Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697641514859.pdf (Australia)
QUESTION TAKEN ON NOTICE SUPPLEMENTARY BUDGET ESTIMATES – 20 OCTOBER 2014 IMMIGRATION AND BORDER PROTECTION PORTFOLIO (SE14/448) PROGRAMME – 1.2: Visa and Citizenship Senator Carr (Written) asked: a) What are the top 10 countries of origin for medical treatment visas?

b) What procedures are they for?

c) What is the criteria for these visas?

d) What is the compliance rate?

Is there non-compliance?

e) How many have been granted to date this financial year?

Since last estimates?
Answer: a) The top 10 Citizenship countries for Medical Treatment Visas (MTV) granted in 2014-15 to 30 November 2014 compared to 2013-14 programme year are as follows: Citizenship Country France* Papua New Guinea Fiji Indonesia China, Peoples Republic of Nauru United Kingdom India Timor-Leste Vietnam Other Countries Total 2013-14 year 1 433 141 123 112 57 68 84 69 36 66 671 2 860 2014-15 to 30/11/14 639 48 46 46 42 41 33 24 23 21 270 1 233 Source: Department of Immigration and Border Protection, 2014 (BE7970.01/02) * A large number of MTV grants are for New Caledonian residents brought to Australia for medical treatment funded by the French government.
This accounts for the high rate of MTVs granted to French citizens.

b) The Department’s reporting capacity for MTVs does not record the type of medical procedure that a visa applicant is seeking in Australia, therefore it is not possible to produce a system generated report on medical procedures for MTV holders.
MTV Applicants may seek to attend a wide range of medical appointments in Australia, including life-saving or elective surgery, organ donations or transplants, and consultations with medical specialists.

c) The MTV provides a temporary visa option for persons seeking medical treatment in Australia.
The main requirements for grant of the visa are that: • • the applicant is seeking medical treatment (including consultation), other than for the purposes of surrogate motherhood; the arrangements to carry out the treatment (or consultation) must be concluded; the applicant is not a threat to public health; • • arrangements for the payments of all costs are concluded, including expenses of any person accompanying the applicant; • payment of costs will not be charged to the Australian Government, unless evidence is provided that the relevant government authority has approved the payment of those costs; • no Australian citizen’s or permanent resident’s access to medical services will • • • be disadvantaged; the applicant genuinely intends to stay temporarily in Australia for the purpose for which the visa is granted; the applicant has, or has access to, adequate means of support; and the applicant satisfies public interest criteria including character, integrity and (if applicable) parental responsibility requirements.
Persons may also be eligible for a Medical Treatment Visa if they are: • an organ donor; • coming to Australia as a patient under arrangements between the Queensland Department of Health and the Western Province of Papua New Guinea; in Australia, aged 50 years or older, have been refused a permanent visa on health grounds and are unfit to depart Australia; or • • supporting a person who will be undergoing medical treatment (for example, a parent who accompanies their child who is receiving medical treatment in Australia).
d) The Medical Treatment Visa overstay data for the 2013-14 programme year indicated that 21 visa holders did not leave Australia prior to their visa expiry.

This compares to 88 visa holders who did not depart prior to their MTV expiry during the 2012-13 programme year.

Failure to leave before visa expiry may not necessarily signal non-compliance because there can be genuine medical reasons for a person remaining longer in Australia.
e) Between 1 July 2014 and 30 November 2014, there were 1 233 Medical Treatment Visas granted.