You usually need to be an Australian resident to get a payment from us. We explain how we define an Australian resident.
We have payments and services for newly arrived refugees, humanitarian entrants and asylum seekers.
Rules for not being eligible for other income support
you haven't lived in Australia long enough. you're the holder of a temporary visa. you're an Australian resident younger than 16.
On the day you claim JobSeeker Payment, you must be an Australian resident and in Australia. If you've recently arrived as a resident in Australia, you may have to wait to get this payment. This is because there's a newly arrived resident's waiting period for JobSeeker Payment.
Permanent residency visa
An Australian permanent resident is someone who holds a permanent visa but is not a citizen. A permanent resident can live, work and study without restriction in Australia.
JobSeeker Payment is financial help if you're between 22 and Age Pension age. You can get it while you're unemployed and looking for work, or doing approved activities to find a job. It's also for when you're sick or injured and can't do your usual work or study.
How long you need to have been a resident. To get Age Pension you generally need to have been an Australian resident for at least 10 years in total. For at least 5 of these years, there must be no break in your residence.
From other government agencies…
Told Centrelink you're single in order to maximise your benefit, while simultaneously applying for a Partner visa? The ATO and Centrelink have this information, and now, thanks to data matching, so does Immigration. The ramifications of this can be pretty big.
New residents may have to wait up to 4 years before they can get most of our payments or concession cards. A maximum 2 year waiting period applies if you're the holder of either: an Orphan Relative visa (subclass 117 or 837)
If you can't work or study for a while because you're sick or injured, you can claim an income support payment. Which payment you can get depends on your circumstances.
To meet the requirements, an individual must reside in Australia and be an Australian citizen, holder of a permanent visa or an SCV holder. Those who hold one of the temporary visas eligible for Special Benefit (listed above) are eligible for family assistance payments under an exception to the residency criteria.
From Monday July 4 2022, Australian job seekers face a new social security system to police eligibility for support payments. It replaces the “Jobactive” system that required the “mutual obligation” of applying for 20 jobs a month for payments to continue.
Refugee FAQs
A single person with no dependent children who is eligible for the Newstart Allowance (whether or not he or she is a refugee) will receive up to $559.00 per fortnight, whereas a single person on an Age Pension payment will receive a fortnightly payment of up to $850.40.
To be considered eligible for JobSeeker payments you must be an Australian citizen or a permanent resident.
Getting CalFresh will not affect your immigration status, or your chances of getting legal permanent residency in the future. For more information about immigration and public benefits, visit keepyourbenefits.org or text the word benefits to 650-376-8006.
Medicare is available for refugees, humanitarian entrants and eligible asylum seekers. We'll enrol you in Medicare if you're eligible. For help with Medicare, you can call the Medicare program line.
Create a myGov account
With myGov, you can access government services online. To get Centrelink payments and services, you need to create a myGov account and link it to Centrelink. You need your own email address to create a myGov account. For help, read about how to create a myGov account on the myGov website.
You can become a permanent resident of Australia by applying for and being granted a permanent visa that allows you to remain in Australia indefinitely. The most common permanent visas include some skilled work and family visas. To find a visa that suits your needs explore visa options.
Everyone born in Australia automatically has a CRN even if you have never received Centrelink payments. To obtain your CRN you will need to phone Centrelink or go into a Centrelink office.
JobSeeker payment
As a minimum, these 3 conditions need to be met: you're between 22 and age pension age. you meet residence rules. your income and assets are under the limits set by Services Australia.
in severe financial hardship, and. unable to earn a sufficient livelihood for yourself and your dependants because of age, physical or mental disability or domestic circumstances, or for any other reason over which you have no control, and. unable to receive any other income support payment from Centrelink, and.
If you have applied for Australian citizenship by conferral: 90% of applications are processed within 14 months. 90% of approved applicants will have the opportunity to attend a ceremony within 8 months of approval.