Newly Arrived Resident's Waiting Period (NARWP) and Qualifying Residence Exemptions 005-02020020

Reasons for a qualifying residence period exemption

Table 1: this table contains details of the reasons a customer may be exempt from meeting the qualifying residence period and when it is assessed automatically by the system or must be assessed and coded manually.

Item	Description	Automatic or Manual
1	Holder or former holder of a permanent refugee visa The holder or former holder of a permanent refugee visa is exempt from the qualifying residence period for all payment types affected by one, that is, Age Pension, Disability Support Pension and Parenting Payment (PP).	Automatic
2	Family member of a refugee or former refugee The family member of a refugee or former refugee is exempt from both the 2 year qualifying residence period and the 4 year NARWP for PP. PP claimants must: have been the family member of the refugee at the time the refugee arrived in Australia, and still be the family member of that person at the time the claim is made or, if the refugee has died after their arrival in Australia, they must have been a family member of that person when they died A family member for this exemption is defined as a partner or dependent child or a person who should be treated like a partner or dependent child.	Manual - this file
3	Holder of a visa subclass 852 The holder of a visa subclass 852 is exempt from both the 2 year qualifying residence period and the 4 year NARWP for PP.	Automatic
4	Principal carer became a lone parent after the start of the current period as an Australian resident A customer who becomes a lone parent and is the principal carer of a dependent child is exempt from both the 2 year qualifying residence period and the 4 year NARWP for Parenting Payment Single (PPS). The principal carer must have become a lone parent since the start of the current period of Australian residence. This means that since they last began being an Australian resident, they have changed from: partnered with a child, to separated single with no child, to have a child A 'lone parent' is a person who is not a member of a couple and who has a dependent child. A 'current period as an Australian resident' is where a person has been an Australian resident for an entire period and the person lodged a claim for PPS during the period. A lone parent of a dependent child who is under 14 would generally claim PPS and receive an exemption from the NARWP and qualifying residence requirement.	Manual See Residence assessment for customers claiming Parenting Payment

Reasons for a NARWP exemption

Table 2: this table contains details of the reasons a customer may be exempt from serving the Newly Arrived Resident's Waiting Period (NARWP) and when it is assessed automatically by the system or must be assessed and coded manually.

Item	Description	Automatic or Manual
1	Australian citizen Exempt from the NARWP for all payment types affected by the NARWP. This exemption only applies from the date Australian citizenship is granted.	Automatic
2	2017 NARWP Grandfathering exemption applies Check this on the Grandfathering Summary (GFS) screen. If the customer holds this Grandfathering exemption, they may transfer from their existing payment to another NARWP affected payment and maintain the exemption. To maintain the exemption there must be no break in entitlement. For example, Parenting Payment Partnered (PPP) to Youth Allowance (YA) transfer on the same date: PPP cancellation date of effect = 25/01/2017 YAL granted date of effect = 25/01/2017	Automatic
3	Holder or former holder of a permanent refugee visa The holder or former holder of a permanent refugee visa is exempt from the NARWP for all payment types affected by the NARWP.	Automatic
4	Family member of a refugee or former refugee The family member of a refugee or former refugee is exempt from the NARWP for all payment types affected by the NARWP. Customers must: have been the family member of the refugee at the time the refugee arrived in Australia, and still be the family member of that person at the time the claim is made or, if the refugee has died after their arrival in Australia, they must have been a family member of that person when they died A family member for this exemption is defined as a partner, dependent child or a person who should be treated like a partner or dependent child.	Manual - this file
5	Granted a visa which provides qualification before 1 January 2019 Customers who were granted a permanent residence or temporary visa providing qualification for payment before 1 January 2019 are not required to serve the NARWP for the following payments and concessions: Carer Adjustment Payment (CAP) Carer Allowance (CA) Family Tax Benefit (FTB) Part A Parental Leave Pay (PPL) Parenting Payment Partnered (PPP) Parenting Payment Single (PPS)	Automatic
6	Holder of a Special Category visa (SCV) subclass 444 The holder of an SCV subclass 444 (protected or not protected) is not required to serve the NARWP for: Family Tax Benefit (FTB) Part A, and Parental Leave Pay (PPL)	Automatic
7	Holder of certain temporary protection visa types Certain temporary visas that qualify customers for some payments are exempt from the NARWP for: Special Benefit (SpB) Family Tax Benefit (FTB) Part A, and Parental Leave Pay (PPL)	Automatic
8	Holder of a visa subclass 852 The holder of a visa subclass 852 is exempt from the NARWP for all NARWP affected payments, other than Special Benefit.	Automatic
9	Principal carer became a lone parent after the start of the current period as an Australian resident A customer who becomes a lone parent and is the principal carer of a dependent child is entitled to an exemption from the NARWP for JobSeeker Payment (JSP) and Youth Allowance (YA) (job seeker) or Parenting Payment Single (PPS). The principal carer must have become a lone parent since the start of the current period of Australian residence. This means that since they last began being an Australian resident, they must either have: gained custody of a child, or separated from their partner A lone parent is a person who is not a member of a couple and who has a dependent child. A 'current period as an Australian resident' is where a person has been an Australian resident for an entire period and the person lodged a claim for JSP, YA (job seeker) or PPS during the period. A lone parent of a dependent child who is under 14 would generally claim PPS and receive an exemption from the NARWP and qualifying residence requirement.	Manual See relevant 'Residence assessment for' procedure under Related Links on the Background page for payment specific coding.
10	Special need relative or a carer A customer is exempt from the NARWP for Carer Payment (CP) and Carer Allowance (CA) if they are a carer or a special needs relative. Note: carer and special needs relative is as defined in the Migration Regulations. A customer is exempt from the NARWP for CP if they hold one of the following visas: subclass 104 - Preferential family, and a carer or a special need relative subclass 806 – Family, only if the customer is a carer or special need relative A customer is exempt from the NARWP for CP and CA if they hold one of the following visas: subclass 116 - Carer subclass 836 - Carer	Automatic
11	Customer has suffered a substantial change of circumstances beyond their control The customer is exempt from the NARWP for Special Benefit (SpB) and Low Income Health Care Card (LIC) if they have experienced a substantial change in circumstance beyond their control after arriving in Australia. This is provided they still meet all other eligibility requirements for SpB or LIC The change in circumstances must have arisen since the start of their NARWP.	Manual See Residence assessment for customers claiming Special Benefit

Case Study - Review of incorrect assessment of the NARWP

Table 3: this table describes a case study, which illustrates an incorrect assessment of the NARWP, which, once reviewed, shows an entitlement to financial support.

Event Sequence

Applying the Newly Arrived Resident's Waiting Period

Independent Resident visa (class 126)

Maria arrived in Australia from Haiti in February 2020 as a newly arrived resident, holding an Independent Resident visa (class 126). Aged 36 and partnered, Maria had arranged a job through Maria's partner before leaving Haiti. However, the job involved only 2 days' work per week and the employer was unable to offer any more. Maria was unable to find additional work due to relatively poor English skills.

Maria contacted Services Australia to apply for JobSeeker Payment (JSP). Maria's claim was rejected due to being subject to the Newly Arrived Resident's Waiting Period (NARWP) and Maria would remain ineligible until Maria had served the NARWP in February 2024.

Requesting an explanation or applying for a formal review of the decision to reject the claim for income support payment and consideration under the family member of a refugee exemption

Several weeks later, on the advice of a friend, Maria requested an explanation of the decision, which was referred to a Subject Matter Expert (SME). While discussing the decision, it was revealed that Maria and Maria's partner were physically separated during a period of armed conflict in their home country. Maria's partner was able to gain asylum in Australia in 2013, before gaining Australian citizenship in 2018. Following extensive searches through the UNHCR and Red Cross, Maria was located, applied for and granted a visa to come and join Maria's partner in Australia.

Maria remained a family member of Maria's partner throughout the period of forced separation. Maria's partner's documents maintained hope and belief that Maria would be found alive and would eventually join Maria's partner in the partner’s adopted country.

Documents were provided to support Maria's claim, and based on that evidence, it was determined that Maria was exempt from having to satisfy the NARWP. Specifically, Maria was exempted from the NARWP due to being a family member of a (former) refugee at the time that person arrived in Australia and at the date of claim.

Examples - family member of a refugee exemption

Table 4: this table has examples of how a person can meet the criteria to be considered a family member of a refugee for NARWP exemption purposes.

Item

Description

Family member of a refugee - dependent child and partner

Ahmed arrived in Australia in April 2024 holding a refugee visa subclass 200. In September 2024 Ahmed's partner of 30 years Rana, and their 18 year old child Ali, were granted subclass 100 visas and moved to Australia to live with Ahmed. Ali commenced full time study at university in February 2025 and applied for Youth Allowance in March 2025. Rana applied for JobSeeker payment in April 2025.

Dependent child - Ali

Ali is entitled to an exemption from the NARWP for Youth Allowance as the dependent child of a refugee. Ali is a ‘dependent child’ as Ali is under 22, studying full time and dependent on Ahmed. Ali was the dependent child of Ahmed when Ahmed arrived in Australia and was the dependent child of Ahmed at the time of Ahmed's claim.

Partner - Rana

Rana would be entitled to an exemption from the NARWP as the partner of a refugee as Rana was the partner of Ahmed when Ahmed arrived in Australia as a refugee and at the time of claim.

Alternative - if Rana was not partnered with Ahmed when Ahmed arrived in Australia as a refugee, and only became partnered with Ahmed after Ahemd's arrival, Rana would not be considered to be the ‘partner of a refugee’ for the purposes of the NARWP exemption. Although Rana was partnered to Ahmed at the time of claim, Rana was not partnered to Ahmed when Ahmed arrived in Australia as a refugee.

Family member of a refugee - ‘like’ a dependent child

Ibrahim, Ibrahim's partner Amira and their 23 year old child Dalia arrived in Australia in June 2025. Ibrahim holds a refugee visa, subclass 866. Amira and Dalia each hold a visa subclass 100. Dalia was born with significant medical conditions which have left Dalia unable to study or work. Dalia is solely dependent on Dalia's parents physically and financially. Dalia does not speak English. Ibrahim and Amira are planning on making modifications to their house to accommodate Dalia’s new wheelchair.

In July 2025, Dalia applied for Disability Support Pension (DSP). Dalia was medically assessed as having 0-7 work capacity, however Dalia is not eligible for DSP as Dalia does not meet the 10 year qualifying residence period and their claim is rejected. Dalia then applies for Special Benefit (SpB). Special Benefit has a 4-year NARWP.

As Dalia is over 22 years old and is not studying full-time, Dalia does not meet the criteria of a dependent child, However, Dalia may be able to be treated ‘like a dependent child’.

The Service Officer sends a referral to CIS, clearly explaining the reasons why Dalia should be treated like a dependent child of a refugee. Information is as detailed as possible and includes:

Dalia arrived in Australia with Dalia's refugee parent and permanent resident parent and was still solely dependent on them at the time of Dalia's claim
It has been confirmed through Dalia's DSP medical assessment that Dalia’s medical conditions are significant, supporting the fact that Dalia is unable to work or study
It is evident that Dalia will be dependent on Dalia’s parents for the foreseeable future as they are planning on modifying their house to meet Dalia's needs
Dalia is also unable to speak English, which, combined with Dalia's medical conditions, will make it very difficult for Dalia to find work or study

CIS agrees that Dalia meets the criteria to be treated ‘like’ a dependent child and codes the exemption on the record. Dalia has an exemption from the NARWP for all NARWP affected payments.

Note: other evidence such as medical certificates can also be used to confirm medical conditions, it does not need to be a DSP medical report

Permanent refugee visas

Table 5: this table contains the visas that are permanent refugee visas.