The Guides to Social Policy Law is a collection of publications designed to assist decision makers administering social policy law. The information contained in this publication is intended only as a guide to relevant legislation/policy. The information is accurate as at the date listed at the bottom of the page, but may be subject to change. To discuss individual circumstances please contact Services Australia.

3.11.6 Fully meeting requirements

Recent changes

Fully meeting rules will change from 1 April 2025.

Those with mutual obligation requirements in receipt of CA will be able to fully meet their requirements.

Rules will also be more consistently applied across fully meeting cohorts. All cohorts (including CA recipients) will be able to fully meet their requirements through 30 hours per fortnight of:

  • paid work (including self-employment) and/or approved study.
  • a combination of paid work and/or approved study with up to 15 hours per fortnight of approved voluntary work.

Those aged 60 and over and those aged 55 to 59 after their first 12 months of income support may fully meet their requirements through 30 hours per fortnight of any of the above activities (solely), or any combination of the above activities (that is, no restriction on the amount of voluntary work they can count towards fully meeting their requirements).

Introduction

Recognising their unique circumstances, some cohorts of job seekers may be able to fully meet their requirements by undertaking 30 hours per fortnight of approved activities (including paid work, approved study, voluntary work, self-employment or a combination of these activities). These cohorts are principal carer parents, those aged 55 and over or those with an assessed partial capacity to work. In all cases outlined below, paid work and self-employment must meet the sufficient work test in order for it to fully meet the job seeker's requirements (1.1.S.403). 

A job seeker who is fully meeting their requirements does not have to look for work or participate in any additional activities. Job seekers who are fully meeting their requirements must be prepared to report on their activities as required. These job seekers will agree to a Job Plan with, and report their participation in their fully meeting activity to, Services Australia, and may be exited from employment services. Once their fully meeting activity has ceased, they will be referred back to employment services (if appropriate).

Those who are fully meeting their requirements and are no longer required to participate with employment services are still able to engage with employment services voluntarily. However, they still need to agree to a Job Plan with, and report their participation in their fully meeting activity to, Services Australia.

Where more than one method of fully meeting requirements is available to a job seeker (for example, they are a principal carer parent and also mature aged) then they fully meet their requirements if they satisfy the criteria for either cohort.

Mature age

From 1 April 2025, job seekers aged 55 years and over can fully meet their mutual obligation requirements through approved study (as described under 'recent changes').

Under social security legislation, depending on their age and how long they have been receiving payment for, job seekers aged 55 years and over may choose to fully meet their mutual obligation requirements through approved voluntary work, suitable paid work (including self-employment), or a combination of these activities.

In their first 12 months on payment, job seekers aged 55 to 59 can generally fully meet their mutual obligation requirements through 30 hours per fortnight of paid work, or 30 hours per fortnight of a combination of approved voluntary work and paid work (where at least 15 hours per fortnight must be in paid work). After 12 months on payment, these job seekers can fully meet their mutual obligation requirements if they undertake at least 30 hours per fortnight of approved voluntary work, paid work or any combination of these activities.

Note: For the purposes of assessing how a mature-aged job seeker may fully meet their requirements, if a job seeker goes off payment for a period of less than 3 months, they will still be taken to be on payment during that period and this will count towards determining if they have been receiving payment for 12 months.

Regardless of their duration on payment, job seekers aged 60 and over as well as PP recipients (aged 55 and over) can fully meet their mutual obligation requirements if they undertake at least 30 hours per fortnight of approved voluntary work, paid work (including self-employment) or any combination of the 2.

In instances where job seekers aged 55 years and over have confirmed their engagement in voluntary work but have not yet commenced, the job seeker still has a requirement to participate in compulsory activities (such as job search and attending provider appointments if applicable) until they commence the voluntary work.

Those who are aged 55 and over whose hours drop below 30 hours in the fortnight with a reasonable excuse will be given 2 further consecutive fortnights to increase their hours back above the 30 hours per fortnight threshold. If they do not restore their hours within these 2 further consecutive fortnights, they will be considered to no longer be fully meeting their requirements.

Principal carer parents & those with an assessed partial capacity to work

From 1 April 2025, all principal carer parents, and those with a partial capacity to work, regardless of their circumstances will be able to fully meet their requirements through approved voluntary work if combined with other fully meeting activities (as described under 'recent changes').

Principal carer parents (1.1.P.412) and job seekers with an assessed partial capacity to work (1.1.P.65) are able to fully meet their requirements through 30 hours per fortnight of paid work, study (including both contact and non-contact hours), or a combination of paid work and study totalling at least 30 hours per fortnight. Principal carer parents receiving PES, and undertaking full-time study, are also taken to be fully meeting their requirements.

Where principal carer parents have shared care of children and work irregular hours over a fortnight (for example, they may work 30 hours one week and no hours the next), mutual obligation requirements are considered to have been met where the job seeker works sufficient hours - during both their care and non-care days/weeks - to meet their mutual obligation requirements over a 4-week period.

Before 1 April 2025, employment services providers can approve voluntary work for principal carer parents (either by itself or in combination with other approved fully meeting activities) in limited circumstances. Providers can only approve voluntary work for a principal carer parent job seeker if ALL the following conditions are met, in addition to the general voluntary work approval requirements (3.11.3.30):

  • the principal carer parent lives in a poor labour market
  • there are limited training opportunities locally available
  • there is a significant vocational aspect to the voluntary work, and
  • that the voluntary work placement meets the criteria for approval as part of requirements (3.11.3.30).

Act reference: SS(Admin)Act section 40R Persons engaged in work

Study or training in Workforce Australia

In addition to mechanisms discussed above, any job seeker in Workforce Australia can fully meet their requirements if they are undertaking a total of 70 hours or more per fortnight of a combination of paid work and study/training in high labour demand areas (3.11.3.10).

Job seekers in Workforce Australia Services (provider managed) can also meet their points target (3.11.4) if they participate full-time in approved study (3.11.3.10). This means they will have no minimum job search. Providers are able to assist job seekers identify courses which will be beneficial for them, and report and record their enrolment and attendance.

Job seekers in Workforce Australia Online may also be able to meet their points target if they are undertaking full-time study in an eligible course. Online participants should contact the Digital Services Contact Centre to have their points requirement adjusted if required.

Last reviewed: