On JobSeeker in Australia, your required work/activity hours depend on your circumstances, but generally, it's 30 hours per fortnight (15 hours/week) for those with reduced capacity (parents, carers, 55+) or up to 70 hours per fortnight (35 hours/week) for others, often split between paid work, study, or volunteering, as detailed in your Job Plan with your provider. Standard job seekers usually need 70 hours fortnightly, while specific groups (parents, carers, older recipients, those with assessed partial capacity) can often meet requirements with 30 hours fortnightly of mixed activities.
Most unemployed people will have full-time mutual obligation requirements of at least 70 hours per fortnight. If you are working less than 70 hours per fortnight (casually or part-time) you will still have to look for full-time work or undertake other suitable activities.
We can suspend your DSP payment for up to 2 years if either: you work 30 or more hours per week on an ongoing basis. your income goes over the cut off point for more than 12 fortnights in a row.
You may get JobSeeker Payment if you are aged 22 or over and under Age Pension age, are unemployed, and satisfy the Activity Test as well as the Income and Assets Tests. * Fortnightly income between $150 and $256 reduces fortnightly allowance by 50 cents in the dollar.
JobSeeker payments will jump by $12.50 for singles over 22 with no children, bringing the fortnightly total up from $781.10 to $793.60. Couples will receive an extra $11.40 each.
If you have a partner, you may receive up to $631.20. If you are single with no children, you may receive up to $693.10. If you have children, are over 60 or are long-term unemployed (more than 9 months) you may receive up to $745.20.
What is the current National Minimum Wage? From 1 July 2025 the National Minimum Wage is $24.95 per hour or $948.00 per week before tax. This is the adult minimum rate for employees not covered by an award or enterprise agreement. Casual employees covered by the National Minimum Wage also get a 25% casual loading.
Many job seekers unknowingly sabotage their chances by repeating avoidable mistakes, from submitting generic resumes to going silent after interviews. These missteps can be the difference between landing a great opportunity and getting passed over without explanation.
You may get JobSeeker Payment if any of the following apply: you're unemployed. you're not in full time work, for example you're doing part time or casual work. you've been temporarily stood down.
You must tell Jobcentre Plus if you do any work while you're getting New Style Jobseeker's Allowance ( JSA ). Your benefit might be reduced or stopped if you do not report a change straight away. You cannot usually get New Style JSA if you work 16 hours or more a week on average, unless you work in certain jobs.
Job seekers who are participating in sufficient paid part-time work to satisfy their Mutual Obligation requirements will not be required to undertake Work for the Dole. In addition, job seekers who are not on a full rate of income support cannot be compelled to undertake Work for the Dole.
Yes, 15 hours a week is definitely considered part-time, as it's well below the typical 30-40 hours for full-time work, falling into the standard range for reduced schedules that provide fewer hours but still offer stable employment. While definitions vary, part-time usually means fewer than 30-35 hours, and many part-time roles explicitly list 10-20 hours, making 15 hours a common part-time commitment.
Your savings and capital (or your partner's savings, capital and income) are not taken into account when claiming New Style JSA . However, your earnings and any payment you're getting from a pension can affect the amount you may receive.
Income Support or Jobseeker's Allowance
If you are working less than 16 hours per week, and your partner is working less than 24 hours per week, then you may be eligible to claim these benefits but the amount you are entitled to could be affected by any earnings you have.
Part-time workers typically work 15-34 hours weekly, offering businesses flexible, cost-effective staffing solutions across various industries. Part-time employees are legally protected by the FLSA, ensuring minimum wage, overtime pay, and anti-discrimination safeguards despite receiving fewer benefits.
No, it is not illegal to work for 2 hours, but many Awards require employers to pay minimum shift hours of 3–4 hours even if you only work 2.
Additionally, any job seeker in Workforce Australia may also fully meet their requirements through 70 hours per fortnight of a combination of paid work and approved study (3.11. 6). Those fully meeting their requirements are not required to look for additional work or participate in other activities.
Part Time Employees: While they might earn less per hour compared to casual workers, part time staff benefit from greater job security and employment benefits. These include accruing paid leave and the possibility of earning promotions or advancing within the company.
We'll start to reduce your payment if your income is more than $150 a fortnight. Your payment will reduce by 50 cents for each dollar of income you have between $150 and $250.
The biggest red flags in an interview often involve lack of transparency, negative talk about past employees, disorganization/poor communication, aggressive sales tactics, or an unclear role/expectations, all pointing to potential toxic cultures, poor management, or unrealistic demands where you're set up for failure or burnout. A major warning is hearing about high turnover, constant "family" talk, or being pressured to accept an offer immediately.
It is impossible to live alone on the jobseeker payment, the report found, with basic weekly costs exceeding income by $135 a week.
The ten-second rule is a concept you might have heard of during your job hunt. The idea is that your resume needs to make an impression on a hiring manager in less than ten seconds if you want to get the job.
Yes, $36 an hour (around $75k annually) is a solid wage in Australia, generally considered good as it's above the minimum wage and near or slightly above the median earnings for many full-time roles, providing a comfortable living, though it's below the average for higher-paid professionals, depending on location and lifestyle needs.
A casual hourly rate is typically a base rate plus a casual loading (usually 25%) to compensate for the lack of benefits like paid leave, with Australia's 2025 national minimum casual rate around $30.13 - $31.35/hour, depending on the award/agreement, with higher rates for penalty hours (evenings, weekends). Rates vary significantly by industry and award, so checking the relevant award or using the Fair Work Ombudsman's Pay and Conditions Tool is crucial for specific roles.