GO6559: Disaster Recovery Payment for New Zealand non-protected Special Category (subclass 444) visa holders
The objective of the grant is to provide payments to New Zealand non-protected Special Category (subclass 444) visa holders who have been adversely affected by a major disaster, consistent with the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment (AGDRP).
NZDRP grants will be administered by Services Australia on behalf of NEMA.
The NZDRP grant program will run over 4 years from 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2027.
To qualify a person must:
- be at least 16 years old
- be a non-protected Special Category (subclass 444) visa holder and be a non-resident under the Social Security Act 1991
- have participated in the Australian tax system for at least one year in the past three financial years, or will do so before a date provided for the event
- and be adversely affected by a major disaster in Australia (as defined by Ministerial Determinations under the Act)
Only one NZDRP payment can be made in relation to the same major disaster (excluding Disaster Recovery Allowance for New Zealand Special Category (subclass 444) visa holders).
A person may claim as the primary claimant on behalf of an eligible secondary claimant if the primary claimant qualifies in their own right and the secondary claimant has been adversely affected and does not qualify or has not already received the NZDRP or the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment for the same disaster.
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Last updated: 11 February 2026