Exempting a job seeker from their mutual obligation requirements when going overseas 001-09120040

PP can generally be paid outside Australia for up to six weeks. PP customers are automatically exempt from any mutual obligation requirements while they are payable outside Australia. If the customer is scheduled to attend an interview while they are outside Australia, the interview must be rescheduled for after their date of return to Australia.

JobSeeker Payment (JSP) and Youth Allowance (YA) job seekers can generally be paid outside Australia for a specific negotiated period when the customer is:

• Dealing with an acute family crisis such as death or serious illness
• Attending legal proceedings (including custody cases) or adoption proceedings
• Receiving eligible medical treatment of a kind which is not available in Australia
• Attending an Australian Defence Force Reserves training camp overseas. Payment can be made for the length of the camp

If a customer has advised their overseas travel meets the initial criteria for an approved temporary absence, the case must be referred to Centrelink International Services (CIS) to assess entitlement and code the departure. These situations will automatically exempt the customer from mutual obligation requirements for the specific negotiated period determined by CIS.

The customer's job seeker registration remains current, but they will be suspended from Employment Provider Services when an exemption from mutual obligation requirements is coded. They are still required to attend an Employment Services Provider interview when required. However if they do not attend, and it is due to the reason they have been exempt, then this can be considered a reasonable excuse for not attending.