Ireland and Australia have a reciprocal health care agreement (RHCA). It may cover visitors who were living in Ireland immediately before arriving in Australia. The cover is narrower than people expect, and narrower than the United Kingdom agreement. This guide sets out the residence condition, what is covered, and what remains outside the agreement.
What the agreement covers
For a visitor who meets the Ireland residence condition, the agreement covers the following (Services Australia, checked 2026-07-10):
- Medically necessary care as a public patient, including public hospital inpatient and outpatient services
- Some PBS prescription medicines at the general rate
Eligibility requires that you were living in Ireland before arriving in Australia. At a public hospital or pharmacy, ask to be treated under the agreement. An Irish citizen shows a current Irish passport; a non-Irish citizen who lived in Ireland shows a passport and a valid Irish EHIC. The document does not replace the residence condition.
What it does not cover
The agreement is limited to medically necessary public hospital care and some subsidised medicines. It does not cover the following (Services Australia, accessed 2026-06-14):
- Out-of-hospital care, including GP visits in private practice, dental, physiotherapy, optometry and glasses
- Ambulance transport
- Elective treatment, or travel to Australia for the purpose of medical treatment
This is the key difference from the United Kingdom agreement, which is broader. The Ireland agreement does not extend to out-of-hospital care such as GP visits in private practice.
Do you need to enrol in Medicare?
Eligible visitors from Ireland do not enrol in Medicare and do not receive a Medicare card under this agreement. At a public hospital or pharmacy, ask to be treated under the RHCA. An Irish citizen shows a current Irish passport; a non-Irish citizen shows a passport and valid Irish European Health Insurance Card. Eligibility still depends on having lived in Ireland before arriving in Australia (Services Australia, checked 2026-07-10).
Who is not covered
The agreement does not apply to everyone. Student-visa holders from Ireland are not covered by the RHCA (Services Australia, checked 2026-07-10) and are generally required to hold Overseas Student Health Cover instead. Working Holiday and skilled-visa holders may qualify when they meet the pre-arrival residence and document conditions. The agreement also does not apply where the reason for travelling to Australia was to obtain treatment.
Whether to buy private cover
Because the agreement leaves out GP visits in private practice, ambulance, dental and optometry, many Irish arrivals buy a basic private or ambulance-only policy to fill those gaps. Whether it is worth it depends on your visa length and how you expect to use healthcare. The cost guide includes a typical health-cover figure for a single adult, and the Working Holiday guide covers how the agreement works alongside a 417.
