Australia is consistently ranked among the safest countries in the world to live, work or study. However, if you wish to immigrate to Australia on a study or work visa, you should be aware of the risks involved and ways to reduce them.
Knowing about health security risks and finding the right ways to minimize them is especially important when you first arrive in Australia and adjust to a whole new lifestyle.
Overseas student health cover for Australian student visa holders
If you are an international student studying in Australia on a temporary visa, you must maintain adequate health insurance for your stay. You must purchase Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) and keep your health policy up to date while studying as an Australian student visa holder.
Student Health Cover (OSHC) helps international students cover the costs of medical and hospital treatment they may need during their stay in Australia. The health cover also includes limited medical and ambulance costs.
Please note that some exceptions also apply to students from Sweden, Belgium, or Norway. If you are from one of the three countries, you can get special arrangements under the Home Office’s national arrangements.
If you don’t make payments or renew your coverage on time, you can continue your health coverage, but you may not be able to claim the health benefits you received.
Should your Australian student visa status or Medicare eligibility criteria change at any time, you should inform your insurer as soon as possible and find out if your level of cover is still adequate.
When your student visa expires, you will no longer be eligible for OSHC. In this case, you can switch to health insurance for foreign visitors or resident cover.
What does Australia OSHC cover?
You must read the OSHC Deed to understand the minimum requirements of your OSHC policy.
Australian OSHC policies help cover the cost of medical and hospital treatment and sometimes ambulance services as well.
OSHC never pays for your general care, such as supplemental or additional coverage, such as dental, physical therapy, or vision. If you need cover for such treatments, you can take OSHC Extras offered by an OSHC provider or your general treatment cover from a private health insurance company.
Basic health and safety practices to follow when migrating to Australia
For emergencies
Australia’s emergency network and support services are well equipped and extended to assist all citizens and permanent and temporary residents in the event of any potential emergency. Ambulance, police, and fire services can provide you with all the health and safety assistance you need when you need it.
Most educational institutions offer campus security for those studying in Australia that you can quickly contact. Contact information is listed in a student’s registration information, or you can get the office number or location of international student support staff.
Whether you are studying or working in Australia, you can always call 000 in the event of a life-threatening emergency. An operator will answer the call and ask what service you need:
- Police officer
- Fire
- Ambulance
You must call 000 in the event of:
- Someone is seriously injured or needs urgent medical attention
- If your property or life is in danger
- If you witness a serious crime or accident
- Note that if you are not sure which one to use, you can specify the purpose, and the operator will guide you. The operator will also connect you to a translator even if you don’t speak English for better assistance.
By public transport
Australia’s public transport system is very reliable and widespread in urban and metropolitan areas. The Australian Government implements a number of security measures to ensure maximum safety for people traveling on public transport, including security guards and officers, help desks, working security cameras, and adequate lighting.
However, you should always exercise caution when traveling in Australia by any form of public transport:
- Always avoid the isolated bus, tram or train stops.
- Always check the timetables to avoid long waiting times, especially at night.
- Ensure those train cars near the guard or conductor are always lit at night.
- At school or on campus in Australia
If you are at your school or university as an Australian student visa holder, you should follow the advice below: to be safe:
- Always be aware of emergency and safety measures in the institution and local area. The institution should inform you of the arrangements when you arrive or in your information pack.
- Some large institutions offer bus transport and out-of-hours security escort services for those working in Australia.
- You may contact your institution to confirm such services.
- If you drive to the institution, you must always park at the nearest destination and use a well-lit car park.
- When leaving the institution at night, try to walk with your friends or in a group and take well-lit paths.
Sun and water safety tips
Australia is famous for its beautiful beaches and warm weather, but when you migrate to Australia, you need to make sure you are safe during excursions.
You can follow some tips to be safe:
- Never dive into the water until you know the correct depth.
- Only swim at supervised beaches with lifeguards on duty and always swim between the red and yellow flags.
- Many beaches in Australia have “tears”, with strong underwater currents that are difficult to detect. Thus, swimming between the flags can keep you safe from these rips.
Tips for fire safety
Fire awareness is important in Australia, whether you are in rural or urban Australia, you can follow some practical tips to prepare for a fire emergency:
- call 000
- Say “fire” to the telephone operator
- Even if you don’t speak English, just tell the operator your language and wait for instructions
- Answer all questions correctly to the operator
- Eligibility criteria to apply for an Australian student visa in 2022
To apply for a subclass 500 student visa, you must meet the selection criteria mentioned below:
- Enroll in a full-time course and receive a Confirmation of Enrollment (CoE) when applying from outside Australia.
- To meet the minimum English language requirements
- you and your accompanying family members must have health insurance for the duration of your stay in Australia.
- Show sufficient proof of funds to pay tuition, living expenses, and return costs.
- Demonstrate intention to return to India after completion of the course
- Meet Australia’s health and character requirements
- You must be 18 years of age or older and sign an “Australian Values Statement” to confirm that you will obey the laws and lifestyle.
- Make sure you have never had a visa canceled before or your visa application was never rejected
For more information about Australian immigration, you can speak to our counselor at Adil Consultants (SMC-PVT) Limited or call us at +92 3005618904 or email info@adilconsultants.com.