As a New Zealand citizen in Australia, you might be wondering if you’re eligible for assistance when it comes to the cost of childcare. The main form of childcare assistance in Australia is the Child Care Subsidy (CCS). Childcare is often a significant expense for many working parents, so every little bit counts when it comes to the cost of childcare. Depending on your circumstances, the CCS could make a huge difference to your childcare fees, so it’s well worth checking to see whether or not you’re eligible to claim the CCS.
Read on to learn more about the Child Care Subsidy for New Zealand citizens.
The CCS for New Zealand citizens
As a New Zealand citizen living in Australia, the type of payments and services you can claim depends on your visa.
Permanent residence visa
If you hold a permanent residence visa, you can claim any Centrelink payment or concession card. This includes the Child Care Subsidy (CCS), along with other services and payments designed to help with the cost of raising children.
Protected Special Category visa (SCV)
You’re considered a protected SCV holder if you arrived in Australia on a New Zealand passport, and were either:
- In Australia on 26 February 2001,
- In Australia for 12 months in the 2 years immediately before this date, or
- Assessed as a protected SCV holder before 26 February 2004.
If you live in Australia as a protected SCV holder, you can claim the CCS along with any Centrelink payment or concession card.
Non-protected Special Category visa (SCV)
Alternatively, you’re generally considered a non-protected SCV holder if you’re a New Zealand citizen who arrived in Australia after 26 February 2001. Because you’re not considered an Australian resident, you generally can’t claim income support payments. With that said, you might still be eligible for the CCS, along with:
- The Family Tax Benefit (FTB),
- Newborn Upfront Payment and Newborn Supplement,
- Single Income Family Supplement,
- Double Orphan Pension, and
- Health Care Card.
How to claim the CCS as a New Zealand citizen
Here’s how to claim the CCS as a New Zealand citizen living in Australia.
1. Check the eligibility requirements
So long as you meet the residence rules listed above, you’ll also be subject to the same eligibility requirements as Australian citizens. That means that you or your partner need to meet both of the following criteria:
- Care for your child at least 2 nights per fortnight, or have 14% care, and
- Be liable for fees for care provided at an approved child care service.
Your child must also:
- Meet immunisation requirements, and
- Not be attending secondary school unless an exemption applies.
2. Check the income and work requirements
You’ll also be subject to the same criteria to determine how much CCS assistance you can receive. As part of this process, Centrelink will consider:
- Your family’s income,
- The hourly rate cap based on the type of approved child care you use and your child’s age,
- The hours of activity you and your partner do, and
- The number of children in your care.
3. Claim the CCS
So long as you meet the eligibility criteria as well as the income and work requirements, you can submit a claim for the CCS.
The easiest way to claim the CCS is online. To do so, you’ll just need to:
- Set up your myGov account and link it to your Centrelink account,
- Prove your identity,
- Submit relevant documents to support your claim, and
- Confirm your child’s enrollment.
4. Enrol your child in an approved childcare service
As part of the CCS claims process, you’ll need to enrol your child in an approved childcare service. Although you can verify your little one’s enrollment details after you’ve submitted your CCS claim, Centrelink can’t assess your application until you’ve provided these details. So, the sooner you confirm your child’s enrollment details, the sooner you can receive the CCS if your claim is approved.
5. Wait for your CCS assessment notice
Once you’ve submitted your claim to Centrelink, it can take up to 28 days to assess your application. You’ll then be provided with an assessment notice that details the outcome of your claim along with other important information, including:
- Whether you're eligible to receive the CCS,
- The amount of childcare fee assistance you can expect to receive,
- The annual cap that applies to you, and
- The withholding amount.
If you’re eligible to receive the CCS, the payment will be made directly to your childcare provider so you’ll just have to cover the out of pocket expenses.
Want to calculate your potential savings? Use our Child Care Subsidy calculator to work out how much Child Care Subsidy your family could claim and estimate your out of pocket child care cost in 30 seconds or less.
