Youth Allowance (YA) customer going overseas 102-11280000

A YA job seeker comes into the service centre to advise they are going overseas as their cousin is in hospital having a baby. The customer wants to go and care for the cousin.

The Service Officer must:

• advise the customer this reason does not meet the criteria for an approved absence
• advise the customer their payments are not portable and will stop from the date of departure
• DOC the details and code relevant screens

The Service Officer is not required to transfer to Centrelink International Services (CIS).

A YA customer advises they are going overseas to attend a training camp for the Australian Army Reserve.

They bring a copy of their letter advising details about the camp with them. They will be absent overseas for 4 weeks.

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

A YA customer comes into the service centre to advise they are going overseas as a parent is missing after an earthquake in Turkey. Note: a social worker may be able to help in these circumstances.

The Service Officer confirms the situation in Turkey through news articles.

This is an acute family crisis and an acceptable reason for an absence overseas. Where a customer has advised their overseas travel meets the initial criteria for an approved reason, refer the case to Centrelink International Services (CIS) for assessment.

Note: customers overseas can contact CIS on free call numbers from some countries or using reverse charges from any country.

Chris is receiving YA as a student and is travelling outside Australia from April for 6 months. Chris has no leave from the study institution and will not undertake any study while overseas.

Cancel YA from the date study ceased as Chris is no longer a full-time student and does not intend to continue with the course at present.

Jessie, who is receiving YA as a student, advises of going overseas for a holiday after final exams from November until December.

YA is not payable because the absence is not for an allowable reason. If the absence is less than 6 weeks, payment should automatically restore upon return to Australia.

Carl is receiving YA as a student and has provided a statement from the Australian institution stating he is leaving Australia on 16 February for 2 semesters in the United States of America (USA).

It is a requirement of the Australian course that Carl will remain enrolled with the Australian institution while overseas and will maintain a qualifying study workload. The course work completed overseas will be credited towards the Australian course and Carl will continue in the course on return to Australia. Carl's course in the USA starts on 20 February and the last lecture in the USA is on 15 November.

Carl's YA is portable for the duration of the course in the USA. The approved study period may include additional travel time to allow Carl to prepare for the study and/or to finalise affairs and return to Australia. Carl is travelling 4 days before the course start date, which will be included in the approved study period. The end date of the approved study period will depend on what date Carl has advised for return to Australia. If no date has been provided the end date will be the study end date of 15 November. If Carl has advised any date up to November 21, record this as the end date of the approved study period.

If Carl is returning after November 21 this would be in excess of the total allowable 10 days additional travel time and be considered a holiday. The end date in this instance would be November 15, the last day of study.

Andrew has submitted a claim for YA as a student. Andrew is 21 years old and has been studying full-time for 18 months but could not be paid YA until turning 22 due to the Parental Income Test. Andrew will continue full-time study next semester at a campus in Japan. The course starts on 15 February, ends on 5 August, and will count towards a degree at the University of NSW. Andrew will turn 22 on 28 April.

If Andrew's 22^nd birthday is within 13 weeks of the claim lodgement, his YA can be paid from the 22nd birthday (28 April) and for the remaining duration of the studies in Japan. Overseas study provisions can be applied to a continuing student who lodged a claim before leaving Australia.

Jennifer has submitted a claim for YA as a student. Recently Jennifer took a study break, but will start full-time study next semester at a campus in Hong Kong. The course starts on 15 February, ends on 5 August, and will count towards the degree at Sydney University. The course at Sydney University starts on 1 March.

Jennifer’s YA cannot be paid during studies in Hong Kong because Jennifer is not qualified and payable as a student until the first day of the course, at which time Jennifer is not in Australia. Overseas study provisions do not apply unless the student was eligible to receive payment before leaving Australia.

Note: reject Jennifer’s claim with reason CNC - Course Not Commenced and send advice so Jennifer can reconsider the options. Explain the rejection decision in a DOC.

Dana recently stopped full-time work to start a Bachelor of Business degree at the University of Canberra. On Dana's claim for YA, lodged on 10 February, it advises Dana will be studying in Canada from 22 February as part of the Australian course and will be departing Australia on 16 February.

Semester 1 at the University of Canberra starts on 12 February for the course. As this is before Dana's departure date, deem the start date for YA as 12 February.

Dana's YA can be paid from 12 February and also while studying overseas, because Dana is qualified for YA and payable prior to leaving Australia.

Johnny who is receiving Youth Allowance (YA) will be starting study overseas on 1 May. Johnny also wants to have a holiday overseas before starting study and leaves Australia on 1 March.

Johnny's YA will suspend on 1 March. As long as Johnny remains qualified for YA while outside Australia the YA can be restored and continue to be paid from 1 May for the duration of the approved study. YA was suspended for less than 13 weeks but it did not cancel and payment can recommence.

Note: do not add additional travel time to the beginning of the approved overseas study period, as all travel prior to commencing study is deemed a holiday. The end date of the approved study period will be decided based on the evidence provided for study and travel dates.

The Service Officer must record on the RSCD screen:

• a line with departure date of 1 March as the event date, no reason is required
• a further line with study commencement date of 1 May as the event date, reason OFS and end date as per evidence provided
• a further line with Johnny’s return to Australia date as the event date, and Australia as the country, if known. If this is not known, this further coding is not required

Alex is studying an Australian course full time. As part of this course, Alex is required to complete a unit lasting 10 weeks in the USA from 1 August. Once the course is completed, Alex will remain in the US for a further 3 weeks to tour the local area. Alex is leaving Australia on 29 July.

Generally, it is reasonable to allow additional travel time either before and/or after the study period to travel and set up or pack up. The 3 days prior to the course start date can be included in the approved portability period; however as Alex is having a holiday after the course there is no allowance for additional travel time. In this case, the start date of approved portability is the departure date.

Alex's YA is payable for the full time the unit of study is being completed in the USA which ends on 10 October.

The Service Officer must record on the RSCD screen:

• a line with departure date 29 July as the event date, reason OFS and end date 10 October
• a further line with Bill’s return to Australia date (if known) as the event date and Australia as the country

YA will stop on 11 October, but should automatically restore when Alex returns to Australia as long as Alex remained otherwise qualified for payment.

Madeline is receiving Youth Allowance (YA), is a full time student and is completing 2 semesters overseas as part of a course. She will be studying during the first semester in France from 1 March to 15 June and the second semester in Switzerland from 15 August to 1 December.

Where a customer completes a period of approved study in 1 country, travels to another country and there undertakes another period of approved study, payment for the intervening holiday period cannot be made under overseas study provisions.

This is because, although they are qualified for payment (assuming they remain enrolled in Australia as a full-time student), SSA 1991 section 1218 allows for payment overseas only for the duration of an approved overseas course that counts toward their Australian qualification. The break described in this example is not a 'semester break' – the 2 overseas courses are separate courses.

The study of 2 different units in 2 different countries does not constitute a semester break.

Make separate decisions for each semester of study in each country. Madeline could be approved for each, and be paid with a break in entitlement. No additional travel time is allowed where a student is having a holiday between courses.

Casey is receiving YA as an Australian Apprentice and wants to spend a few weeks in Nepal as a holiday. The apprenticeship has not ended and Casey’s Commonwealth Registration Number will remain current during the break.

Casey’s YA is not payable because the reason for absence is not an allowable reason. An Australian Apprentice customer may continue to receive YA while they are outside Australia only if they are working or training overseas as part of their apprenticeship.