Information for New Zealanders living in Australia

Kiwis working in Aust eligible for Coronavirus JobKeeper payment

23 April 2022
Prime Minister Scott Morrison announces the government's $130b wage subsidy package. (Photo: AAP)
Prime Minister Scott Morrison announces the government's $130b wage subsidy package. (Photo: AAP)

Update

23 April 2022

The JobKeeper Payment scheme supported Australian businesses significantly impacted by coronavirus (COVID-19). JobKeeper finished on 28 March 2021. In most circumstances, the scheme's last day for payment was 31 March 2022.


30 March 2020

ABC News

New Zealanders working in Australia may be eligible for a $1,500 per fortnight JobKeeper Wage Subsidy. This is a new payment announced by Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison today for workers affected by the Covid-19 crisis.

People are eligible to receive the JobKeeper Wage Subsidy include:

The wage subsidy will include not-for-profit and charity employees and New Zealanders who work in Australia but are typically unable to access welfare programs.

The $1,500 per fortnight JobKeeper payment is for employees of businesses who have lost 30 per cent of their revenue (or 50 per cent for businesses with annual earnings of $1 billion). Employers are to pay employees this flat rate, provided they were on the books as of 1 March 2020, and the Government would reimburse those businesses. The payments will start from 1 May 2020, back-dated to 1 March 2020.

It will also be backdated to include anyone who has been stood down due to Coronavirus. However, a person can not receive both the JobSeeker and JobKeeper payments.

The payment will be delivered through the Australian Taxation Office.

[Read the full ABC News article].

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