From 1 July 2018, stricter residency rules for new migrants to access Australian pensions will be introduced.  Claimants will be required to have 15 years of continuous Australian residence before being eligible to receive the Age Pension or DSP unless they have either:

• ·         10 years continuous Australian residence, with five years of this residence being during their working life (16 years of age to Age Pension age); or

• ·         10 years continuous Australian residence, without having received an activity tested income support payment for a cumulative period of five years.

• ·         Existing exemptions for DSP applicants who acquire their disability in Australia will continue to apply.