Negotiating Job Plans for newly arrived refugees following the 'Refugee in First 13 Weeks' (REF) exemption 005-18101149

Newly arrived refugees who are in receipt of an income support payment with mutual obligation requirements (for example, JobSeeker Payment (JSP), Youth Allowance (job seeker), Parenting Payment Single (PPS) (with mutual obligation requirements)) receive the 'Refugee in first 13 Weeks' (REF) mutual obligation requirement exemption for the first 13 weeks from their arrival in Australia. The exemption is an automatic exemption recorded on the Activities and Exemptions (AEX) screen for eligible refugees.

The exemption period is manually adjusted to 11 weeks and 6 days at the new claim. See Refugee entrant service offer for more information on changing the exemption date.

During the exemption period, the newly arrived refugees are not required to look for work, but must attend the following scheduled appointments:

• Multicultural Service Officer (MSO) seminar, and
• Employment Services Assessment (ESAt) if required, and
• 'week 12 post exemption review'

Refugees who are eligible for the Better Targeting of Support for Refugees (BTSR) measure remain Centrelink managed until they have been in Australia for 12 months. Their Job Plan needs to last until they have been in Australia for 12 months.

A Service Officer in the refugee's local service centre is responsible for creating a Job Plan for them at their week 12 post exemption review contact.

Note: as per normal processing, a Job Plan cannot be negotiated for a customer that has a current exemption from their mutual obligation requirements.

The Participation Summary screen will advise if the refugee is eligible for the BTSR measure. See Refugee entrant service offer for more information.

Refugee Activities

Most refugees who are eligible for the BTSR measure will have the Refugee Activities (RAC) activity record on the Activities and Exemptions (AEX) screen.

To be eligible for this activity, the newly arrived refugee will be participating in one or more of the following:

• the Humanitarian Settlement Program (HSP)
• the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP)
• Workforce Australia as a volunteer

Note: when the Job Plan is being negotiated, the refugee does not need to provide evidence they are participating in these activities.

If the refugee is not participating in HSP, AMEP or Workforce Australia, discuss a possible referral to one of these. If the refugee requests a referral to a Workforce Australia Provider as a volunteer, they must only be referred if they have:

• chosen to be referred, and
• had an Employment Services Assessment (ESAt) completed, and
• negotiated a Job Plan with Services Australia

If the refugee declines a referral to HSP, AMEP or Workforce Australia, another appropriate compulsory requirement will need to be recorded on the AEX screen (for example, the requirement referred by their ESAt assessor, Skills for Education and Employment, part-time work or voluntary work).

As per normal processing, Service Officers will need to consider the work capacity of the job seeker when negotiating a Job Plan. This is contained in the ESAt report. The system will determine the most appropriate Job Plan Item to be added to the refugee's Job Plan.

For further information, see Refugee Activities (RAC) as an approved activity.

Activity referrals by the Employment Services Assessment (ESAt) Assessor

Newly arrived refugees will have an ESAt conducted before the end of their REF exemption.

The Assessor can make referrals for the refugee but will not complete the Job Plan with the refugee. Requirements that the refugee has been referred to, will be identified in the ESAt report. These requirements can be recorded on the Activities and Exemption Summary (AEX) screen on the refugee's record by the refugee's local service centre.

Other Activities

Newly arrived refugees also have the option to participate in any other approved activity to fully meet their requirements. For example:

• participation in Skills for Education and Employment (SEE), where eligible, or
• if they are meeting suitable part-time work/voluntary work requirements and are:
• a principal carer
• have been assessed as having a Partial Capacity to Work (PCW), or
• are 60 or over

Refugees eligible for the BTSR measure must have an activity recorded on the Activities and Exemptions (AEX) screen before their Job Plan is negotiated.

Most newly arrived refugees will have the Refugee Activities (RAC) activity record on the Activities and Exemptions (AEX) screen.

Once Refugee Activities (RAC) is coded on the AEX screen, a message advising 'this customer is eligible for the BTSR measure' will present on the Job Plan cover page. Job Plan's negotiated on or after 1 July 2024 will auto-populate with the following text 'I agree to undertake refugee activities to help adjust to life in Australia and to increase my chances of finding work from [Start date] to [End date] to include participation in [Program]'.

To complete the Job Plan, See Negotiating Centrelink Managed Job Plans.

Customers who are eligible for QTIs are not eligible for the Better Targeting of Support for Refugees measures. Service Officers must review the customer's Activities and Exemptions details in line with QTI arrangements. See Quarterly Participation Interviews for Partial Capacity to work and Temporary Reduced Work Capacity (0-7 or 8-14 hours per week) job seekers, for more information.

Refugees who require a referral to Workforce Australia - Transition to Work (TtW), Community Development Program (CDP) or Disability Employment Services (DES) are not eligible for the Better Targeting of Support for Refugee measures. Service Officers must refer refugees to TtW/CDP/DES at their Week 12 post exemption review contact. Service Officers do not need to create a Job Plan for refugees who are referred to TtW, CDP or DES.

The Participation Summary screen will display an Action Item if the customer requires a referral to TtW, CDP or DES.

Refugees who choose to be referred to Workforce Australia within the first 12 months remain eligible for the BTSR measure, and continue to be Centrelink managed. If the refugee no longer wishes to participate with a Workforce Australia provider, they need to contact their provider to request to be exited. The Centrelink Job Plan must remain in place, and the refugee must continue with the approved activity/ies as outlined in their Job Plan.

See, Refugee humanitarian and protection visa holder service offer for more information on the eligibility of newly arrived refugees to remain Centrelink managed.