When you'll get your first payment

There may be one or more waiting periods that apply before you get your first Youth Allowance for job seekers payment.

When you can get Youth Allowance for job seekers is based on your circumstances. There may be some waiting periods that affect how soon you can get your first payment.

What you need to do before you get paid

You’ll need to complete your initial tasks and report your income before we can make your first payment.

When you’ll get paid

In most cases, you’ll get your first Youth Allowance for job seekers payment around 2 weeks after we approve your claim. You may have to wait longer if any waiting periods apply. Once your payment starts, we’ll pay you fortnightly.

We calculate the waiting periods that apply to you when we assess your claim. You can expect to hear from us within 21 days of submitting your claim. The time it takes us to assess your claim doesn’t affect your waiting period.

If you’re having any trouble getting the information to submit your claim, call us on the youth and students line.

If your Centrelink online account is linked to myGov, you can check your completed claim online. Sign in now to find out:

  • when we’ve accepted your claim
  • when your payment will start
  • when you need to report your income
  • when your first income report is due.

Sign in to myGov

You’ll need to report your income before we can make your first payment.

After you’ve submitted your claim, if you’re experiencing financial hardship, read about severe financial hardship provisions.

Why you may have to wait

Some people will have a one week ordinary waiting period. In some circumstances, you may have to wait longer for your first payment.

You have savings or other money

If you or your partner have liquid assets over certain limits, you may have to wait one to 13 weeks. Liquid assets are any funds readily available to you or your partner. This includes money owed by your or your partner’s employer.

Read about liquid assets waiting periods.

You got a lump sum payment when you finished work

You may have to wait if your employer paid you a lump sum as either:

  • annual leave
  • a redundancy when you left.

The time you have to wait is relative to the lump sum payment. Read about income maintenance periods.

You recently finished seasonal work

If you or your partner finished seasonal, contract or intermittent work in the 6 months before claiming, you may have to wait.

The time you need to wait depends on how much you earned and how long you were working. Read about the seasonal work preclusion period.

You’re new to Australia

If you’ve recently arrived in Australia as a resident, you may have to wait up to 4 years to qualify. Read about the newly arrived resident’s waiting period.

You’ve had a compensation payment

If you’ve had a lump sum compensation payment, you may have to wait. The time you have to wait depends on how much your lump sum payment is. Use our estimator or contact us for information about your compensation preclusion period.

We have tips and tools for budgeting and managing your money during this time.

Page last updated: 6 September 2024.
QC 43976