Support
Allowances and reimbursements for in-country assignments
In-country volunteers are entitled to living and accommodation allowances.
Those completing an assignment in-country or in-country phase of a hybrid assignment are eligible for monetary reimbursements and an allowance over the course of their assignment.
In-country allowances are designed to enable a modest local lifestyle and cover living costs while on assignment. The living and accommodation allowance rates are country, area or region-specific. Payments are made monthly, one month in advance. Explore the table of current living and accommodation allowances.
In general, volunteers will receive the following allowances or reimbursements:
Settling in - To assist with expenses associated with passports, excess baggage, and any other costs associated with your departure and setting up accommodation in your country of assignment. If your assignment duration is six months or less, the program will provide you with a one-off settling-in allowance of AUD$500. For assignments of more than six months, the settling in allowance is AUD$1,000. The allowance is paid prior to departure by direct transfer to your Australian bank account.
Living – To offset daily expenses such as food, internet data, and incidentals.
Accommodation - To enable you to access accommodation of a reasonable standard that is considered safe and secure. In some locations, accommodation is provided directly by the program.
Resettlement - For assignments of more than six months, a resettlement allowance will be paid at the conclusion of the assignment to offset some of the costs of excess baggage, departure tax, en route costs and expenses associated with resettling back in Australia. For these assignments, the resettlement allowance is AUD$1,200.
Reimbursement - There are a number of reimbursable expenses related to travel, medical appointments, and documentation. Explore what expenses are eligible for reimbursement.
If you are a hybrid volunteer, visit the remote allowances and reimbursement page to learn more about allowances in the remote phase. For more details refer to the Allowance section of the Australian Volunteers Guidebook.
