Healthcare and Pregnancy

[anesthesiajen]

Apologies if this has been covered before but I don't want to go back and read through all the old threads.

I will be moving to Melbourne on a 457 Visa and I have noticed that with private health insurance there seems to be a 12 month waiting period on obstetrics. What happens if I happen to be pregnant when I move there?

Along the same lines, what has to happen for an expat from the USA to qualify for permanent resident status and therefore medicare? Is this something that my employer needs to sponsor?

Thanks for your help!

[_shel]

Are you the person being sponsored for the 457? If so I really wouldn't be getting pregnant unless you plan on taking no maternity leave or you could lose your visa!

Unless you are particularly specialist, in demand and high up you're not going to get an employer to cover it in Australia. Things dont work like they do in the USA in Australia in regards to healthcare. Limited employers offer healthcare and even then it would be standard cover and the waiting times would still apply regardless as to who was paying for it. Which is usually a year from you being named on the cover.

Otherwise you would pay for it yourself or if you already have health cover in the USA would they cover international?

You dont qualify for permanent residence by living or working in Australia.
You apply for it either independently or sponsored by an employer. You need skills, qualifications and work experience sometimes the same or more than what you need for the 457. You would probably need to pass a skills assessment and medical. Most employers wouldn't sponsor you until you have worked for them for 2 years. If they would get them to sponsor you for it straight off instead of the 457.

Professionals and other Skilled Migrants - Workers - Visas & Immigration

Skillselect

[anesthesiajen]

I am the one being sponsored. As far as I can tell, my employer does offer maternity leave after 12 months of employment so that wouldn't violate the visa in that case, correct?

I am considered a specialist in my field and my term of employment is a 5 year fixed contract, so I am not sure how else they would be able to keep me for 5 years except to allow for sponsorship of the permanent resident visa.

Regardless, assuming that I don't get pregnant before the end of the 12 month waiting period and assuming my employer has a maternity policy, I would be okay with my visa, right?

Thanks for your help. I've worked abroad before but never in a country with nationalized healthcare.

[AussieFemmeInFrance]

I'm an Aussie and even if I decided to get pregnant today, I would have to pay for the obstetrician unless I changed my health insurance over to a family health cover and even then, there is a one year waiting period stull. I'm better off paying for the obstretician myself in this case. At least if I'm pregnant, my company will pay me three months paid leave.

[_shel]

No they would simply renew your 457 if they did not want to sponsor you for PR.

No you probably wouldn't be OK even if you waited 12 months to qualify for your health insurance.
Note the terms of the visa http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/skill...s-employee.htm

You must have valid insurance for the term of your visa
You must work full time in the post you were sponsored for.
You must be paid the market salary rate for the whole period.

So being on maternity leave is not working and most employers do not pay a full wage for the term of maternity leave.

[panks_oz]

Hi all

Wat if person is on 175 visa? If i get a job and get pregnant then will i get the maternity benefits in terms of fully paid leaves. Wat is the general maternity policy for person working on 175 visa
Btw i m a software engineer n will be working in some software company once i m in oz.

[_shel]

175 is a little different in that you would get medicare, same still stands that insurance would only cover you after 12 months.

Any maternity leave and pay would be down to company policy but there is a Government scheme if you are not covered by your employer Paid Parental Leave Scheme - Questions and answers for working parents there are obviously qualifying conditions to this, length of employment etc.