Can I get a Health Care Card?
I'm a student going to Australia for postgraduate study and was wondering if anyone has got a Health Care Card? The eligibility requirements are:
You need to be living in Australia and be:
in Australia, and an Australian resident, or the holder of a special category visa—that is a New Zealand citizen.
You also need to meet a 104-week newly arrived resident’s waiting period or be exempt from this requirement, for example if you are a refugee or the partner of an Australian citizen.
I currently hold a NZ passport, but it seems I need to wait two years until I can get it due to the waiting period? Anyone have any experience with this... considering I'm a student could I get an exemption?
Probably not unfortunately, but you can lodge a claim with Centrelink anyway to see if you are eligible for an exemption: http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/forms/ss050.htm
You can still apply for Medicare though, which subsidises a lot of many medical costs.
I'm also an NZ citizen who just moved to Aust to do postgrad study. I went to Medicare this morning to apply and was told that without proof of employment (I'm on an Aust govt scholarship) and since I'm only here for the time I'm studying (4+ years) I'm not living here "permenantly" and therefore ineligible for Medicare.