Youth Allowance for job seekers

To get this payment, you must be 16 to 21 and 1 of the following:

looking for full time work
studying part time and looking for work
temporarily unable to work.

Read the full conditions under who can get it.

Read more about Youth Allowance for students and Australian Apprentices if you’re both:

aged 24 or younger
a full time student or Australian Apprentice.

This may be better for your situation.

Who can get it

You need to meet some rules to get Youth Allowance as a job seeker.

How much you can get

We use income and assets tests to work out how much Youth Allowance for job seekers you get. These are the maximum rates.

What your commitments are

There are things you must do to keep getting your Youth Allowance as a job seeker payment.

How to claim

Complete the following steps to claim Youth Allowance for job seekers. Before you start, check if you can get it.

When you'll get your first payment

There may be 1 or more waiting periods that apply before you get your first job seekers Youth Allowance payment.

How to report and manage your payment

To keep getting Youth Allowance for job seekers payment you need to report your income every 2 weeks. You also need to keep meeting your mutual obligation requirements.

What other help is available

We have a range of other information and services to help you manage your payment or get extra support.

Page last updated: 9 March 2021

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