Your first month — Weeks 2–4
Reciprocal Health Care Agreements
Agreements letting visitors from eleven countries enrol in Medicare for medically necessary care.
Reciprocal Health Care Agreements
servicesaustralia.gov.au
Agreements letting visitors from eleven countries enrol in Medicare for medically necessary care.
If you hold a passport from the UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Slovenia, Malta, Italy or Finland, you may be able to enrol in Medicare as a visitor. Most people from these countries do not know this.
Have ready before you start
- Passport
- Proof of enrolment in your home health system (varies by country)
An agreement is not travel insurance. It does not cover ambulance, dental, elective treatment or getting you home. Cover for Italy and Malta is limited to six months.
SourcesReciprocal Health Care AgreementsServices Australia — Reciprocal Health Care Agreements (Eligible countries)
This is one entry from G'day Guide — every official service, help line and useful site for arriving in Australia, explained in plain English and put in the order you actually need them. No affiliate links, no sponsored placements, no paid rankings.
Usually done around the same time
- Australian Taxation Office (ATO) The tax authority. Linked inside myGov, where you lodge your annual return.
- Superannuation — YourSuper comparison tool Government tool comparing MySuper funds on fees and long-term returns.
- Medicare enrolment Australia's public health scheme — free public hospital care and subsidised doctor visits.