Newly Arrived Resident's Waiting Period

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• What is the Newly Arrived Resident’s Waiting Period?
• If I am serving the two year newly arrived resident’s waiting period, can I still use Centrelink Services?
• Is anyone exempt from the newly arrived resident’s waiting period?
• Do other payments have a newly arrived resident’s waiting period?
• Is there a newly arrived resident’s waiting period for family payments?
• More information

What is the Newly Arrived Resident’s Waiting Period?

You can usually only get a social security payment from Centrelink if you live in Australia and are either an Australian citizen or you have a permanent resident visa. If you are a newly arrived resident you will also have a two year newly arrived resident’s waiting period for:

• Austudy
• Carer Payment (adult)
• Carer Payment (child)
• Commonwealth Seniors Health Card
• Crisis Payment
• Health Care Card (low income)
• Mobility Allowance
• Newstart Allowance
• Partner Allowance
• Sickness Allowance
• Special Benefit
• Youth Allowance.

You will have to serve a waiting period if you have not been an Australian resident, and in Australia, for periods totalling 104 weeks. Periods spent in Australia as an Australian resident at any time in your life can be counted towards the waiting period.

If you are in hardship because of a substantial change of circumstances beyond your control, you may be eligible for Special Benefit. Strict income and assets tests apply to this payment. Not being able to find or keep a job is not considered a change of circumstances.

If you are a migrant and you do not meet the conditions for independent admission to Australia, you may be required to have an Assurance of Support.

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If I am serving the two year newly arrived resident’s waiting period, can I still use Centrelink Services?

Yes, once you are registered with Centrelink, you can register with Job Services Australia for help to find work. You can also use the Employment Self Help facilities available in Centrelink Customer Service Centres.

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Is anyone exempt from the newly arrived resident’s waiting period?

You and your immediate family members (partners and dependent children) are exempt from the waiting period if you are:

1. a refugee
2. a humanitarian visa holder
3. the former holder of certain temporary visas.

If you are an Australian citizen or have a permanent resident visa and are getting Special Benefit, your immediate family members (partner and dependent children) who are not Australian citizens or permanent residents are also exempt from the two year waiting period.

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Do other payments have a newly arrived resident’s waiting period?

Some other payments, such as pensions, do not have a newly arrived resident's waiting period, but have their own 'qualifying residence' requirements:

1. Parenting Payment and Widow Allowance have qualifying residence requirements of two years
2. Age Pension and Disability Support Pension have qualifying residence requirements of ten years.

There are some exceptions to these requirements, for example, if you become disabled after arriving in Australia, are a refugee, or come from a country with which Australia has a social security agreement.

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Is there a newly arrived resident’s waiting period for family payments?

There is no waiting period for family payments which help with the cost of bringing up children. Migrants also have immediate access to health care under Medicare.

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More information

• Contact your nearest Centrelink Customer Service Centre.

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