JobSeeker Payment (unemployment support)

Services Australia (Centrelink)Verified 22 Oct 2026Official pages checked daily

JobSeeker Payment is income support for people aged 22 to Age Pension age who are looking for work, or who cannot work for a short time because of illness or injury. Centrelink pays it every 2 weeks. You must be an Australian resident (a citizen, permanent resident or protected New Zealand SCV holder) and be in Australia; most new permanent residents wait 4 years, and temporary visa holders are usually not eligible. From 20 September 2026 the maximum rate for a single person with no children is A$824.90 a fortnight. You must also pass the income and assets tests and meet mutual obligation requirements (looking for work) while you receive it.

Key facts

Age: From 22 to Age Pension age¹
Residence requirements: On the day you claim you must be living in Australia, be in Australia and be an Australian resident, all at the same time. While you receive the payment you must also live in Australia as an Australian resident³
Who counts as an Australian resident: Someone who lives in Australia and is an Australian citizen, a permanent visa holder, or a protected Special Category visa (SCV) holder from New Zealand. New Zealand citizens on a non-protected SCV who arrived after 26 February 2001 generally cannot get income support⁴
Newly arrived resident's waiting period (NARWP): If your permanent residence was granted on or after 1 January 2019, you wait 4 years for JobSeeker; if it was granted before 1 January 2019, 2 years. Only days spent in Australia as an Australian resident count; time overseas does not. Refugees, Australian citizens and some others are exempt⁵
Maximum fortnightly rates (from 20 September 2026): Single, no children: A$824.90. Single with a dependent child: A$883.30. Single, aged 55 or over, after 9 months in a row on income support: A$883.30. Single with an assessed capacity to work of less than 15 hours a week: A$883.30. Partnered: A$755.10. Single principal carer exempt from mutual obligation requirements: A$1,068.20. Rates change on 20 March and 20 September each year²
Income test (single, not a principal carer): Income up to A$150 a fortnight does not reduce your payment. Between A$150 and A$256, the payment drops by 50 cents for every dollar; above A$256, by 60 cents for every dollar. A single person with no children gets nothing once income reaches A$1,557.17 a fortnight⁶
Income test (partnered): Each partner's income is assessed separately. If your partner is aged 22 to Age Pension age, every dollar they earn over A$1,440.00 a fortnight reduces your payment by 60 cents. If your partner does not get a pension, your income limit is A$1,439.34 minus your own income⁶
Assets test limits (payment stops above these): Single: A$333,000 if you own your home, A$600,000 if you do not. Couple combined: A$499,000 if you own your home, A$766,000 if you do not. The home you live in does not count⁷
Mutual obligation requirements: Agree to and follow a Job Plan, look for work and report your job search as required, attend appointments with your employment services provider, go to all job interviews, accept suitable work, and do not leave a job or training without a good reason. Not meeting these can lead to demerits and payment reductions⁸
Reporting every 2 weeks: While you receive the payment, every 2 weeks you must report your and your partner's employment income for the past 14 days, even if it is A$0. Your first payment is only made after your first report⁸
Waiting periods: There may be a 1-week ordinary waiting period. If you have liquid assets (savings and similar), you wait 1 to 13 weeks depending on the amount. If you received annual leave or redundancy pay when you left your job, an income maintenance period may also apply. You usually get a decision within 21 days of lodging your claim, and the first payment about 2 weeks after approval¹⁰
Liquid assets waiting period: Liquid assets are money you can access easily, such as savings, including wages your employer owes you. A single person with no dependants waits if liquid assets reach A$5,500; a partnered person or a single person with dependants waits from A$11,000. The wait is 1 extra week for every A$500 above that (A$1,000 if partnered or with dependants), up to the full 13 weeks at A$11,500 or more for a single person or A$23,000 or more if partnered. You can ask for it to be waived if you are in severe financial hardship¹²
Claiming early: You can start your claim up to 13 weeks before your circumstances change (for example before you lose your job) and submit it 14 days early⁹
Centrelink phone numbers: Employment services line (for JobSeeker): 132 850, Monday to Friday 8am–5pm. Multilingual phone service: 131 202, Monday to Friday 8am–5pm. Reporting line: 133 276¹¹
It is taxable: JobSeeker Payment is taxable income. You can ask Centrelink to withhold tax from it²

Who is this for, and what are the requirements?

Aged 22 to Age Pension age. Job seekers aged 21 or under apply for Youth Allowance, not JobSeeker.
An Australian resident who is in Australia: a citizen, permanent resident or protected New Zealand SCV holder. Temporary visa holders, such as student, work and working holiday visa holders, are not 'Australian residents' and generally cannot get JobSeeker.
New permanent residents: if your PR was granted on or after 1 January 2019, you generally need to have lived in Australia as a resident for 4 years before you can get it. There are exemptions, for example for refugees or if you become a single principal carer.
Unemployed, only working part-time or casual, temporarily stood down or on reduced hours; or temporarily unable to do your usual work or study because of a short-term illness or injury (with a medical certificate).
Pass the income test and the assets test, and agree to meet mutual obligation requirements.
You may not be eligible if you receive certain Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) payments.

How do I do it? Steps and process

Check with Payment Finder first
Use the Centrelink Payment Finder on the Services Australia website to see whether you meet the JobSeeker conditions and to estimate your payment. Focus on: your age, whether you are an Australian resident, whether a newly arrived resident's waiting period applies, and your income and assets.
Set up myGov and link Centrelink
Create a myGov account if you do not have one, then link Centrelink to it. The first time you use Centrelink you must prove your identity. If you already have a CRN (Customer Reference Number), you can link straight away. If not, you can verify your identity digitally with myID, or enter your identity details online (passport, visa, driver licence and so on) to get a CRN; you may need to show documents at a service centre.
Submit your claim online
Sign in to myGov, go to Centrelink, then Make a claim, Job Seekers, Get started, Apply for JobSeeker Payment. Follow the prompts and upload your documents. You can start the claim up to 13 weeks before you lose your job and submit it 14 days early. If you cannot get online, call the employment services line on 132 850 to claim by phone.
Wait for the decision and send any extra documents
After you submit, you get a claim ID and an estimated completion date, and you can track progress in myGov without calling. If more documents are needed, Centrelink will tell you; upload them online. You usually get a decision within 21 days, sent to your myGov inbox. If you are in financial hardship, tell Centrelink; special help may be available.
Complete your first tasks
Once approved, you must complete some initial tasks before the first payment: agree to a Job Plan (at your first appointment if you have an employment services provider, or online with Workforce Australia Online), possibly complete a Career Profile, and submit your first income report. Your first payment follows.
Report every 2 weeks and meet your obligations
Every 2 weeks, report your income through myGov, the Express Plus Centrelink app or the reporting line on 133 276, even if it is A$0. Look for work and attend appointments and interviews as set out in your Job Plan. If you have an employment services provider, take questions to them. Tell Centrelink promptly about any change (moving house, moving in with a partner, changes in income or savings, buying or selling a car or property); otherwise you may have to repay any overpayment.

What documents do I need?

Proof of identity: Australian passport, birth certificate, citizenship certificate or visa, plus a driver licence, ImmiCard or similar (to get a CRN)
Bank account details and your TFN
Income and asset details: pay slips, savings, investments, property, vehicles and so on
If you left a job: an Employment Separation Certificate completed by your employer (if Centrelink asks for it)
If claiming because of illness or injury: a medical certificate
If you have a partner: your partner's income and asset details

What should I watch out for?

Temporary visa holders (student, work, 485, working holiday and similar) do not meet the residence requirement and cannot get JobSeeker. New Zealand citizens need to check whether they hold a protected SCV. If you are in serious hardship, you can look into the exemptions for Special Benefit, but the conditions are strict.
The newly arrived resident's waiting period counts only days spent in Australia as an Australian resident; days overseas after getting PR do not count. Holders of a temporary partner visa (subclass 309 or 820) can only get a Low Income Health Care Card and Special Benefit during the waiting period.
Having savings does not mean you cannot get JobSeeker, but if a single person's liquid assets (including wages your employer owes you) reach A$5,500, or A$11,000 if you have a partner or children, you wait 1 to 13 weeks before payments start. The assets test limits are separate.
You can do casual work while on JobSeeker. Income up to A$150 a fortnight does not reduce your payment; above that it is reduced on a sliding scale. When your income is low you build up working credits, which can offset income in later fortnights when you earn more.
Not meeting mutual obligation requirements leads to demerits and payment reductions. You can apply for a temporary exemption for illness, family and domestic violence, homelessness, late pregnancy and similar situations, but you must keep meeting your obligations while it is assessed.
Phone queues are long. Services Australia recommends doing most things in myGov or the app. For an interpreter, call the multilingual phone service on 131 202.
JobSeeker Payment is taxable income and must be included in your tax return. You can ask Centrelink to withhold a little tax each fortnight.
JobSeeker may affect the child support you pay or receive. Tell Centrelink about changes in your income.
This page is a plain-English summary of public information. Rates and rules are those on the current Services Australia website. It is not immigration, legal or financial advice.

What has changed recently?

2026-09-20
JobSeeker maximum fortnightly rates changed: single with no children A$824.90; single with a dependent child, single aged 55 or over after 9 months, or partial capacity to work A$883.30; partnered A$755.10; single principal carer exempt from mutual obligation requirements A$1,068.20.Source: servicesaustralia.gov.au ↗

Common questions

I lost my job in Australia. Can I get unemployment benefits from Centrelink?

Yes, if you meet the conditions for JobSeeker Payment. You must be aged 22 to Age Pension age, be an Australian resident (citizen, permanent resident or protected New Zealand SCV holder) and be in Australia. Most new permanent residents wait 4 years, and temporary visa holders are usually not eligible. You must also pass the income and assets tests and agree to mutual obligation requirements. Use the Payment Finder on the Services Australia website to check.

How much is JobSeeker Payment?

JobSeeker is paid every 2 weeks, not monthly. From 20 September 2026, the maximum fortnightly rate is A$824.90 for a single person with no children, A$883.30 for a single person with a dependent child, A$755.10 if you have a partner, and A$1,068.20 for a single principal carer exempt from mutual obligation requirements. Your actual payment depends on the income and assets tests. Rates change on 20 March and 20 September each year.

I just got my PR. Can I claim JobSeeker, or do I have to wait?

Usually you have to wait 4 years. If your permanent residence was granted on or after 1 January 2019, the newly arrived resident's waiting period for JobSeeker is 4 years; if before that date, 2 years. Only days spent in Australia as an Australian resident count, not time overseas. Refugees and people who become a single principal carer are among those exempt. Temporary partner visa holders (subclass 309 or 820) can only get a Low Income Health Care Card and Special Benefit while waiting.

I'm on a student or work visa and lost my job. Can I apply to Centrelink?

Generally no. Student, work, 485, working holiday and other temporary visa holders are not 'Australian residents', so they do not meet the residence requirement for JobSeeker. If you are in serious hardship, you can look into the exemptions for Special Benefit, but the conditions are strict. For an interpreter, call the Services Australia multilingual phone service on 131 202.

Can I get JobSeeker if I have savings? What is the assets limit?

Yes, but savings can delay your first payment. If a single person's liquid assets (savings, including wages your employer owes you) reach A$5,500, or A$11,000 if you have a partner or dependants, you wait 1 to 13 weeks. The assets test limits are separate: payment stops above A$333,000 for a single homeowner or A$600,000 for a single non-homeowner, and above A$499,000 or A$766,000 for a couple. The home you live in does not count.

Can I do casual work while on JobSeeker? How much can I earn before my payment is reduced?

Yes. For a single person, income up to A$150 a fortnight does not reduce the payment. Between A$150 and A$256 the payment drops by 50 cents for each dollar, and above A$256 by 60 cents for each dollar. A single person with no children gets nothing once income reaches A$1,557.17 a fortnight. When your income is low you build up working credits to offset higher income later. Report your income every 2 weeks, even if it is A$0.

How do I apply for JobSeeker? Do I have to go to a Centrelink office?

You usually do not need to visit an office. Create a myGov account, link Centrelink and prove your identity (link straight away if you have a CRN; otherwise use myID or enter your documents online, and visit a service centre only if needed). Then sign in to myGov, go to Centrelink, Make a claim, Job Seekers, and follow the prompts to apply and upload documents. If you cannot get online, call 132 850. You usually get a decision within 21 days.

What do I have to do while on JobSeeker? Will my payment stop if I miss an appointment?

You must meet mutual obligation requirements: agree to and follow a Job Plan, look for work and report your job search, attend appointments with your employment services provider, go to all job interviews, accept suitable work, and not leave a job without a good reason. Missing these can lead to demerits and payment reductions. You can ask for a temporary exemption for illness, family and domestic violence, homelessness or late pregnancy, but keep meeting your obligations while it is assessed.

Answers are based on the verified content of this page — the official source always prevails.

Where can I check the official information?

JobSeeker PaymentServices Australia · servicesaustralia.gov.au
How much JobSeeker Payment you can getServices Australia · servicesaustralia.gov.au
Residence rules for JobSeeker PaymentServices Australia · servicesaustralia.gov.au
Residence descriptionsServices Australia · servicesaustralia.gov.au
Newly arrived resident's waiting periodServices Australia · servicesaustralia.gov.au
Income test for JobSeeker PaymentServices Australia · servicesaustralia.gov.au
Income and assets tests for JobSeeker PaymentServices Australia · servicesaustralia.gov.au
Mutual obligation requirementsServices Australia · servicesaustralia.gov.au
How to claim JobSeeker PaymentServices Australia · servicesaustralia.gov.au
When you'll get your first JobSeeker PaymentServices Australia · servicesaustralia.gov.au
Phone usServices Australia · servicesaustralia.gov.au
Liquid assets waiting periodServices Australia · servicesaustralia.gov.au

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