GO6558: Disaster Recovery Allowance 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 lost income as a direct result of a major disaster, consistent with the Disaster Recovery Allowance (DRA).
This grant will be administered by Services Australia on behalf of NEMA.
The NZ DRA grant program will run over 4 years from 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2027.
A person qualifies if they:
- a) are at least 16 years of age
- b) are a non-protected Special Category (subclass 444) visa holder and are a non-resident under the Social Security Act 1991
- c) have participated in the Australian income tax system for at least one year in the past 3 financial years and earned above the tax free threshold or will do so before a date provided for the event
- d) earn, derive or receive income from one of the affected areas by working in that area (when activated), or reside in that area
- or earn income from affected industries by working in an affected industry in an activated area
- e) have suffered a loss of income as a direct result of a Part 2.23B major disaster
- f) did not receive and will not receive another social security entitlement for the period they are claiming NZ DRA
- g) did not receive an instalment of any of the listed specified payments (parental leave pay, dad and partner pay, certain veteran payments, special benefit, ABSTUDY Living Allowance, Disaster Recovery Allowance or New Zealand Disaster Recovery Allowance)
- h) have annualised disaster affected income less than AWOTE as per the Rate Calculator
- and i) have a rate of payment greater than nil for the first fortnight
Persons must self-declare these requirements and Services Australia can undertake verification checks.
Additional qualification rule applies for persons under 22 years of age (dependency and expected pre-disaster income <= $6,403).
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Last updated: 11 February 2026