Participation and Activity Test requirements
Participation and Activity Test requirements
If you receive Newstart, Youth Allowance, Parenting Payment (with participation requirements) or Special Benefit (and you have a particular visa type) you must meet your participation or Activity Test requirements as a condition of your payment.
Meeting your participation or Activity Test requirements
To meet your participation or Activity Test requirements you must:
- demonstrate that you are actively looking for suitable paid work
- accept suitable work offers
- attend all job interviews
- agree to attend approved training courses or programs
- never leave a job, training course or program without a good reason
- enter into an Employment Path Plan if asked to do so.
If you are unable to attend an appointment or activity that Centrelink or your provider has arranged, contact them as soon as possible to make alternative arrangements.
You must meet all participation and Activity Test requirements to continue receiving payment. If you do not meet these requirements, or do not contact before the activity or appointment is due to commence to advise why you can’t attend, your payment may stop. You may also incur a failure, which will affect your payments. You will lose your payment for up to eight weeks if you deliberately and persistently avoid your obligations.
- No Show, No Pay failure
- Connection failure
- Reconnection failure
- Comprehensive Compliance Assessment
- Serious failure
- Unemployment Non-Payment Period
More information
- For more information about Activity Test and participation requirements, refer to the Activity test and participation requirements for job seekers factsheet.
- For more information about Centrelink's flexible arrangements for parents and principal carers, refer to the Flexible arrangements for parents and principal carers brochure.
Link references
- http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/payments/newstart.htm
- http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/payments/youth_allow.htm
- http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/payments/nsnp.htm
- http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/payments/connection_failure.htm
- http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/payments/reconnection_failure.htm
- http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/payments/cca.htm
- http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/payments/serious_failure.htm
- http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/payments/unpp.htm
- http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/publications/lw054.htm
- http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/publications/lw065.htm