Unemployment Benefits for Immigrants in Australia

What to Expect If You Lose Your Job After Moving to Australia

Unless you are independently wealthy, there is nothing fun about not having any income coming into your household. The prospect of losing your job or being laid off is even scarier when you are living in a foreign country. A lot of times you are not eligible for assistance as an immigrant since you are not a citizen. However, if you have moved to Australia and end up finding yourself unemployed you might be able to get unemployment benefits if certain conditions are met.

If you find yourself unemployed in Australia but are not an Australian citizen, you can still get unemployment benefits if you are a new immigrant. If you are unemployed you will need to register with the Department of Social Security. Provided that you meet their qualifications, you will be given an unemployment form to complete and submit within 14 days. To complete the form, you will need to provide your tax file number and proof of your identity. If you have lost a job, you will need to have your Employer Separation Certificate as well. The Employer Separation Certificate states the reason that you left your job and what your wages were while you held the position.

As a new immigrant you are allowed to claim unemployment benefits, however there is a two year waiting period before payments can begin for you. Australia's unemployment benefits system in divided into two categories: job search and new start. And once you have been unemployed for more than one year, you apply for the new start allowance. The payment disbursement varies depending on your individual conditions, but payments can be from $200 per week to $350 per week. You should know that the new start allowance, as well as the job search allowance, is not paid to you while you are out of the country.