Australia Eases Health Restrictions On HIV/AIDS To Lure Migrant Workers
The Australian Immigration Department is loosening health restrictions to allow migrant workers with chronic conditions to enter Australia, including those with HIV/AIDS.
With this change, Australia hopes to attract skilled migrant workers, who otherwise would have been denied a visa for health-related reasons.
The Australian Immigration Department’s new rules would expand upon the current waiver program which allows certain individuals with chronic health conditions into the country.
Of the 288 waivers granted last year, the majority were for foreign partners of Australian citizens.
During 2008 to 2009, 42 health waivers were granted to foreign migrants on temporary skilled visas.
In addition, health bans were removed to allow 138 temporary immigrant workers to continue to reside in Australia. Waivers were also granted to 150 workers who applied offshore.
HIV was the most common health condition, with 59 cases, for those granted waiters. An additional 26 cases of intellectual impairment and 10 cases of cancer were approved for entry as well.
With this change, Australia became one of many countries that have been lifting health restrictions directed at specific groups, such as skilled migrant workers, or for all individuals.
In October 2009, President Obama eliminated the HIV entry ban. Effective January 4, 2010, non-citizens with HIV are now allowed to enter the United States (see related AIDS Beacon news).
On January 1, South Korea eliminated entry restrictions for individuals with HIV, meaning that individuals with HIV are allowed to enter freely into the country.
Some countries, such as the United Kingdom, have no specific entry or residence restrictions for individuals with HIV/AIDS.
Recently, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon supported both the U.S. and South Korea in their actions to removal restrictions based on HIV status.
“I repeat my call to all other countries with such discriminatory restrictions to take steps to remove them at the earliest,” said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in a press release by UNAIDS.
Countries that currently have restrictions on entry, residence, and period of stay for HIV-positive individuals are China, Cuba, Egypt, North Korea, Israel, New Zealand, Poland, Singapore, Iraq, and Russia.
For more information, please see the Australia Visa Bureau press release and HIV Travel, a global database on HIV-specific travel and residency restrictions.
Related Articles:
- Immigration Services Hold Waivers For HIV Positive Applicants
- Proposed Change To Travel Rules May Allow HIV Infected Individuals To Enter U.S.
- Report Projects Global HIV/AIDS Pandemic Could Cost $35 Billion Annually by 2031
- Obama Rules To Extend Ryan White Act And To Eliminate HIV Entry Ban
- Infection With Tuberculosis Poses Risks To HIV-Positive Individuals
Leave a comment