Last updated: 1 April 2026

Health Check for Australia PR: Complete Guide

Every applicant for permanent residency in Australia must satisfy the health requirement. The Department of Home Affairs requires health examinations to ensure that visa applicants do not pose a public health risk and that the cost of any health conditions will not place an unreasonable burden on the Australian healthcare system. This guide explains what examinations are required, how to book them, what they cost, and what happens if a health issue is identified.

Understanding the health check process early is important because timing affects your application. Medical results are valid for only 12 months, so completing the examination too early or too late can create problems. This page covers every aspect of the health examination requirement as part of the broader Australia PR requirements.

What Health Examinations Are Required

The specific health examinations required for your PR application depend on your visa subclass, your age, and the length of your intended stay. For permanent visa applicants, the standard requirement is examination 501 (medical examination) and examination 502 (chest X-ray). Some applicants may also need examination 707 (HIV test) depending on their circumstances.

The Department of Home Affairs determines which examinations you need when you generate your Health Assessment Protocol (HAP) ID through ImmiAccount. The system automatically assigns the correct examination codes based on the information you provide about your visa subclass, age, country of residence, and intended occupation. You do not choose which examinations to take — the system tells you.

For most skilled migration visa applicants aged 15 and above, the standard package includes a physical examination, a chest X-ray, and blood and urine tests including an HIV test. Applicants intending to work in healthcare, childcare, or education may have additional examination requirements due to the nature of their occupation.

The Panel Physician Process

Health examinations for Australian visa applications must be conducted by an approved panel physician. You cannot use your own GP or a hospital of your choice. In Australia, Bupa Medical Visa Services (BVMS) is the sole designated provider for immigration health examinations. Outside Australia, the Department of Home Affairs maintains a directory of approved panel physicians organised by country.

To find your nearest panel physician, log into your ImmiAccount and navigate to the health examination section. The system provides a searchable directory based on your location. In major cities across India, the UK, the Philippines, China, and the Middle East, there are typically multiple approved clinics to choose from. In smaller cities or regional areas, you may need to travel to the nearest available clinic.

The booking process works as follows: generate your HAP ID in ImmiAccount, locate a panel physician through the directory, contact the clinic directly to schedule an appointment, and attend with your passport, HAP ID letter, and any required photographs (some clinics require passport-sized photos). Most clinics can accommodate appointments within one to two weeks of contact, though wait times increase during peak lodgement periods between January and March.

Bupa Medical Visa Services in Australia

If you are applying from within Australia, all immigration health examinations are conducted through BVMS. Bupa operates clinics in every capital city and several regional centres. Appointments are booked online through the Bupa Medical Visa Services website, where you enter your HAP ID to generate the correct examination list.

BVMS clinics are purpose-built for visa medicals, which means the process is generally efficient. Most standard examinations take 30 to 60 minutes. Results are uploaded directly to the Department of Home Affairs electronically through the eMedical system — you do not receive a copy of the results to submit yourself. The clinic provides a receipt confirming the examination was completed and the results uploaded.

Processing time for results to appear in your ImmiAccount is typically 2 to 5 business days after the appointment, though complex cases requiring specialist review may take longer. If the Medical Officer of the Commonwealth (MOC) requires further information, you will be contacted through ImmiAccount with a request for additional tests or documentation. BVMS appointments cost between $350 and $500 AUD for the standard adult examination.

What Conditions Are Assessed

The health assessment evaluates three broad categories: public health risk, healthcare cost burden, and prejudice to access. Each category has specific conditions and thresholds that the Medical Officer of the Commonwealth reviews.

Public health risk covers communicable diseases that could threaten the Australian community. Active pulmonary tuberculosis is the primary concern in this category. The chest X-ray is specifically designed to screen for TB. If the X-ray shows any abnormality, you will be referred for sputum testing and possibly a CT scan. Other communicable diseases assessed include hepatitis B and C (through blood tests) and HIV.

Healthcare cost burden is assessed against the “significant cost threshold,” which is currently approximately $51,000 AUD calculated over 10 years (or the expected period of stay). Conditions that may trigger this assessment include those requiring ongoing medication, specialist monitoring, surgical intervention, or chronic care management. Examples include renal dialysis, organ transplant requirements, cancer treatment, and severe mental health conditions requiring hospitalisation.

Prejudice to access applies to conditions that would prevent an Australian citizen or permanent resident from accessing healthcare services if the applicant’s condition required priority treatment. This is a less commonly applied criterion but remains part of the assessment framework.

Health Waiver Process

If the Medical Officer of the Commonwealth determines that a health condition does not meet the health requirement, you may be eligible to request a health waiver. The waiver is not automatic — you must make a case that granting the visa despite the health condition is justified. The waiver assessment considers the severity of the condition, the likely cost to the Australian healthcare system, the availability of treatment, and any compassionate or compelling circumstances.

To request a health waiver, you respond to the notice issued by the Department through ImmiAccount. The response should include specialist medical reports, treatment plans, evidence of health insurance arrangements, and a personal statement explaining your circumstances. Some visa subclasses allow health waivers more readily than others. Skilled migration visas (such as the subclass 189 visa and subclass 190 visa) do allow health waivers, though success depends entirely on the individual case.

The health waiver process can add 3 to 6 months to your visa processing time. If the waiver is refused, the visa application may be refused on health grounds. You can appeal a health-related refusal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT), though this further extends the timeline and involves additional costs.

Cost of Health Examinations

Health examination costs vary by country and clinic. In Australia, BVMS pricing is standardised, but outside Australia, panel physician fees are set by the individual clinic. The table below provides indicative costs for common locations.

These costs are out-of-pocket expenses and are not covered by Medicare or private health insurance. They are also not refundable if the visa application is refused or withdrawn. For a full breakdown of all PR-related expenses, see Australia PR costs.

Validity and Timing

Health examination results are valid for 12 months from the date of the examination. This 12-month window is strict — if your visa is not granted within this period, the Department will request a new health examination at your expense.

The optimal timing for your health examination depends on your application pathway. For how to get PR in Australia through the points-tested stream, most applicants complete the medical after receiving an invitation to apply (ITA), as the ITA gives you 60 days to lodge. Completing the medical within the first two weeks of receiving your ITA means results are already uploaded by the time you lodge, which can significantly speed up processing.

Alternatively, you can complete an upfront health examination before receiving an invitation. This is useful if you are confident an invitation is imminent (for example, if your points score is well above the current round cutoff). However, if the invitation is delayed beyond 12 months, the medical expires and you must redo it.

For employer-sponsored visa applicants, the medical is typically completed after the nomination is approved and the visa application is lodged. Your case officer will request the examination through ImmiAccount if it was not completed upfront.

What Happens If You Fail the Health Check

A health examination “failure” is not necessarily a visa refusal. The process works in stages. First, the panel physician conducts the examination and uploads the results. The results are reviewed by the Medical Officer of the Commonwealth (MOC), who makes a recommendation. If the MOC identifies a concern, the Department issues a Health Undertaking or a request for further information — not an immediate refusal.

A Health Undertaking is a commitment to undertake specific health-related actions after arriving in Australia, such as attending a TB follow-up appointment or registering with a state health authority for monitoring. Health Undertakings are common and do not prevent visa grant. They are typically issued for conditions like latent TB (inactive TB detected on X-ray), hepatitis B carrier status, or managed chronic conditions.

If the condition is more serious and the MOC recommends that the health requirement is not met, you are given the opportunity to respond before a final decision is made. This is where the health waiver process applies. You should engage a registered migration agent or immigration lawyer at this stage, as the response requires detailed medical evidence and legal argument.

Children’s Health Checks

All children included in a PR application must undergo health examinations, regardless of age. The examination requirements differ by age group. Children under 11 generally require only a physical examination by the panel physician. The doctor checks for developmental concerns, communicable diseases, and any conditions that may require ongoing treatment. Blood tests and chest X-rays are not routinely required for this age group unless the MOC specifically requests them.

Children aged 11 to 14 require a physical examination plus a chest X-ray. The X-ray screens for tuberculosis, which is the primary concern for this age group. Children 15 and older undergo the full adult examination including blood tests and HIV screening. The panel physician conducts the examination in the presence of a parent or guardian, and the results are uploaded to ImmiAccount under the child’s individual HAP ID.

If a child has a pre-existing medical condition such as asthma, a developmental disability, or a congenital condition, it is advisable to have a specialist report available that outlines the condition, current treatment, and prognosis. This can pre-empt requests for further information from the MOC and avoid delays. For your full document preparation, see the complete PR application checklist.

Preparing for Your Health Examination Appointment

Preparation for the health examination is straightforward, but missing items can result in a wasted appointment. Bring your passport (original, not a copy), your HAP ID referral letter printed from ImmiAccount, passport-sized photographs (check with your clinic how many are needed — usually two to four), any prescription glasses or contact lenses (a vision test is included), and a list of current medications you are taking including dosages.

If you have a pre-existing condition, bring relevant medical records, specialist letters, and a current medication list. This allows the panel physician to accurately document your condition and reduces the likelihood of the MOC requesting further information. Conditions such as well-managed hypertension, controlled asthma, corrected vision, and stable mental health conditions on medication are generally not barriers to meeting the health requirement, but they must be accurately documented.

Fasting is not typically required for the blood tests conducted during immigration health examinations, but check with your specific clinic when booking. Pregnant applicants should inform the clinic at the time of booking — a chest X-ray may be deferred or conducted with appropriate shielding depending on the stage of pregnancy. The detailed medical examination process covers exactly what happens at each stage of the appointment.

Also ensure you have completed any other character-related requirements, such as the police clearance for Australia PR, as these are processed in parallel with health checks and both must be satisfied before a visa can be granted.