Payments
Residence requirements
To qualify for Carer Payment (caring for a person 16 years or over), both you and the person you are caring for must be Australian residents (that is, you live permanently in Australia) and be in Australia when you claim. You must also be:
- an Australian citizen, or
- a permanent visa holder, or
- a New Zealand citizen who was in Australia on 26 February 2001 or for 12 months in the 2 years immediately before that date, or who was assessed as 'protected' before 26 February 2004.
Newly arrived residents generally have a 104-week waiting period. There are some exemptions including for refugees, the holders of certain other permanent visas, Australian citizens and in some circumstances their partners and dependent children.
Note: If you claim Carer Payment under Australia’s international social security agreements, your residence requirements may differ.
More information
- Changes which affect New Zealand citizens claiming payments in Australia
- International social security agreements
- Newly arrived resident's waiting period
- Carer Payment (caring for a person 16 years or over) section
On the Department of Immigration and Citizenship website