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Health entitlements commonly granted to refugees and asylum seekers in Australia |
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| Humanitarian program |
Circumstances |
Entitlements |
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| Offshore resettlement |
Refugees who hold permanent offshore humanitarian visas |
Same eligibility for Medicare and Health Care Card, including Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, as other permanent residents. Eligible for Early Health Assessment and Intervention Program and torture/trauma services. |
| Refugees who hold temporary offshore humanitarian visas (THV) |
Able to gain access to Medicare and Health Care Cards, including Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme; eligible for referral to the Early Health Assessment and Intervention Program and torture/trauma services. |
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| Onshoore protection |
Authorised arrivals |
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| Authorised arrivals who have been found to be refugees and are granted permanent protection visa (PPV) |
Same eligibility for Medicare and Health Care Card, including Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, as other permanent residents. |
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| Authorised arrivals who applied for protection within 45 days of their arrival in Australia and are awaiting primary decision on their application |
Eligible for Medicare a |
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| Authorised arrivals who have been in Australia for 45 days or more before they applied for protection |
No access to Medicare a |
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| Authorised arrivals who have appealed or are about to appeal to the Refugee Review Tribunal or the Administrative Appeals Tribunal after their primary protection application has been refused |
No access to Medicare a |
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| Authorised arrivals who are appealing to the Minister of Immigration after being found not to be refugees at the review stage |
No access to Medicare a |
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| Unauthorised arrivals |
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| Unauthorised arrivals who have been found to be refugees and are granted temporary protection visa (TPV) |
Access to Medicare benefits and Health Care Card; eligibility for torture and trauma counselling |
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| Unauthorised arrivals who are applying for protection and are in immigration detention |
Access to health care through health professionals contracted by the private company in charge of the detention centres |
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| Unauthorised arrivals who have been in mandatory detention, are subsequently released into the community, and have an outstanding visa application |
No access to Medicare |
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| Others |
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| Asylum seekers who hold or held a TPV or a THV, have had their application for further protection finally refused, have exhausted all legal options to remain in Australia and are making arrangements for departure (return pending visa) |
Eligible for Medicare access through work rights, Health Care Card, including Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, torture/trauma counselling, Maternity Allowance, maternity immunisation |
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| Asylum seekers who have been held in detention, do not have any outstanding visa applications or litigation, who cannot currently reasonably be removed from Australia, and who agree in writing to cooperate with their removal from Australia when advised that they must leave (removal pending bridging visa) b |
Eligible for Medicare access through work rights, Health Care Card, including Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, torture/trauma counselling, Maternity Allowance, maternity immunisation |
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Sources: [15, 49-54] a Under certain circumstances, these individuals may be eligible for the Asylum Seeker Assistance Scheme (ASAS) [21] b It can apply to both unauthorised arrivals held in detention or authorised arrivals who are in detention after breaching their visa conditions | ||
Correa-Velez et al. Australia and New Zealand Health Policy 2005 2:23 doi:10.1186/1743-8462-2-23 |
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