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Changing the reason for leaving Australia or the length of an approved absence 061-03040030

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This document outlines the procedure that can be used by a Service Officer to change the reason for a customer's departure from Australia (where a reason is necessary) or the end date for an approved absence. It can also be used to update an absence if the customer is advising of an approved reason for a restricted portability payment after the absence has been recorded.

Process Direct

On this page:

Planned absence has changed

Absence by students

Assessing requests for an increase or approval - restricted portability

Coding an increase, approval or non-approval

Planned absence has changed


Expand table

Step

Action

1

Change in planned absence advised

Customer advises a change to their planned absence from Australia.

Note: when coding any changes for a partnered couple, or where children's details are also changed, it may be easier to code the changes for one, finalise the activity and then code the partner's changes.

This procedure can be used for:

  • changing the reason for a customer's departure from Australia (where a reason is necessary), or
  • changing the end date for an approved absence

It can also be used to update an absence if the customer is advising of an approved reason for a restricted portability payment after the absence has been recorded.

If a customer is advising of a change to their departure date, a different procedure should be used.

Is the customer also advising of a change to their departure date?

2

Returning to Australia

Has the customer already returned to Australia?

3

Check if customer agrees with return date

Any customer advised change to the date of return should be recorded on the Travel Outside Australia Summary (TOAS) screen but will not have any effect on the customer's payments. The customer's payments are assessed according to the date of return date contained on the Immigration Movements (RSIM) screen.

If the RSIM screen is blank:

  • Go to the Enquiry (RSIMME) screen to run the Immigration Datalink
  • Select Request Immigration Data and then select Yes to refresh the immigrations movements on RSIM
  • Go to the RSIM screen to review the refreshed data

Does the customer disagree with the date of return on the RSIM screen, or is the RSIM screen still blank?

4

Check if absence is for approved study overseas

Is the customer receiving Youth Allowance (Student), Disability Support Pension (DSP), Carer Payment, Parenting Payment or Austudy and requesting portability to be granted or increased because of approved study outside Australia which is part of their Australian course?

  • Yes, and the customer is requesting an increase to a period of study already granted, see Table 2 > Step 1
  • Yes, and the customer is requesting an absence to be considered as approved study overseas, see Table 2 > Step 3
  • No, go to Step 5

5

Restricted portability payments

Customer receives a restricted portability payment.

Is the customer requesting an increase in their specific negotiated period or reconsideration of a previous portability decision?


Absence by students


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Step

Action

1

Requesting an increase in overseas absence

Customer wants to increase an absence because of approved study outside Australia.

Study outside Australia as part of the customer's Australian course can only be granted for the length of the course. It is reasonable to allow up to 10 days total additional time (to be included as part of the approved study period) before and/or at the completion of study/work for the customer to prepare/finalise their affairs and travel. Additional travel time may not be added immediately adjacent to overseas holiday period(s).

Ask the customer why they need to remain outside Australia for a longer period. Generally, this will only be for an extension of their course but may be for a few extra days to finalise affairs and travel back to Australia.
Note: customers in receipt of CP, DSP or PP can also be paid during short holiday periods before and after the approved period outside Australia for a period limited to their maximum portability period, generally 6 weeks. DSP customers are limited to 4 weeks in a rolling 12 month period.

A DSP customer may be paid for an overseas holiday before studying overseas, between overseas study periods or after an overseas study period only if the period paid DSP overseas before the holiday (including the approved overseas study period) has not or will not exceed 4 weeks in a rolling 12 month period.

Request relevant evidence to be sent to their local Centrelink office.

Note: proof that the study is part of their Australian course (and not correspondence or external study), including the length of the course overseas, has to be received before proceeding.

Should the additional time overseas for study be increased?

2

Increase in length of overseas study has been approved

Face-to-face contact: Typically done by service centre staff. Staff may complete this step if they are trained.

Approval has been given for an increase in an approved period of study outside Australia.

Advise the customer the new date to which payment has been approved. A letter should be issued to the customer.

Select the Transactions icon. Select the work item started by a Centrelink Service Centre or Smart Centre Service Officer and transferred to CIS. If no work item exists, or the existing work item has been selected, go to the Travel outside Australia summary (TOAS) screen.

On the TOAS screen:

  • The Event date will have the original planned date of return and Australia in Country. Select Delete to delete the line when the new end date of the study is later. Delete Record appears, select OK
  • Go to the line with the approved period of portability and select Edit on the line with the departure
  • Leave Event date Country and Portability Reason unchanged
  • In Portability End date, record the new end date of the study overseas (including any time to finalise affairs and return to Australia. Select Save
  • Record Receipt Date, Channel and Service Reason if required

Is the customer planning on returning to Australia on the date after the current Portability End Date?

  • Yes,
    • Select Add and enter the date after the end date in the Event Date and Australia in the Country. Leave other fields blank
    • See Table 3 > Step 4
  • No,

3

Requesting an absence to be considered as approved study overseas

Face-to-face contact: Typically done by service centre staff. Staff may complete this step if they are trained.

Customer is advising that they are travelling outside Australia because they are doing an approved course of study outside Australia as part of their Australian course.

Study outside Australia as part of the customer's Australian course can only be granted for the length of the course plus additional time (one to two weeks) at the end of the course to finalise affairs and travel back to Australia.

Note: proof that the study is part of their Australian course (and not correspondence or external study) including the length of the course overseas has to be received before proceeding.

Should the unit(s) of study outside Australia be approved?

4

Record approved travel for study outside Australia

Face-to-face contact: Typically done by service centre staff. Staff may complete this step if they are trained.

Update the TOAS screen

If the customer was granted OFS study, the system may record a second entry between the departure entry and the return to Australia entry. This will only occur if the customer was granted a specific negotiated period for the study which ended before the planned return to Australia date. It will have an event date for the day after the end of the study period granted and the same country to which the customer was departing as the country.

See Table 3 > Step 4.


Assessing requests for an increase or approval - restricted portability


For detailed information about CIS, go to Residence and International program.

Expand table

Step

Action

1

Restricted portability payment customer

A customer receiving a restricted portability payment is applying for an increase in a specific negotiated period for their current absence or consideration of payment after a return to Australia.

The decision regarding an approved reason must be made by CIS.

Is the Service Officer in CIS?

2

Service Officer not in CIS

Contact CIS with the customer's details and explain the customer's circumstances:

  • The CIS officer will take over and complete the portability interview with the customer
  • DOC the record outlining:
    • the customer has been referred to CIS
    • the action has been taken including details of their travel, and the reason
  • If the customer has provided documents in person verifying their reason for the change, scan the documents onto the customer's record. Customers advising of their departure by phone should be encouraged to upload their supporting documents immediately using their Centrelink online account
  • If it is not possible to transfer the customer immediately to CIS, create a referral:
  • Select https://ourblueprint.internal.dept.local/content/images/process_direct_small/more options.png| > Referral
  • Referral type: International Services (CIS)
  • Referral reason: Portability
  • Referral detail: Restricted Portability
  • Check Payment type is JSP - JobSeeker Payment
  • Select Next
  • Referral details display. Update the following as required:
    • Vulnerable or suspended customer
    • Call customer required
    • Translation required
    • Appeal request
    • Add additional information, ensuring to record the travel details including dates and reason for travel and confirm current telephone contact details
  • Select Next
  • Select Finish

If the customer has employment income or is a 2WE reporter, see Recording and correcting employment income details.

Tell the customer an officer from CIS will contact them as soon as possible.

Procedure ends here.

3

Check if an increase or reconsideration

Processing Team: Typically done by specialised processing teams in a service centre or Smart Centre. Unless otherwise stated, staff may complete this step if they are trained.

Does the customer want an increase in their portability period or do they want payment to be considered for an absence from Australia which has already been assessed as not portable?

Should the specific negotiated period be increased?

  • If the customer wants an increase in their portability period, go to Step 4
  • If the customer wants reconsideration of their portability, go to Step 8

4

Customer wants to increase an approved period

Processing Team: Typically done by specialised processing teams in a service centre or Smart Centre. Unless otherwise stated, staff may complete this step if they are trained.

Ask the customer why they need to remain overseas for a longer period. Also, request any evidence they may have to be sent to CIS (preferably by fax).

Take into account the length of time already granted and the maximum period allowed of 6 weeks except for DSP customers who have a maximum of 4 weeks for any approved reason absence. For assistance, see Restricted portability assessment procedure for Centrelink International Services Staff.

Should the specific negotiated period be increased?

5

Increase in approved absence overseas has been given

Processing Team: Typically done by specialised processing teams in a service centre or Smart Centre. Unless otherwise stated, staff may complete this step if they are trained.

Approval has been given for an increase in an approved period of portability for a restricted portability payment.

Advise the customer the new date to which payment has been approved. A letter should be issued to the customer.

Select the Transactions icon. Select the work item started by a Centrelink Service Centre or Smart Centre Service Officer and transferred to CIS. If no work item exists or the existing work item has been selected, go to TOAS screen.

Has the reason for the approved period of portability changed (e.g. originally for an eligible medical reason and now an acute family crisis)?

6

Increase in portability has been approved - reason has changed

Processing Team: Typically done by specialised processing teams in a service centre or Smart Centre. Unless otherwise stated, staff may complete this step if they are trained.

Approval has been given for an increase in the portability of a restricted portability payment - reason has changed.

On the TOAS screen:

  • If a line has been recorded with the customer's planned date of return to Australia which is different to the planned date of return now, it will need to be changed. Note: this line will show the Event Date as the planned date of return and Australia in Country
  • Select Edit on the line and key the date from which the new approved period of portability has been granted into the Event Date
  • Change Australia to the current overseas country in Country
  • Record the new end date of the specific negotiated period in Portability End Date
  • Select Save
  • Record Receipt Date, Channel and Service Reason if required

Is the customer planning on returning to Australia on the date after the current Portability End Date?

  • Yes,
    • Select Add and enter the date after the end date in the Event Date and Australia in Country. Leave other fields blank
    • See Table 4 > Step 4
  • No,

7

Increase in portability has been approved - reason has not changed

Processing Team: Typically done by specialised processing teams in a service centre or Smart Centre. Unless otherwise stated, staff may complete this step if they are trained.

Approval has been given for an increase in the portability of a restricted portability payment - reason has not changed.

On the TOAS screen:

  • If a line has been recorded with the customer's planned date of return to Australia which is different to the planned date of return now, it will need to be changed. Note: this line will show the Event Date as the planned date of return and Australia in the Country field
  • Select Delete to remove this line. Record Receipt Date, Channel and Service Reason if required. Delete Record appears. Select OK
  • Go to the line with the approved period of portability and select Edit on the line currently containing the departure
  • Leave the Event Date and Country as they are already
  • Code either 'AFC', 'MIL', 'MED' or 'HUM' as applicable in the Portability Reason
  • Record Receipt Date, Channel and Service Reason if required

Is the customer planning on returning to Australia on the date automatically coded by the system in the Event Date field?

  • Yes,
    • Select Add and enter the date after the end date in the Event Date and Australia in Country. Leave other fields blank
    • See Table 4 > Step 4
  • No,

8

Requesting an absence to be considered for approval - restricted portability payment

Processing Team: Typically done by specialised processing teams in a service centre or Smart Centre. Unless otherwise stated, staff may complete this step if they are trained.

Request for approval for portability of a restricted portability payment which has not been previously approved.

Customer is requesting a past absence be considered as an approved absence and therefore payable. Generally these payments will be suspended during the absence or will have had a debt raised for the absence.

In some cases a customer may return to Australia and advise that they were absent because of a reason which fits the criteria to allow payment while outside Australia.

Determine whether the customer has a valid reason for portability. For help with assessing whether the person has an approved reason for their payment to be made outside Australia, see Restricted portability assessment procedure for Centrelink International Services Staff.

Should an approved reason be granted for the restricted portability payment?

9

Approved absence - restricted portability payment

Processing Team: Typically done by specialised processing teams in a service centre or Smart Centre. Unless otherwise stated, staff may complete this step if they are trained.

Approval has been given for portability of a restricted portability payment which has not been previously approved.

On the TOAS screen:

  • If a line has been recorded with the customer's planned date of return to Australia which is different to the planned date of return now, it will need to be changed. Note: this line will show the Event Date as the planned date of return and Australia in Country
  • Select Delete to remove this line. Record Receipt Date, Channel and Service Reason if required. Delete Record appears. Select OK
  • Go to the line with the approved period of portability and select Edit on the line currently containing the departure
  • Leave the Event Date and Country as they are already
  • Code either 'AFC', 'MIL', 'MED' or 'HUM' as applicable in the Portability Reason
  • Code the final day of the specific negotiated period in the Portability End date
  • Select Save

Is the customer planning on returning to Australia on the date after the current Portability End date?

  • Yes,
    • Select Add and enter the date after the end date in the Event Date and Australia in Country. Leave other fields blank
    • See Table 4 > Step 4
  • No,

Coding an increase, approval or non-approval


For detailed information about CIS, go to Residence and International program.

Expand table

Step

Action

1

Reason for absence not approved

Face-to-face contact: Typically done by service centre staff. Staff may complete this step if they are trained.Processing Team: Typically done by specialised processing teams in a service centre or Smart Centre. Unless otherwise stated, staff may complete this step if they are trained.

Advise the customer that payment during their absence from Australia has not been approved. If the customer was already paid, this may result in a recoverable overpayment.

Is the customer also advising of or changing their return date?

  • Yes,
    • Select the Transactions icon and select the work item started by a Centrelink Service Centre or Smart Centre Service Officer and transferred to CIS
    • If no work item exists, or the existing work item has been selected, go to the TOAS screen
    • Check that the customer's date of return is recorded correctly and leave the Portability Reason, End date and Portability Extension Reason fields blank
    • Procedure ends here
  • No, go to Step 3

2

Increase in an approved period of travel not approved

Face-to-face contact: Typically done by service centre staff. Staff may complete this step if they are trained.Processing Team: Typically done by specialised processing teams in a service centre or Smart Centre. Unless otherwise stated, staff may complete this step if they are trained.

Advise the customer that additional payment has not been approved. Ensure the customer is aware of the date to which payment will continue.

Is the customer still changing their return date?

  • Yes,
    • Select the Transactions icon and select the work item started by a Centrelink Service Centre or Smart Centre Service Officer and transferred to CIS
    • If no work item exists, or the existing work item has been selected, go to the TOAS screen
    • Check that the customer's date of return is recorded correctly and leave the Portability Reason, End date and Portability Extension Reason fields blank
    • Go to Step 7
  • No, go to Step 3

3

Check if there is an activity already recorded indicating the customer's new date of return to Australia

Face-to-face contact: Typically done by service centre staff. Staff may complete this step if they are trained.Processing Team: Typically done by specialised processing teams in a service centre or Smart Centre. Unless otherwise stated, staff may complete this step if they are trained.

Is there an activity already recorded indicating the customers new date of return to Australia?

  • Yes,
    • Cancel any transaction recorded by the Centrelink Service Centre or Smart Centre changing the return date. Select the Status icon and update the Status to Cancelled
    • Record customer information and action taken in a Note
    • Procedure ends here
  • No, record customer information and action taken (including reasons) in a Note. Procedure ends here

4

Check if payments need to be restored

Face-to-face contact: Typically done by service centre staff. Staff may complete this step if they are trained.Processing Team: Typically done by specialised processing teams in a service centre or Smart Centre. Unless otherwise stated, staff may complete this step if they are trained.

Check to see if the customer has continuation of payment on their return to Australia.

In most cases where payment has been suspended for less than 13 weeks payment can be restored without the need for a claim.

Does the customer's payment need to be restored?

5

Check if the customer is in receipt of Special Benefit (SpB)

Face-to-face contact: Typically done by service centre staff. Staff may complete this step if they are trained.Processing Team: Typically done by specialised processing teams in a service centre or Smart Centre. Unless otherwise stated, staff may complete this step if they are trained.

If the customer is in receipt of Special Benefit, and their stopped for a portability related reason, their payment will generally be automatically restored if they return to Australia within 6 weeks of their payment suspending. If the payment has not been automatically restored, must not be restored before being referred to the Special Benefit Processing Team (AOS) and the customer has completed a Special Benefit Review form (BC048). The AOS team will determine if the customer continues to meet the financial hardship criteria for SpB.

For details on referrals to the AOS team, see Reviews and change of circumstances for Special Benefit.

Is the customer in receipt of SpB?

  • Yes, and the Service Officer is:
    • in the AOS team, ask the customer to complete a Special Benefit Review form (BC048). When received, go to Step 6
    • not in the AOS team, refer to the local AOS team. Do not restore payment. Go to Step 7
  • No, go to Step 6

6

Restore payment

Face-to-face contact: Typically done by service centre staff. Staff may complete this step if they are trained.Processing Team: Typically done by specialised processing teams in a service centre or Smart Centre. Unless otherwise stated, staff may complete this step if they are trained.

  • Go to the Benefit Action (BA) screen
  • Select Add
  • Code the payment type in the Benefit Type Code field and RES - RESTORE in the Benefit Action field
  • Code the Date of Effect as appropriate
  • Select Save
  • Go to Step 7

7

Finalise activity

Go to the Errors (SWE) screen:

  • Select Assess to go to Entitlements (ELD) screen
  • Check the outcome is correct
  • Do not inhibit the advice on the Action (ASC) screen
  • Select Finish to finalise the activity
  • Record all decisions and actions taken

Note: if the customer's payment has cancelled and could not be restored check if the customer needs to lodge a new claim.