Migrants to wait Three Years for Welfare Benefits, instead of Two Years.
Migrants who arrive in Australia from July 2018 will have to wait three years before they can access certain welfare payments from Centrelink, an increase from the current two year waiting period.
Those bringing relatives over to Australia on a family visa will also need to guarantee their financial independence for three years.
A statement on the:
Australian Government Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook 2017-18
From 1 July 2018, the current two year waiting period for a range of payments will be extended to three years; a three year waiting period will be applied to Family Tax Benefit (FTB), Paid Parental Leave (PPL) and Carers Allowance; and the current two year Assurance of Support requirement applying to family visas will be increased to three years.
The Government will include a short term exemption for newly arrived residents who would have otherwise been eligible to receive PPL between 1 July 2018 and 31 December 2018.
More at Page 9 on: http://www.budget.gov.au/2017-18/content/myefo/download/01_Part_1.pdf