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Work homepage
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Overview
We can help you get ready to apply and find the right job for you. We can even help you while you're working.
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Get ready to work
You can get training, help with CVs and cover letters, and advice for job interviews.
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Find jobs
Find out what jobs are available, which job is best for you and how you can plan your career.
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Working
Whether you've just started a job or need some help at work, we've got your back.
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Lost your job
We'll help you get ready to find a new job and support you while you're between jobs.
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Start your own business
Get help to plan and set up a successful business or be a self-employed contractor.
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Benefits and payments homepage
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Overview
Take a look at the range of benefits and payments we have available.
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Not working
Redundancy, health condition or disability or another reason you can’t work
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Living expenses
Food, school costs, power, accommodation or other living expenses you need help with
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Relationship changes
You’ve had a relationship break-up, family breakdown or violent relationship end
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Health and Disability
Counselling, prescription and GP costs, medical alarms and other costs we can help with
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Seniors
Travelling overseas, how to apply, payment rates and dates, overseas pensions, income and other info for Seniors
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Caring
Caring for someone else’s child or someone with a health condition, injury or disability
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Urgent or unexpected costs
Dental, glasses, car repairs, fridge, washing machine, funeral or other urgent costs you need help with
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Children
Childcare, school uniforms, stationery, having a baby and other costs if you have children
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Moving to New Zealand
Payments you can get from us, settling into NZ, overseas pensions and more.
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Benefits and forms
A-Z list of benefits, forms, benefit rates
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On a benefit homepage
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Overview
Check out what you need to do when you're getting a benefit or other payment from us.
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Something's changed
Address, contact details, overseas travel, childcare, relationship or anything else that’s changed.
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Income
Declare income and income deduction tables
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Childcare
Change in your childcare situation, continue childcare payments, cohort entry schools and other childcare information
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Going overseas
Travelling or moving overseas may affect your payments.
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Re-apply
Re-apply for Jobseeker Support, Sole Parent Support, Temporary Additional Support and more
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Payments
Check or stop your payments, payment cards and other information
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Debt
Check your debt, repayments and other debt information
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Rights and responsibilities
Our commitment to you, obligations, complaints, benefit fraud and more
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Housing homepage
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Overview
Find out how we can help you with housing.
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Nowhere to stay
Get help if you have nowhere to stay right now.
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Find a house
Find out where to look for private housing, or apply for public (social) housing.
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Living in your home
Get help with accommodation costs, and advice on any housing issues and public housing tenancies.
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Moving house
Find out how we can help if you’re moving house.
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Other languages
Read some of our housing information in other languages.
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Jobseeker Support
Jobseeker Support is a weekly payment that helps people while they are looking for work or can't work right now.
Overview
- Get paid a weekly benefit while you look for work, or if you can't work right now because of a health condition, injury, or disability.
- You'll need to meet certain criteria.
- You can apply online.
- There are certain things you'll need to do while you're getting this benefit (these are called obligations).
- You'll need to re-apply every year if you still need it.
To get Jobseeker Support, you generally need to be in one of the following situations:
- not be in employment and are looking for a job
- be in part-time employment and looking for more work, or
- have a health condition or disability which affects your ability to work. This means you have to reduce your hours or stop work for a while. We may still be able to help if you have a job to go back to.
You also need to:
- be aged 18 or older, or 20 and older if you have dependent children
- either:
- be a New Zealand citizen
- be a permanent resident, or
- have a residence class visa under the Immigration Act 2009
- have lived continuously in NZ for at least 2 years since either:
- becoming a NZ citizen
- becoming a permanent resident, or
- getting a residence class visa
- be ordinarily resident in NZ, and
- be ordinarily resident in New Zealand when you apply.
If this isn't you, find out how we can help. Talk to us.
You also need to agree to some obligations such as:
- be willing to accept suitable employment
- be taking reasonable steps to find work.
This is a guide only. For more detail about who can get it read:
Check if you can get Jobseeker Support
To find out if you could get Jobseeker Support and what else you might qualify for, use our 'Check what you might get' tool.
Jobseeker Support is paid weekly. How much you get depends on your situation and how much you and your partner (if you have one) earn.
If you get Jobseeker Support, you'll also automatically get a Winter Energy Payment. This is paid during the Winter months.
You can apply online through MyMSD. We'll also check to see if you can get any other help from us based on the answers you give in your application.
If you want to get child support through Inland Revenue, you can apply through us when you complete your online application. Or you can apply through Inland Revenue. Any child support payments you get will be counted as income for your benefit.
Once you've submitted your online form, we’ll call you if there's anything else you need to do.
Provide a medical certificate
If you have a health condition, injury or disability that impacts your ability to work, you must provide a medical certificate. To get a medical certificate you'll need to book an appointment with your health practitioner.
If your application's approved
- We'll let you know when your payments will start.
- We'll send you a Community Services Card to help with the costs of healthcare and public transport.
- If you have dependent children under 18, you may get a family tax credit. This can be paid with your benefit or from Inland Revenue (it depends what option you chose when you applied for your benefit).
You'll need to attend a Kōrero Mahi work seminar
If you have full-time work obligations, you'll need to attend a seminar.
At our Kōrero Mahi work seminars you'll get support to get ready to work. We'll explain how we can help you find work, and get you set up to start applying for jobs.
Meet your obligations
There are things you need to do when you're getting a Jobseeker Support benefit. If you don't do them, your benefit could reduce or stop. This includes things like:
- telling us if something changes
- finding or preparing for work
- taking part in work ability assessments.
If you have a partner, there are things they'll need to do as well.
Renew your medical certificate
If you have a health condition, injury or disability that impacts your ability to work, you would have provided a medical certificate when you applied.
The medical certificate will show your medical coverage. This is a period of time where your health practitioner has determined that you can't work due to your health condition, injury or disability.
Medical coverage is due to expire
If your medical coverage is due to expire while you're getting Jobseeker Support, you'll need to provide another medical certificate. We'll write to you 4 weeks before your coverage expires asking you to either:
- renew your medical certificate, or
- tell us you're ready to look for work.
If you're going to renew your medical certificate, you must do this before your medical coverage expires. If you can't renew it before the expiry date, contact us as soon as you can.
Find out when your medical coverage expires
You can use MyMSD to find out when your medical coverage expires. It's listed in the 'My Profile' section.
You can also call us on 0800 559 009.
If you're getting Jobseeker Support and you still need it after a year, you have to reapply.
Related
Contact
For more information contact us