Contents
Jobseeker Support : Contents

Qualifications

To get Jobseeker Support a client must:

  • not be in full-time employment
  • be available for and seeking full-time employment
  • have taken reasonable steps to find, and be willing and able to undertake employment

or

or

  • have a temporary exemption from their work obligations

or

  • not be in full-time employment, however are willing to undertake it, but due to a health condition, injury or a disability, are limited in their capacity to seek, undertake, or be available for full-time employment

or

  • be in employment, but due to a health condition, injury or a disability is losing earnings because they are not actually working or are working at a reduced level

A client must also:

  • be aged
    • 18 years or older if they have no dependent children or
    • 20 years or older, if they have dependent children
  • have continuously lived in New Zealand for 2 years or more since becoming a New Zealand citizen or residence class visa holder
  • complete any pre-benefit requirements, if applicable and
  • have no income, or an income of less than the amount that would fully reduce the benefit

Jobseeker Support on ground of hardship

To get Jobseeker Support on ground of hardship, the client must meet the above qualifications except for the residence criteria.

However they must:

  • be a New Zealand citizen or residence class visa holder but have lived in New Zealand for less than 2 years
  • be suffering hardship and
  • not qualify for any other main benefit.

For more information on each qualification see:

Legislation

  • Jobseeker support: requirements sections 20 Social Security Act 2018
  • What is work gap section 21 Social Security Act 2018
  • When person is available for work section 22 Social Security Act 2018
  • Jobseeker support: age requirement section 23 Social Security Act 2018
  • Jobseeker support: no or minimum income section 24 Social Security Act 2018
  • Jobseeker support: discretionary grant on ground of hardship section 25 Social Security Act 2018
  • Jobseeker support: ineligibility sections 26 Social Security Act 2018
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A residence class visa means a:

A residence class visa allows people to live in New Zealand indefinitely. The visa also lets people work and study in New Zealand. There are different travel conditions based on the type of residence class visa.

Residence class visas are granted by Immigration New Zealand.

For the purpose of deciding if a person meets the residence criteria for financial assistance from MSD, people who ...

A person enrolled:

Legislation

A person can be a New Zealand citizen by either:

For New Zealand citizenship, New Zealand includes the self-governing states of:

Citizenship is granted by the Department of Internal Affairs.

Note people born in New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Niue, or Tokelau may not automatically be New Zealand citizens. To be considered a New Zealand citizen from birth, a person born on or after 1 January 2006 must have:

A main benefit means one of the following:

Legislation