Bipolar and getting a work visa...help!

[GooseyLucy]

Hello,

My husband has been approached about a role in Auckland and we're pretty excited about it...but he has bipolar 1 disorder. He was diagnosed in 2005 following a manic episode but has had no further manic episodes. He's on medication (lithium and quetiapine) & he needs to see a psychiatrist from time to time to adjust his medication if he's becoming unwell (most recently his medication was adjusted last month). He's never been hospitalised and has been employed throughout this time... so my question is, how likely is it that he will pass the medical requirements? And is it likely that his future employer would find out about his condition through this process?

Any advice would be most appreciated.

Thank you!

[JandM]

http://onlineservices.immigration.go...nual/46506.htm Those are the conditions which are an outright 'no' for NZ immigration. As you say he has never been hospitalized, he doesn't fall under that category. He will have to declare his condition at the medical examination, and the medical report will be referred to the MA to declare if he meets the requirements of ASH (acceptable standard of health), which come down to the likelihood of his medication and care costing more than an acceptable amount. This http://onlineservices.immigration.go...nual/35154.htm is the whole section of the regulations about medicals.

INZ will of course know about his medical condition, but they would not disclose the information to anyone else.

[GooseyLucy]

Thanks so much for getting back to me JandM. So it's whether they think he will cost $41k or more over 5 years. Is there anywhere we can look up drug and doctor costs? I've had a look at an online pharmacy but it was for the branded drugs rather than the white label the govt supports as well as supplying without a prescription so I assume they are much more premium priced than the govt pays for drugs. The costs with this pharmacy was $40k for 5 years so I'm concerned with blood tests and doctor visits he will go over... He just doesn't want to find himself in the position of failing the visa process and having to explain it to his employer as attitudes to mental health are unfortunately not great in his industry. Any guidance would be great. Thanks again!

[JandM]

I've sent a message to someone who may be able to help with a source. I'll come back to you if I get a helpful answer.

[GooseyLucy]

Thanks you so much! Fingers crossed they can help...

[72andsunny]

I've sent a message to someone who may be able to help with a source. I'll come back to you if I get a helpful answer.

Hiya JandM,

I have to admit, I'm a little out of practice on the lingo here. Here's a link to a (slightly out of date) Pharmac Schedule http://www.pharmac.govt.nz/2015/03/25/Sched.pdf

By my quick math, even higher doses of quetiapine and lithium are only going to set the government back about 50 cents a day (for both meds) so not an issue for the expense cap (which I believe would be a lifetime figure since it's a chronic condition...but like I said, I'm out of practice).

I suspect the medical examiner will be concerned about the possibility of needing more expensive drugs in the future, which could easily add up.

Back to the sunshine,

Haole Mike

[JandM]

Thanks, Mike.

[GooseyLucy]

Thanks, Mike.

Thanks Mike! That's hugely helpful...it looks as if it's worth giving it a shot and we will need to prepare ourselves with supporting medical evidence, and also that he might not get through the medical. But if we don't try then we will never know.

Will keep you posted on how we get on.

Really appreciate the help with all of this. The information and speed of response on the forum has just been fantastic. And thank you again JandM.

Enjoy the sunshine!

[RedVee]

Here's a copy of that Pharmac schedule online, bit easier to search.

http://www.pharmac.govt.nz/Schedule


Oral quetiapine is quite cheap, but the depot version isn't.

[ebby]

Any word on how this went for you?