What happens to your super when you leave Australia?

If you are a temporary resident permanently leaving Australia

If you entered Australia on an eligible temporary work visa that has now ended (for example, it has expired or been cancelled and you’re leaving permanently), you could access your super benefits.

This payment is known as a Departing Australia Superannuation Payment (DASP) and is not available to Australian or New Zealand citizens, or permanent residents of Australia.

If you’re eligible, you’ll need to apply for a DASP. Please also note that we only make this type of payment by cheque or electronic funds transfer (EFT) to an Australian bank account.

For more information and to find out how to make a claim, please visit the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) website.

If you've permanently emigrated to New Zealand

If you’re an Australian or New Zealand citizen who has emigrated permanently to New Zealand with the intention of staying indefinitely or permanently, you can apply to transfer the balance of your GESB Super benefit to a KiwiSaver account that will accept the payment.

If you have a West State Super account, you’ll need to transfer the balance of your benefit to a taxed fund, like GESB Super, before transferring it to an eligible KiwiSaver account.

For more information and to apply, please call us on 08 9211 6680.