Job Seekers benefit - Going travelling- entitled to anything when we return?

Happyhouse22

My wife and I are considering quitting our jobs and going travelling for 6-12 months. Would we be entitled to Job Seekers Benefit upon our return? We have both worked full time for the last 5-6 years.

We own our own home so wouldn’t be entitled to anything which would be means tested.

I am confident we would both be able to find new jobs when we return but this could take weeks/months - is JSB an option for us?

I see comments that this can be a long application process, is it possible/advisable to start the application process online a few weeks before we get back?

Wanderer78

i cant see why you wouldnt get it, but who knows, id recommend it though, you wont regret it, where you thinking of heading?

To qualify for unemployment benefit you must have suffered loss of employment. Giving up a job is not the same as loss of unemployment.

Dial Hard

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118516880#Comment_118516880

Not true, you can apply even if you quit your job, you just get disqualified for the first 9 weeks. Presumably this would kick in when the OP applies as opposed to from when he actually left his job, but I'm not sure.

Wanderer78

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118516880#Comment_118516880

be grand, i know people that were out of the country for years, and got it almost straight away, there maybe a delay nowadays though in receiving payment

if they got a social welfare payment it was not unemployment benefit, it may have been unemployment assistance.

if there is an economic downturn then as unemployment figures increase the Social Welfare Department will make those returning from abroad progressively more unwelcome and will not be so flahulach with the benefits as the worsening unemployment statistics will need to be massaged.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118516887#Comment_118516887

Show me the person living hand to mouth who can afford to do without 9 weeks Social Welfare payment.

Can people here show some restraint and stop cheerleading people unknown to them in to life changing situations without being there to support them if their plans go awry.

Wanderer78

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118516939#Comment_118516939

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118516956#Comment_118516956

they ll be grand, they ll more than likely get some sort of payment, its good for them, for society and for the economy itself, if people take such time out, recharge and reenter the workforce after the fact, everybody gains....

https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/returning_to_ireland/applying_for_social_welfare/accessing_social_welfare_as_a_returning_Irish_emigrant.html

road_high

I “think” you’ll be entitled to Unemployment allowance rather than “benefit” which is means tested unlike benefit which is based on your contributions. So long as you and your wife meet the means test criteria then I assume you’ll be eligible. Again depending it may not be the full rate/s.

I’m no expert on any of this though. And it may take time to get any money while they assess you. But may be due back money once your claim is successful

https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/abroad/advice-for-returning-emigrants-applying-for-social-welfare-1.3515392

Atlantic Dawn

My understanding is they can claim Jobseekers benefit for 9 months when they come back as they will have worked for over 5 years here paying stamps. There would be a 9 week waiting period as they left their jobs. Jobseekers assistance could be claimed after that but is means tested.

Wanderer78

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118517003#Comment_118517003

would they be considered emigrants? i was out of the country for a year, even though this was years ago, and the fact i was on career break, i also know other irish citizens that have done this, and received welfare upon return, this is also common in other countries, and i know citizens from other countries that have received welfare upon returning from their travels, in their countries, yes things maybe very different now, and the world could be experiencing a catastrophic depression in the near future, i still think the op and his wife be grand. no harm in them having a few quid set aside for their return just encase.....

for social welfare note the difference between years and accumulated weeks. periods of unemployment over a number of years may bring them under thresholds and exclude them from certain social welfare payments.

Also, a motor insurnace NCB will lapse after two years and a returning Emigrant will be thrown upon the tender mercies of the Insurance industry to insure a car at an affordable rate.

With changes in pension qualifications also you'd have to hope that payments made to another Country's retirement fund are recognised in Ireland.

It is no longer a case that Irish people automatically become eligible for the same pension payment. The number of weeks contribution now count to how much you receive at 68 or 69 or 75 or whatever it will be by the time a returned emigrant reaches that age.

Happyhouse22

Thanks for all the replies- some very helpful information.

Thinking of heading to India, south east Asia and then Australia. But it very much depends on the covid situation too.

I would see it more of an extended holiday rather than emigrating -that said maybe we will like somewhere so much we might want to stay!

For those worried about us if this advice turns out to be incorrect I’m sure we will be okay, We do have savings which we don’t intend to deplete entirely - I just thought if we were entitled to something it would help with the costs of coming back and getting set up again.

ari101

I left a job and did 3 months travelling, came back and straight on jobseekers no issues, as long as you have the required stamps and demonstrate you are looking for work there should be no issue.

They will not be considered emigrants, they are only thinking of travelling for 6-12 months. You have to live outside the state for 2 year before habitual residency comes into play

And even if they stayed away longer, once they have family ties here, and keep and use an open Irish bank account,(proving ties to Ireland) there residency status will be fine.

Happyhouse22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118517612#Comment_118517612

Did you apply when u got back or before? Have heard it can take time to process..

if it does take time can you get back pay?

HBC08

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118517656#Comment_118517656

Whether it's legal or correct I don't know but I did this.

Lived in Asia for 10 years but always had a bank account here.I told them the truth and they got me set up straight away.It was indicated to me though that they were kinda doing me a favour.

When I say straight away it took maybe 8 weeks but I got the full back pay. I've posted on this before but I couldn't believe how generous the whole system is.

Good luck on your travels op!

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118520156#Comment_118520156

You can't apply whilst out of the country nor leave the country whilst application being processed, that's not how it works.

On your return submit application. My guess, given a year of no taxable employment in Ireland is that it will be JSA and you'll both be means tested.

It does take a few weeks and yes back dated, in the mean time people generally apply for SWA to tie them over but again, means tested.

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118520173#Comment_118520173

If your an Irish Citizen, emmigrant doesn't come into the decision making process.

I'm not entirely sure what you mean by "Favor", the Department were doing their Job, if you met the qualifying criteria.

It's not about legalities or otherwise, the rules are straightforward.

Be habitually resident (In the state) , meet qualifying criteria , which includes "must be actively seeking employment"

The only issue in OP's situation,Assuming they are an Irish Citizens returning, is what they'll actually be entitled too , I'm leaning towards JSA and it will be means tested and not as Generous as some might believe.

ari101

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118520156#Comment_118520156

I applied in person (pre Covid) the week I got back. It took less than two weeks to come through. I had made sure to get a Public Service Card before I went away in anticipation of a period on unemployment on return and not wanting it to slow things down.

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118520413#Comment_118520413

Yes, wether people agree or not re the PSC card, having it speeds up the entire process, pre covid, processing times were quick enough but unfortunately current waiting times taking far longer, especially illness, disability payments .

I suppose with restrictions relaxing and support payments ending soon, processing times will reduce , Hopefully.

TooTired123

When you come back you will be assessed for PRSI contributions in the taxable year. So for applications in 2022 the taxable year is 2020, application in 2023 taxable year is 2021 etc.

wench

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118520182#Comment_118520182

On the JSA vs JSB question, one year out of the system wouldn't automatically make it JSA.

The Governing Contribution Year is what is used to determine eligibility, and it is two years back. So for a claim in 2022, it would be 2020.

If they were to leave their jobs this year, once they claim before the end of 2023, they would still be ok to apply for JSB.

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118520508#Comment_118520508

Yes I agree and understand how they assess entitlement to JSB, I'm just guessing that the absence of recent contributions (I year) might mean it could be JSA, I understood (open to correction) a person needs to apply immediately on loosing / leaving a job , albeit there's the 9 week penalty in terms of leaving a job voluntarily which is a separate issue.

Again , I'm just pointing out, it may be JSA in the situation OP is outlining.

wench

There is no obligation to apply immediately upon leaving a job, and in this case it would be fraudulent to do so, as they would be neither in the country nor looking for work.

The lack of recent contributions wouldn't come into play at all until the GCY it happened in rolls around.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118520539#Comment_118520539

What is inaccurate about correctly informing the OP about not being able to draw down Unemployment Benefit for a period of time. Please spell out to me and others who may be reading the thread. In forming your response detail the actual Social Welfare Assistence payment you received and the duration of time between applying and receiving your first payment. If you received back payment please state how many weeks the back payment was received for...or did you plead for an emergency payment from the Community Welfare Officer. I assume you will need to check your records and can't give an immediate response. It would not be fair to the O.P. to provide them with inaccurate information which they later rely upon but then discover to their distress that they are left with no income with which to sustain themselves.

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118520559#Comment_118520559

Just to be very clear , if your referring my last post, it certainly would be fraudulent to claim and then go travelling, in fact , such an application likely to fail, I'm simply making a general point that in a normal scenario, we're someone looses a job, it's advisable to apply ASAP for JSB assuming enough contributions paid, I'm just also pointing out as OP will be away fro 12 months with no taxable income of contributions, it's likely JSA is the payment they'll get, but of course not ruling out JSB .

I certainly would never, ever advise anyone to claim any jobseekers if their intention was to travel .

LillySV

Your entitlement for benefit is established from your contributions from 2 years ago… so for entitlement this year you would have had to work 39 cons in 2020 and had gross earnings over 300 to get full payment . Can’t see any reason why u wouldn’t be entitled if u working whole time to now

listermint

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118517125#Comment_118517125

Plan on having no savings for that sort of trip. Genuinely, if you think you won't eat into it massively then you are kidding yourself. Been there done that. Know many folks the same. Not one of them didn't spend like it was never ending. So plan for that.