OVHC for the 485 Temporary Graduate visa: what's required

Migratio Editorial · Last updated 24 July 2026

TL;DR: Health insurance is usually required for the subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa, normally through Overseas Visitor Health Cover (OVHC). If you can enrol in Medicare through a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement, you may not need a separate OVHC policy. Cover should run for the full visa length.

You finished your degree and the subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa lets you stay on to work, but most graduates are not eligible for Medicare during that time. That gap is the problem. Your student Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) ends with your student visa, and the 485 sits in a different category with its own health-insurance expectation. For most people that means buying Overseas Visitor Health Cover (OVHC) and keeping it active for the entire length of the visa. There is one significant exception: if your home country has a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA) with Australia and you can enrol in Medicare, you may not need a separate OVHC policy. This article explains when cover is required, who the RHCA exception applies to, what to weigh up on cost, and how to make sure your policy spans the full visa.

Why a 485 visa usually needs health insurance

Temporary visa holders who cannot access Medicare are expected to maintain adequate health insurance for the time they are in Australia. The 485 is a temporary visa, and most graduates on it are not Medicare-eligible, so the practical answer is OVHC. Health insurance for temporary visa holders is often tied to condition 8501, which requires you to maintain adequate health cover for the duration of the visa. Even where a specific condition is not attached to your grant, holding cover protects you from the full cost of treatment, which in Australia can be high without either Medicare or private insurance.

When OVHC is required and when it is not

OVHC is usually required on a 485 unless you are Medicare-eligible through a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement. If your country is not on the RHCA list, or you cannot enrol in Medicare, plan on holding an OVHC policy for the whole visa. If you are unsure whether your grant carries condition 8501 or any other health-insurance requirement, check the conditions listed on your visa grant notice and confirm against the Home Affairs adequate-health-insurance page rather than relying on memory of your student-visa rules.

The RHCA exception explained

Australia has Reciprocal Health Care Agreements with 11 countries: Belgium, Finland, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, the Republic of Ireland, Slovenia, Sweden and the United Kingdom. If you are from one of these countries, you can usually enrol in Medicare and access medically necessary treatment in public hospitals and subsidised care. For some graduates that access removes the need to buy a separate OVHC policy. The agreement is administered by Services Australia, and you typically enrol in Medicare to use the benefits.

What the RHCA does not cover

An RHCA is not a full substitute for private health insurance. It covers medically necessary treatment but excludes dental, optical, ambulance, and pre-arranged or elective treatment. So even if you qualify under an RHCA, you may still choose to hold some level of OVHC or other cover for the things Medicare and the agreement leave out. Read the Services Australia page on Reciprocal Health Care Agreements for the current scope before deciding to rely on it alone.

What OVHC typically covers

OVHC policies are designed for temporary visa holders without Medicare. Cover generally includes hospital treatment, medical services, and some other benefits, with the exact inclusions varying by tier and provider. Lower tiers cost less but cover less. Extras such as dental, optical and physiotherapy are usually not part of a basic policy and need a higher tier or an add-on. Because inclusions and limits differ between policies, compare what is actually covered rather than only the headline price.

Cost considerations for graduates

Price depends on the level of cover, the policy length, and whether you are insuring just yourself or family members as well. A basic single policy costs less than a comprehensive one with extras. Two things tend to catch graduates out: paying for a higher tier than they need, and under-insuring to save money and then facing a large bill. Get a current quote from more than one provider, check the limits and waiting periods, and weigh the premium against the cover you would actually use. If you are planning to have a baby during the visa, note that a standard 12-month waiting period applies to pregnancy and birth, so the timing of when you take out cover matters.

Covering the full length of the visa

If your visa requires health insurance, the cover needs to run for the entire visa period, not just the first year. Gaps in cover can breach a condition like 8501. When you buy or renew, check that the policy start date lines up with your visa start or arrival, and that the end date reaches the visa expiry. If you switch providers, transfer the remaining period and avoid any break between policies.

How to set up cover for a 485

First, check whether your home country has an RHCA with Australia and whether you can enrol in Medicare through Services Australia. If you can, decide whether that access is enough or whether you also want OVHC for the exclusions. If you cannot, get quotes for OVHC from registered providers, choose a tier that matches your needs, and make sure the policy spans the full visa. Keep your policy documents and Medicare details handy in case Home Affairs or a provider asks for proof.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need OVHC for the 485 Temporary Graduate visa?

Usually yes, unless you are eligible for Medicare through a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement. Most 485 holders are not Medicare-eligible and are expected to maintain adequate health insurance for the duration of the visa, which in practice means an OVHC policy.

Does my student OSHC continue on the 485?

No. OSHC is tied to the student visa and ends when that visa ends. The 485 is a separate visa with its own health-cover expectation, so you generally need a fresh OVHC policy or Medicare access through an RHCA.

Which countries get the RHCA exception?

Australia has Reciprocal Health Care Agreements with Belgium, Finland, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, the Republic of Ireland, Slovenia, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Citizens of these countries can usually enrol in Medicare for medically necessary care.

Does an RHCA replace OVHC completely?

Not entirely. It covers medically necessary public-hospital treatment and subsidised care but excludes dental, optical, ambulance and elective treatment. Some graduates still hold a level of OVHC for those gaps, and it is not a substitute for travel insurance.

How long does my cover need to last?

For the full length of the visa if health insurance is a condition of your grant. Check that the policy start date covers your arrival and the end date reaches your visa expiry, and avoid any gap if you change providers.

How much does OVHC cost for a 485?

It depends on the tier, the policy length, and how many people you are insuring. Compare current quotes from more than one registered provider, and check the limits and waiting periods rather than choosing on price alone.

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