JobSeeker Payment (JSP) customer going overseas 001-19051503

The Portability Script - Departures and Returns will prompt the Service Officer to ask relevant questions of the customer, such as:

• destination
• date of departure
• expected date of return
• who is going and reason for absence

The script will determine if the customer is to be referred to specialist staff.

The customer may contact after using the Travelling outside of Australia service within their Centrelink online account. If the online service has already coded the absence, details are recorded in a DOC. The online service may refer the customer to contact to:

• have their absence coded, or
• explore further portability for their situation

In either case, the Service Officer is to run the script.

Is the script working?

• Yes, see Coding departures and returns for customers leaving Australia. Procedure ends here
• No, and the interview:
• cannot be delayed, go to Step 2
• can be delayed, book an appointment to be completed by the customer's local service centre, make sure the customer contact details are correct, record details on a DOC. Procedure ends here

Ask the customer for the following:

• date of departure
• date they expect to return to Australia
• reason for travel, and
• country to which they are travelling

Is the customer leaving Australia to live in another country?

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No, go to Step 5

If the customer is leaving Australia to live in another country the portability interview must be completed by the Service Officer and not referred to Centrelink International Services (CIS).

The customer's payment will be stopped from the date of departure or earlier if they stop qualifying before leaving Australia.

Explain the decision to the customer and tell them of the requirement to reclaim if they return to Australia:

• if the customer was being paid any add-ons (such as Rent Assistance (RA)) they will also stop on departure from Australia
• check if the customer has employment income or is a 2WE reporter. See Recording and correcting employment income details
• a stimulus reporter will be re-profiled to a notification reporter from their entitlement period start date (EPSD) on departure. Lodge any outstanding reports. The system will issue any entitlements
• if the customer is also receiving family assistance payments, see Family Tax Benefit (FTB), Child Care Subsidy (CCS) and Paid Parental Leave scheme customer/child going overseas

Finalise interview

Ask the customer if they have any further questions. If not, the interview can be completed. Record details of the decision on a DOC.

If the customer requests written confirmation of the decision, issue them with a Pre Departure Interview - Portability Decision (XOB101) letter.

To code the overseas departure:

• record the change of address on Address Details (AD) screen if the customer has provided new address details. Note: it is not mandatory for the customer to provide an address outside Australia
• update the:
• Customer Advised Travel Details (RSCD) screen
• Country of Residence (CRES) screen
• go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen and check that payment will stop for a residence related reason from date of departure
• do not inhibit the advice
• finalise the activity

Procedure ends here.

Ask the customer the reason they are travelling overseas and establish if it is for an approved reason.

For help with this decision, see:

• Overseas absences for eligible medical reasons
• Overseas absences for humanitarian reasons
• Overseas absences for acute family crisis, or
• Overseas absences for Australian Defence Force Reserves

If a customer has indicated their travel overseas meets the initial criteria for an approved reason, refer the case to Centrelink International Services (CIS) for assessment.

If approved by CIS, payments may continue for a specific negotiated period - this will usually be 2 to 3 weeks. It would be an unusual circumstance requiring a customer's attendance overseas for the maximum portability period, this length of portability is rarely granted.

Does the customer have an approved reason for travelling overseas?

• Yes, go to Step 6
• No, go to Step 7

• Tell the customer they may meet the requirement for payment overseas but they must speak to Centrelink International Services (CIS) for a decision on their ongoing portability
• Determine if the customer on return has to contact when they have returned to Australia and discuss this before the customer's departure to correctly assess their ongoing entitlements
• If the customer has:
• provided documents in person verifying their approved departure reason, scan the documents onto the customer's record
• advised of their departure by phone, encourage them to upload their supporting documents immediately using their Centrelink online account
• 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 dates of their travel, and the reason

If it is not possible to refer the customer immediately to CIS, create a referral.

Process Direct

• Select > 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

Customer First

• Create a Fast Note. Select Auto text, use Centrelink International Services > Portability > CIS Restricted Portability Referral
• record the travel details including dates, reason for travel and current telephone contact details

Check if the customer has employment income or is a 2WE reporter. If yes, see Assessing and coding employment income.

Stimulus reporters will be re-profiled to a notification reporter from their entitlement period start date (EPSD) on departure. Lodge any outstanding reports. The system will issue any entitlements. Reporters on variable lodgement (4 or 12 weekly reporting) must be placed on 2WE lodgement and have any outstanding reports actioned on the Report Results (RR) screen before departure.

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

Procedure ends here.

If the absence is not for an approved reason:

• the customer's payment must be stopped from date of departure
• if the customer was being paid any add-ons (such as Rent Assistance (RA)) they will also stop on departure from Australia
• if the customer is also receiving Family Tax Benefit (FTB) and/or Child Care Subsidy (CCS), a new estimate will be needed upon cancellation of JSP. See Effect of income support entitlement on Family Tax Benefit (FTB)
• if the customer is also receiving Pensioner Education Supplement (PES), PES will suspend on departure. When PES has a gap in entitlement it cannot be restored. The customer will need to reclaim PES when they return to Australia. See Cancellation of Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) and ABSTUDY PES
• determine if the customer has to contact when they have returned to Australia, and discuss this before the customer's departure to correctly assess their ongoing entitlements

Check if the customer has employment income or is a stimulus customer:

• check if the customer has employment income or is a 2WE reporter. If yes, see Recording and correcting employment income details
• a stimulus reporter will have their payment suspended and re-profiled to a notification reporter from their entitlement period start date (EPSD) on departure. The system will issue any entitlement calculated for the prior period
• if the customer is on variable lodgement (4 or 12 weekly reporting) they must be placed on 2WE lodgement and have any outstanding reports actioned by the Report Results (RR) screen before departure

Finalise interview:

• ask the customer if they have any further questions. If not, the interview can be completed
• give the customer contact details for Centrelink International Services (CIS) so they can contact Centrelink while overseas. Contact details are available in Centrelink International Services (CIS) - contact details for customers
• record details of the decision on a DOC
• if the customer requests written confirmation of the decision, issue them with a Pre Departure Interview - Portability Decision (XOB101) letter

To code the overseas absence:

• record the change of address on Address Details (AD) screen if the customer has provided new address details. Note: it is not mandatory for the customer to provide an address outside Australia
• update the Customer Advised Travel Details (RSCD) screen
• go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen and finalise the activity. Note: the reassessment will not occur until the customer actually leaves Australia