Four Year Waiting Period for Unemployment Benefits.
For many new arrivals to Australia there is now a waiting period of 208 weeks, or 4 years, before becoming entitled to most government social security benefits, including Unemployment Benefits (Newstart Allowance).
From 1 January 2019, those who were granted a permanent visa or partner temporary visa, will have to abide by the following waiting periods:
A four-year waiting period applies to most working age payments. (This includes the Newstart Allowance (unemployment benefit))
This has been changed under the ‘Encouraging Self Sufficiency for Newly Arrived Migrants’, program.
Source: www.dss.gov.au/…/social-security-payments-residence-criteria