logo-Centrelink

Changes which affect New Zealand citizens claiming payments in Australia:

What are the changes?

The Australian Government announced changes to the Social Security Act on 26 February 2001 which may affect whether New Zealand citizens can get payments from Centrelink. These changes mean New Zealand citizens arriving in Australia after 26 February 2001 may now have to meet the following criteria to get a payment from Centrelink:

  • become an Australian citizen; OR
  • get a permanent resident visa; AND
  • satisfy any other requirements including, for most payments, a waiting period (usually 2 years).

Generally, all New Zealand citizens are automatically granted a Special Category Visa (SCV) when they arrive in Australia. Previously, people who were granted SCVs used to qualify as an Australian resident and were able to claim and qualify for all Australian social security payments (as long as you met all other qualifications).

The new rules mean people with SCVs who are affected by the changes will no longer qualify as an Australian resident and will need to get a permanent resident visa or become an Australian citizen to qualify for payments (as well as satisfy any other requirements such as waiting periods). The need to get a permanent visa or Australian citizenship already applies to people who arrive in Australia from any other country.

New Zealand citizens can still travel to Australia to live and work indefinitely and have access to public education and health care.

[ return to top ]

Am I affected by the changes?

You will not be affected by these changes if you are a New Zealand citizen and:

  • are currently getting a Centrelink payment
  • were in Australia on 26 February 2001 as a SCV holder
  • were in Australia for a total of 12 months between 26 February 1999 and 26 February 2001 (this does not have to be a continuous period)
  • have applied for and received a certificate from Centrelink confirming your residence status (applications closed in February 2004)

Please Note:You will still have to meet all other requirements, such as a waiting period, to get a payment.

[ return to top ]

What payments are not affected by the changes?

No matter what date you arrive in Australia, you will still be able to claim these payments or cards.

Please Note: You will have to meet all other requirements to receive these payments or cards. This includes waiting periods for concession cards for newly arrived migrants.

You will also have access to some employment services such as job search support and self-help facilities and services.

From 1 July 2002, you may be able to claim Age Pension, Disability Support Pension (if you are severely disabled) and Carer Payment (for partners of Disability Support Pensioners) under the revised Agreement. If you are getting a payment under the previous (1995) New Zealand agreement, you will continue to do so provided you remain qualified.

Please Note: Under the current agreement, you may need to satisfy special conditions. If you want to claim one of these payments, contact Centrelink to find out whether you have to satisfy any other requirements under the agreement.

[ return to top ]

How do I find out more?

To find out more about Australian residence changes which may affect New Zealand citizens:

[ return to top ]

Did you find what you were looking for? You can also try the A-Z list, quick links, search, site help or send us feedback on how to make this a better website.

Return to Top