{"id":"F2024L00023","name":"Migration (Health Criteria—Specified Countries) (LIN 23/071) Specification 2023","slug":"migration-health-criteria-specified-countries-lin-23-071-specification-2023","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":105051,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2024L00023-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-03","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Migration (Health Criteria—Specified Countries) (LIN 23/071) Specification 2023","content":"![Commonwealth coat of arms\n](image.001.png)\n\nLIN 23/071\n\nMigration (Health Criteria—Specified Countries) (LIN 23/071) Specification 2023\n\nI, Andrew Giles, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, under paragraph 2.25A(1)(b) of the Migration Regulations 1994 (the Migration Regulations):\n\n(a) specify the countries mentioned in Schedule 1 to this instrument for the purposes of paragraph 2.25A(1)(b) of the Migration Regulations; and\n\n(b) repeal Migration Regulations 1994 – Specification of Countries – IMMI 13/161.\n\nThis instrument commences on the day after registration.\n\nDated 21 December 2023\n\nAndrew Giles\n\nMinister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs\n\nSchedule 1—Specified countries\n\n| A |\n| ------------------------------------------------------------------------- |\n| Afghanistan |\n| Albania |\n| Algeria |\n| American Samoa |\n| Andorra |\n| Angola |\n| Anguilla |\n| Antigua and Barbuda |\n| Argentina |\n| Armenia |\n| Aruba |\n| Australia |\n| Austria |\n| Azerbaijan |\n| |\n| B |\n| Bahamas, The |\n| Bahrain |\n| Bangladesh |\n| Barbados |\n| Belarus |\n| Belgium |\n| Belize |\n| Benin |\n| Bermuda |\n| Bhutan |\n| Bolivia |\n| Bosnia and Herzegovina |\n| Botswana |\n| Brazil |\n| British Virgin Islands |\n| Brunei Darussalam |\n| Bulgaria |\n| Burkina Faso |\n| Burundi |\n| |\n| C |\n| Cabo Verde |\n| Cambodia |\n| Cameroon |\n| Canada |\n| Cayman Islands |\n| Central African Republic |\n| Chad |\n| Channel Islands |\n| Chile |\n| China, People's Republic of |\n| Colombia |\n| Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands |\n| Comoros |\n| Congo, Democratic Republic of the |\n| Congo, Republic of the |\n| Cook Islands |\n| Costa Rica |\n| Côte d'Ivoire |\n| Croatia |\n| Cuba |\n| Curacao |\n| Cyprus |\n| Czech Republic |\n| |\n| D |\n| Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) |\n| Denmark |\n| Djibouti |\n| Dominica |\n| Dominican Republic |\n| |\n| E |\n| Ecuador |\n| Egypt |\n| El Salvador |\n| Equatorial Guinea |\n| Eritrea |\n| Estonia |\n| Eswatini |\n| Ethiopia |\n| |\n| F |\n| Falkland Islands |\n| Faroe Islands |\n| Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal |\n| Fiji |\n| Finland |\n| France |\n| French Antilles |\n| French Guiana |\n| French Polynesia |\n| G |\n| Gabon |\n| Gambia, The |\n| Georgia |\n| Germany |\n| Ghana |\n| Gibraltar |\n| Greece |\n| Greenland |\n| Grenada |\n| Guam |\n| Guatemala |\n| Guinea |\n| Guinea-Bissau |\n| Guyana |\n| |\n| H |\n| Haiti |\n| Holy See, The (Vatican City) |\n| Honduras |\n| Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China |\n| Hungary |\n| |\n| I |\n| Iceland |\n| Indonesia |\n| Iran |\n| Iraq |\n| Ireland |\n| Isle of Man |\n| Israel |\n| Italy |\n| J |\n| Jamaica |\n| Jan Mayen |\n| Japan |\n| Jordan |\n| |\n| K |\n| Kazakhstan |\n| Kenya |\n| Kiribati |\n| Kosovo |\n| Kuwait |\n| Kyrgyz Republic |\n| |\n| L |\n| Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Laos) |\n| Latvia |\n| Lebanon |\n| Lesotho |\n| Liberia |\n| Libya |\n| Liechtenstein |\n| Lithuania |\n| Luxembourg |\n| |\n| M |\n| Macau Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China |\n| Madagascar |\n| Malawi |\n| Malaysia |\n| Mali |\n| Malta |\n| Mauritania |\n| Mauritius |\n| Mayotte |\n| Mexico |\n| Micronesia, Federated States of |\n| Moldova |\n| Monaco |\n| Mongolia |\n| Montenegro |\n| Montserrat |\n| Morocco |\n| Mozambique |\n| Myanmar |\n| N |\n| Namibia |\n| Nauru |\n| Netherlands |\n| Netherlands Antilles |\n| New Caledonia |\n| New Zealand |\n| Nicaragua |\n| Niger |\n| Nigeria |\n| Niue |\n| Norway |\n| |\n| O |\n| Occupied Palestinian TerritoriesOman |\n| |\n| P |\n| Pakistan |\n| Panama |\n| Papua New Guinea |\n| Paraguay |\n| Peru |\n| Philippines, The |\n| Pitcairn Island |\n| Poland |\n| Portugal |\n| Puerto Rico |\n| |\n| Q |\n| Qatar |\n| |\n| R |\n| Republic of India |\n| Republic of Korea (South Korea) |\n| Republic of Maldives |\n| Republic of North Macedonia |\n| Republic of Palau |\n| Republic of the Marshall Islands |\n| Réunion |\n| Romania |\n| Russia |\n| Rwanda |\n| S |\n| Saint Barthélémy |\n| Saint Helena |\n| Saint Kitts and Nevis |\n| Saint Lucia |\n| Saint Martin |\n| Saint Pierre and Miquelon |\n| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |\n| Samoa |\n| San Marino |\n| Sao Tome and Principe |\n| Saudi Arabia |\n| Senegal |\n| Serbia |\n| Seychelles |\n| Sierra Leone |\n| Singapore |\n| Slovak Republic |\n| Slovenia |\n| Solomon Islands |\n| Somalia |\n| South Africa |\n| South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands |\n| South Sudan |\n| Spain |\n| Sri Lanka |\n| Sudan |\n| Suriname |\n| Sweden |\n| Switzerland |\n| Syria |\n| |\n| T |\n| Taiwan |\n| Tajikistan |\n| Tanzania |\n| Thailand |\n| Tibet |\n| Timor-Leste |\n| Togo |\n| Tokelau |\n| Tonga |\n| Trinidad and Tobago |\n| Tunisia |\n| Türkiye |\n| Turkmenistan |\n| Turks and Caicos Islands |\n| Tuvalu |\n| |\n| U |\n| Uganda |\n| Ukraine |\n| United Arab Emirates |\n| United Kingdom |\n| United States of America |\n| United States Virgin Islands |\n| Uruguay |\n| Uzbekistan |\n| |\n| V |\n| Vanuatu |\n| Venezuela |\n| Vietnam (Viet Nam) |\n| |\n| W |\n| Wallis and Futuna |\n| |\n| Y |\n| Yemen |\n| |\n| Z |\n| Zambia |\n| Zimbabwe |","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The instrument maintains its original purpose of specifying countries for health criteria purposes. While the list has been updated (replacing the 2013 version), the scope remains consistent with the enabling provision in the Migration Regulations."},"complexity_factors":["Single operative provision with straightforward purpose (specifying countries)","No defined terms requiring interpretation","No cross-references to other legislation beyond the enabling provision (paragraph 2.25A(1)(b))","No conditional logic or exceptions","Simple tabular format for the country list","Repeal of single previous instrument is explicit and unambiguous"],"plain_english_summary":"This is a ministerial instrument that updates which countries are on a special list for health screening purposes in Australia's visa system.\n\n**What it does:**\n- Specifies a list of countries (Schedule 1) that are subject to particular health criteria under the Migration Regulations 1994\n- Replaces an older list from 2013 (IMMI 13/161) with this new 2023 version\n\n**Who it affects:**\n- Visa applicants from the listed countries (essentially every country in the world, including Australia itself)\n- The Department of Home Affairs staff who process visa applications\n\n**Why it matters:**\nThe Migration Regulations require certain visa applicants to undergo health examinations. This instrument defines which countries trigger specific health criteria requirements. Being on this list means applicants from these countries may need to meet particular health standards or provide additional health documentation when applying for Australian visas.\n\n**Key point:** The list is comprehensive—covering virtually all nations and territories—suggesting these health criteria apply broadly across the visa program rather than targeting specific high-risk regions."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This instrument does not materially change the statutory scope of the Migration Regulations; it updates and replaces a prior specification of countries (IMMI 13/161) by listing the countries to which paragraph 2.25A(1)(b) applies. That is an administrative update rather than an expansion of purpose. Any change in substantive coverage would come from differences between the previous Schedule and this one (i.e. additions or removals of particular countries), not from a broadened legal power or new policy mechanism; the instrument itself remains a straightforward specification exercise."},"complexity_factors":["Single operative clause referencing paragraph 2.25A(1)(b) of the Migration Regulations","One schedule containing a long list (well over 200) of country/territory entries","No defined terms, conditions, or exceptions within the instrument itself","Repeals a prior specification (IMMI 13/161) — simple replacement rather than layered amendment","Cross-reference dependence: legal effect depends entirely on an external provision (paragraph 2.25A(1)(b)), increasing interpretive steps required","Minor drafting/data-quality anomalies in the Schedule (combined entries/spacing) that can create implementation ambiguity"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this instrument does, in plain English**\n\n- This is a short legal instrument in which the Minister for Immigration specifies a list of countries (the Schedule) for the purpose of paragraph 2.25A(1)(b) of the Migration Regulations 1994. The instrument also repeals an earlier specification (IMMI 13/161) and takes effect the day after it is registered.\n\n**How it works mechanically**\n\n- The operative action is the inclusion of a Schedule listing named countries. The Schedule is the legal content: the named countries are the ones “specified” for the statutory provision cited (paragraph 2.25A(1)(b)).\n- The instrument does not itself state the legal consequences of being a named country; those consequences are set out in the Migration Regulations (specifically in paragraph 2.25A(1)(b)). To understand the practical effects you must read that paragraph in the Migration Regulations alongside this specification.\n- The instrument also repeals the prior specification instrument IMMI 13/161, thereby replacing the previous list with the list in this Schedule.\n\n**Who it affects**\n\n- Visa applicants and their dependants whose health status is assessed under the Migration Regulations where paragraph 2.25A(1)(b) is relevant. Whether and how an applicant is affected depends on the detail of paragraph 2.25A(1)(b).\n- Medical assessors, visa decision-makers, sponsors and migration agents who must apply the Migration Regulations and this specified list in processing applications.\n- The Department of Home Affairs/Immigration bureaucracy, which will apply the new specification in operational decision-making.\n\n**Why it matters (official purpose and practical implications)**\n\n- Officially, the instrument’s purpose is to identify which countries are the ones referenced by paragraph 2.25A(1)(b) of the Migration Regulations. That paragraph determines how the health criterion is applied to people from specified countries.\n- Practically, once a country is on this Schedule, people linked to that country will be treated under whatever rule paragraph 2.25A(1)(b) prescribes. Typical practical implications (drawn from how health criteria normally operate, not restated in this instrument) can include which medical checks are required, whether waivers or alternative standards apply, and who bears medical costs — but those specifics come from the Migration Regulations, not from this specification itself.\n\n**Who pays and who decides**\n\n- The Minister (executive decision-maker) decides the list by issuing this specification. The instrument centralises that decision in the ministerial power delegated by the Migration Regulations.\n- The likely direct financial costs (medical examination fees, travel for testing, documentation) fall on applicants and their families because medical checks required under migration health rules are ordinarily paid by the applicant. This instrument does not change who pays; it changes (or confirms) which nationalities the relevant health-regime provision applies to.\n\n**Compliance burden and implementation notes**\n\n- This instrument creates an administrative rule to be applied by decision-makers. The compliance burden derives from the underlying health rule in the Migration Regulations: if the health rule requires extra tests or documentation for people from specified countries, those people will bear the time and money cost.\n- The Schedule is long (it lists well over 200 country entries) and appears to include near-global coverage. That breadth means the specification will be applied widely rather than to a narrow set of countries.\n- There are small drafting/data-quality issues visible in the Schedule (for example a combined entry reading “Occupied Palestinian TerritoriesOman” on a single line). Such errors can create uncertainty in implementation and should be checked and, if necessary, corrected to avoid disputes about whether a particular territory is intended to be covered.\n\n**Trade-offs, incentives and risks**\n\n- Concentrated decision authority: the Minister can add, remove or re-specify countries by instrument, so the list can change administratively without primary legislation. This centralises discretion and speeds updates, but also concentrates decision power in the executive.\n- Administrative cost vs. flexibility: replacing the earlier IMMI 13/161 keeps the health-specification current without amending the Migration Regulations themselves. That is lower cost and higher flexibility, but it means changes can occur frequently and by regulation alone.\n- Potential for implementation friction: because the specification refers to an external provision (paragraph 2.25A(1)(b)), users (applicants, decision-makers, advisers) must consult two instruments to know the practical legal effect. That increases the risk of misapplication if users rely on the specification alone.\n\n**What to check next (for someone affected)**\n\n- Read paragraph 2.25A(1)(b) of the Migration Regulations 1994 to see the substantive health rule that the list activates.\n- If you are an applicant or adviser, confirm whether the country you are concerned with appears correctly in the Schedule and whether any apparent typographical issues affect coverage.\n"},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"This is a new specification that repeals and replaces the previous list of countries (IMMI 13/161), thereby updating the legislative reference for the health criteria countries."},"complexity_factors":["Contains a long, comprehensive list of specified countries","Repeals and replaces an earlier specification instrument","Requires cross-reference to regulation 2.25A of the Migration Regulations 1994 to understand the operative effect"],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument names every country and territory (including Australia) for the health criteria in the Migration Regulations, so any visa applicant who must undergo a health examination will be assessed against the health requirement regardless of nationality or residence. It replaces the prior IMMI 13/161 list, takes effect the day after registration, and does not change the medical standards themselves—only the legislative list of countries to which those existing health rules apply."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/migration-health-criteria-specified-countries-lin-23-071-specification-2023","history":"/api/acts/migration-health-criteria-specified-countries-lin-23-071-specification-2023/history","analysis":"/api/acts/migration-health-criteria-specified-countries-lin-23-071-specification-2023/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/migration-health-criteria-specified-countries-lin-23-071-specification-2023/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/migration-health-criteria-specified-countries-lin-23-071-specification-2023/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/migration-health-criteria-specified-countries-lin-23-071-specification-2023/documents"}}