circumstances. For example, the MOC cannot take into account whether you will use available public services because you have private health insurance or enough money to pay for treatment.
The MOC might also recommend DHA ask you to sign a health undertaking.
How the health check works
- Lodge your visa application, or complete My Health Declarations before you apply if you want to do your health checks early.
- Check ImmiAccount for your HAP ID and the list of examinations you need.
- Book with an approved panel clinic (in Australia, Bupa Medical Visa Services) and take your HAP ID and passport.
- The clinic sends results electronically to Home Affairs. If you have a significant condition, a Medical Officer of the Commonwealth assesses your file.
- If you do not meet the health requirement, Home Affairs may consider a health waiver if your visa allows one, or may refuse the visa.
Which health examinations might you need?
The exact tests depend on your visa, age, where you have lived and your health history, so always follow your referral letter.
| Common health examination | Who usually needs it |
|---|---|
| Medical examination | Most permanent visa applicants, and some temporary visa applicants depending on their age, country, length of stay and plans in Australia |
| Chest x-ray (tuberculosis screening) | Applicants aged 11 or over, especially those applying for permanent visas or who have spent time in higher risk countries |
| HIV test | Permanent visa applicants aged 15 or over, and some others |
| Hepatitis B and C tests | Some applicants, for example pregnant women, health care workers and people at higher risk |
| Extra tests or specialist reports | Anyone with a known medical condition, or if the Medical Officer of the Commonwealth asks for more information |
Health requirement FAQs
Can I get a visa if I have a medical condition?
Often yes. Having a condition does not automatically mean you fail the health requirement. What matters is whether it is a public health risk, whether its likely cost reaches the significant cost threshold of AUD 86,000, and whether it would affect access to services in short supply.
Does private health insurance help me meet the health requirement?
No. The Medical Officer of the Commonwealth cannot take into account private insurance or your ability to pay. The assessment is based on a hypothetical person with the same condition.
Which visas allow a health waiver?
Health waivers are available for some visas only, including many employer sponsored, partner, child and humanitarian visas. They are not available for most skilled independent or student visas. See our health waiver guide.
How long are health examination results valid?
Results are generally valid for 12 months. If you had examinations in the last 12 months, you may not need to repeat them all.
Can I challenge a refusal based on health?
You may be able to apply for review at the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART), depending on the visa and where you applied. Strict time limits apply, so get advice quickly.
Significant healthcare and community service costs
When determining if you meet the health requirement, a Medical Officer of the Commonwealth (MOC) considers whether you have a health condition that will be a significant cost to the Australian community in terms of the health care or community services required to manage your condition.
DHA use per capita data about health and community service costs to work out what your condition is likely to cost over a period of time:
- for temporary visa applicants, this is your period of stay
- for permanent visa applicants this is generally 5 years, or 3 years if you are aged 75 or older
If you have a permanent or ongoing condition with a reasonably predictable course, the MOC will estimate what your condition will cost the community over your remaining life expectancy up to a maximum of 10 years.
Having a disease or health condition does not always mean you will not meet the health requirement due to significant costs. The likely costs will depend on what kind of disease or condition you have and how severe it is.
DHA will not grant you a visa if you do not meet the health requirement because your condition is likely to be a significant cost, unless a health waiver is available and exercised.
DHA regard costs of AUD 86,000 or more to be significant (this significant cost threshold was previously AUD 51,000).
Safeguarding access to health care and services
When the MOC determines whether you meet the health requirement, they will consider whether your condition is likely to prevent Australian citizens or permanent residents accessing health care or community services in short supply. DHA call this ‘prejudicing access’ to these services.
DHA take advice from the Australian Department of Health on health care and community services that are considered short in supply. Examples include:
- organ transplants
- dialysis
The Department can consider exercising a health waiver for some visas where DHA are satisfied that granting the visa would be unlikely to:
- result in significant cost to the Australian community, or
- prejudice the access of Australian citizens or permanent residents to health care or community services in short supply
Related guides
- Medical examinations waived for certain visas in Australia
- What is a Health Waiver?
- Medical Tests
- Character requirements for Australian Visas
Second Jobs, Volunteering and Overseas Work on a 482 Visa
Australian Study Requirement: RPL, Overlapping Courses and Time Offshore
Australian Migration News: October 2026 Update
Student visa changes from 2 October 2026
After Graduation in Australia: Key PR Pathways for International Students in 2026