Payments for visa holders

We provide payments and services if you have a visa to stay in Australia, including support to help you with the cost of raising children and looking after dependants.

Families with children

Payments such as Family Tax Benefit, Child Care Benefit and Child Care Rebate are available to help with the costs of raising children. You may be eligible if you are a carer of a child, whether it is your birth-child, grandchild, foster child or adopted child.

Jobs, Education and Training Child Care Fee Assistance provides extra help with the cost of approved child care if you are looking for work, studying, training or undertaking rehabilitation to enter, or re-enter, the workforce.

If you have just had a baby or recently adopted a child Baby Bonus, paid in 13 fortnightly instalments, is available to eligible families following birth or adoption.

The Paid Parental Leave scheme provides financial support to eligible working parents when they take time off work to care for a newborn or recently adopted child. There are two payments available under the scheme:

• Parental Leave Pay (up to 18 weeks) if you are a child’s primary carer, and
• Dad and Partner Pay (up to two weeks) for dads or partners, available from 1 January 2013

Parental Leave Pay and Baby Bonus cannot be paid for the same child.

Double Orphan Pension provides help with the costs of caring for children who are orphans or unable to be cared for by their parents in certain circumstances.

People with a disability

The Disability Support Pension provides financial support if you have a physical, intellectual or psychiatric condition that prevents you from working, or if you are permanently blind.

Carer Payment can provide financial support if you are unable to work in substantial paid employment because you are providing full time daily care to someone with a severe disability or medical condition, or to someone who is frail aged.

Carer Allowance is a supplementary payment for parents or carers who provide additional daily care to an adult or child with a severe disability, medical condition or is frail aged.

Social security payments and services

In general, social security payments and services are only available to people who reside in Australia and have certain legal resident status, for example Australian citizenship or permanent visa. Some waiting periods may apply.

Health care

Australia has signed Reciprocal Health Care Agreements with certain countries. Under these agreements, some health services and subsidised medicines are provided to visitors from these countries when they are in Australia

Severe and extreme circumstances

Crisis Payment is a one-off payment that helps if you have experienced difficult or extreme circumstances. This payment helps people who arrive in Australia for the first time on a refugee or humanitarian visa.

The Special Benefit is a payment that helps people who are in severe financial need because of reasons outside their control and who cannot receive any other Centrelink pension or benefits.

Other government and community support services

There are a range of government and community organisations that provide support services and useful information you may find helpful.

Australia.gov.au connects you to information and services across Australia including information on living in Australia.

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship provides access to a range of information about Australian visas and Australian citizenship including links to useful resources and support services.