Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2021N00218:body:0:p2
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2021N00218
Segment Type: other
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Character Range: 2714–4094

It is a generic humanitarian visa that provides temporary stay in Australia primarily for persons displaced or likely to be displaced and who have grave fears for their personal safety.

Under subsection 6(1) of the Health Insurance Act 1973, the Minister for Health has a discretionary power to declare certain people or classes of people eligible for Medicare in specified circumstances.

The Health Insurance (Eligible persons - holders of Humanitarian Stay (Temporary) Visa (Subclass 449)) Order 2021 provides immediate access to Medicare for persons who have been granted subclass 449 visas by the Australian Government as part of its response to the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan.

The Health Insurance (Eligible persons - holders of Humanitarian Stay (Temporary) Visa (Subclass 449)) Order 2021 will take effect retrospectively on 19 August 2021. However, no person will have their rights, as existing at the time the order takes effect, affected so as to disadvantage them, or liabilities imposed on them, other than the Commonwealth.

Related order number 808, the Health Insurance (Eligible persons unauthorised maritime arrivals and holders of Humanitarian Stay (Temporary) visa) Order 2017, provides access to Medicare in relation to persons who are unauthorised maritime arrivals or who were not immigration cleared on their last entry to Australia.