Centrelink Entitlement As Kiwis in Australia

 

 

Centrelink is the Australian welfare system responsible for government benefits and payments. Centrelink delivers a range of government payments and services for retirees, the unemployed, families, carers, parents, people with disabilities, Indigenous Australians, and people from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, and provides services at times of major change.

New Zealand citizens arriving in Australia are normally granted a temporary Special Category 444 Visa (SCV) that allows them to stay and study or work indefinitely. Although most don’t realise it, it is not a permanent visa. New Zealanders are therefore subject to the same conditions as other foreigners if they wish to apply for permanent residence and Australian citizenship.

Being a Kiwi in Australia can bring on some Centrelink entitlements.

You can claim benefits immediately, provided you are in Australia and intend to live in Australia permanently. You can apply for any of the Australian government payments listed by registering for Centrelink Online Services.

There’s also Family Tax Benefit that intends to help you with the costs of raising your children. These tax-free payments are Family Tax Benefit Part A which is available if you have dependent children. The other one is Family Tax Benefit Part B that gives extra help to single parents and families with one main income.

For the pension entitlement, an agreement has been set with the New Zealand government. This is to allow New Zealand citizens, living in Australia to claim the following:

  • Age Pension – main income support payment for people aged at least 65 years and 6 months. To be eligible for this benefit you must be:
    • An Australian resident, normally for at least 10 years
    • Earn under the income and assets test limits
    • 65 years and 6 months old of age, at least
  • Disability Support Pension – this is a financial help if you have a permanent physical, intellectual or psychiatric condition that stops you from working. Eligibility criteria includes:
    • Have a permanent medical condition that prevents you from working 15 hours or more per week within the next 2 years
    • At least 16 and under age pension age
    • Earn under the income and assets test limits
  • Carer Payment – an income support every 2 weeks for people giving constant care, in a private home, to someone who is disabled or requires care due to age. For this one, you and the person getting care must fall below the income and assets test limits. You must:
    • Give constant, daily care to someone who has a severe disability or severe illness or is frail aged
    • Care for them in a private home for at least 6 months
    • Spend no more than 25 hours a week away from caring for work, study or training
    • Not be on another income support payment

 

Australia also entered into an agreement with New Zealand to share responsibility for social security coverage. Australia’s social security system is different to those of most other developed countries. Each person’s pension is paid by the Australian Government out of general funds, rather than through contributions paid by individuals and employers into a social insurance fund. For this reason, Australian pensions are income and asset tested.

 

Want to be happy and productive Kiwi in Australia? Get in touch with Condor Migration for an absolutely free session. Contact us at 07 3062 0961. Skype and email: info@condormigration.com.