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Don’t let a cold keep you from flying

  • By Expat
  • October 22, 2015

There’s a lot that you need to keep in mind when traveling to another country and even more to think about before moving overseas to start a new life or work long term! With everything that goes into traveling abroad there remains one thing that can sneak up on you and take you by surprise and that is sickness. We’re not talking about going to the doctor and getting the boring old shots, we’re talking about the flu, a broken bone maybe even something that may look infectious but is indeed harmless. Coming down with an unforeseen illness whether it be the flu or an ear ache might make you pause and think, ‘will this prevent me from getting on a plane?’

Rules and regulations will immediately lock into place if you are suspected of an illness that can spread. Rest assured that this only happens when the sickness can become a danger to the other passengers on the flight and/or the general populace of the other country. Only in extreme circumstances does this occur so fear not. However, the risk of a contagion isn’t the only concern when boarding a plan when you’re sick. The pressurised air cabin can also have adverse effects on certain conditions. If you’ve recently suffered from ear or sinus pain, have a heart condition or have had a recent head injury then you may be at risk to further damaging your health. The best thing to do in these circumstances is to book in an appointment with you General Practitioner (GP) and see if he/her is happy for you to fly. Obtaining a certificate from your GP to present to any airport officials is recommended if you are still unsure.

You will need to meet specific health criteria if you intend on living in Australia for 12 months or more. Due to our geographical location, Australia enjoys some of the best health standards in the world. Health screening is necessary to maintain the good health standard in Australia and the majority of long term visitors and temporary/permanent residents will need to complete immigration health examinations as part of the visa application process.See table below for what is required for an Australian temporary visa:

Countries/Locations Risk level

You intend to stay in Australia for less than 3 months

You intend to stay in Australia for no more than 12 months

You intend to stay in Australia for more than 12 months

Lower Risk

No health examination required

No health examination required

No health examinations required

Medium Risk

No health examination required

No health examination required

You must undergo

  • a chest x-ray
    and

  • a medical examination.

For 457 applicants:

  • chest x-ray examinationonly.

Higher Risk

No health examination required

You must undergo a chest x-ray examination.

You must undergo a

  • chest x-ray
    and

  • a medical examination.

For 457 applicants:

  • chest x-ray examination only.

 

Your country of passport will determine whether you need to complete an Australian immigration health examination; you will find that the higher the country’s risk factor is, the less it takes for medical examinations to be required. Expat’s Visa Team can guide you on the types of examinations you may need, where and when to complete the health checks and how long the process will take.

And of course, if you are unsure about whether you are fit to travel always visit your local GP for advice.

Contact Expat International for more information via email at [email protected]