2.3 Groups with special vaccination requirements

Please note: due to continuous updates being made to the Immunisation Handbook, the page number on the electronic version will not always match the hard copy version.


Vaccination status is not routinely assessed in children and adults entering Australia as refugees or immigrants. They may be incompletely vaccinated according to the Australian schedule or have incomplete records of vaccination.

The World Health Organization website www.who.int/countries/en listsimmunisation schedules for most countries and may provide some information regarding vaccine schedules.

• If an immigrant has no valid documentation of vaccination, the standard ‘catch-up’ schedule should be commenced. Serological testing to determine the need for specific vaccinations is not recommended in the absence of documented vaccination. If a child is ≥12 months of age, the first doses of DTPa, hepatitis B, IPV, MMR, MenCCV, 7vPCV and Hib vaccines can be given at the same visit. For details, see Section 1.3.5, Catch-up.
• If there is a valid record of vaccination, the history of previous doses should be taken into account when planning a catch-up vaccination schedule.
• Immigrant adults need to be targeted for vaccination, especially against rubella using MMR. This is particularly important for women of childbearing age.
• All vaccines administered to children <7 years of age should be documented on the ACIR, including those for children not enrolled with Medicare and vaccinations documented pre-arrival.
• ACIR History Statements can be issued after documentation of overseas vaccination(s) have been recorded on ACIR.
• The Australian Government Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) may in some circumstances be able to provide information regarding vaccine(s) administered to refugees before entering Australia.