relocate for work support
support to help young people age 18+ to relocate for a job
eligibility
To be eligible for Relocate for Work Support, a young person must:
- be receiving a main benefit (Youth Payment or Young Parent Payment)
- be of working age (18 years – 64 years)
- be ordinarily resident and present in New Zealand when applying for Relocate for Work Support
- have a verified job offer that meets the job eligibility criteria, and
- meet a cash asset test.
The cash asset limits are as follows:
- Single with no dependent children: $4,500
- In a relationship with no dependent children: $6,500
- Single or in a relationship with at least one dependent child: $7,500
The young person also needs to:
- agree to cancel their main benefit from their job start date
- apply for and be granted Relocate for Work Support before moving
- not have received any other payments from us for relocating for the same job
- have accommodation that is adequate in their new location before applying, and
- have been searching for and have been unable to get a job in their current location.
job eligibility criteria
The young person must provide a verified offer of employment that is:
- at least 30 hours per week at minimum wage
- less than 30 hours if the pay is at least the same as 30 hours at minimum wage, or
- at least 20 hours per week if the young person is a sole parent.
It will also need to be:
- suitable to their skills, abilities and situation
- paying at least the relevant minimum wage
- be permanent of fixed term for ay least 12 months, and
- in a location where it is too far to commute.
payment
Relocate for Work Support is paid at a flat rate, calculated through a set payment structure.
How much the young person can get depends on:
- who in the young person's immediate family is travelling with them
- how they'll be traveling (land, sea or air), and
- if they need additional assistance to move their possessions.
The payment is made directly to the young person as one lump sum to their bank account.
For more information, visit MAP [TBC on 31 March 2025].
repayment and recovery
Relocate for Work Support is recoverable only if the young person:
- returns to a main benefit or gets a Student Allowance within 182 days of starting the job.
- doesn’t use the payment to move to their new job
- does not move within 28 calendar days of the support being granted
- doesn’t cancel their main benefit when they move into employment
- states they will travel by air or sea, and doesn't (for example, they drive instead), or
- is granted a payment to move their possessions and don’t use the payment for this reason.
Debt will not be established if MSD is satisfied that the young person has a good and sufficient reason for not meeting the above conditions.
elearning module
For more information about Relocate for Work Support, including how to submit an application, check out the eLearning module: Relocate for Work Support.