Working holiday? Temporary visa? You could earn super too.

If you’ve come to Australia to work, you may be able to get superannuation (‘super’) from your employer – even if you’re here on a temporary visa.

And if you’re new to Australia, super might be new to you too.

Whether you’re here on a working holiday visa or another temporary visa, our simple guide will help you understand how super works, what you can expect from your employer, and what happens to your money when you leave Australia. 

What is superannuation?

On July 1, 1992, it became law for all Australian employers to contribute to a super fund to help their workers save for retirement. Super generally applies to all eligible employees, including Australian citizens, residents, and people working in Australia on temporary visas.

Employers pay super on top of wages or salaries. The amount is a percentage of what an employee earns, and it’s called the Super Guarantee (SG) and is contributed to your superannuation fund.

The current SG rate is 12% of qualifying earnings (we’ll talk about what these are later).

Funds like Rest invest this money, with the goal to generate returns on the investments that will help to grow their members’ balances over the long-term. It’s important to remember that investment markets move through cycles. This means the value of your account can go up or down depending on how your investments are performing. 

Learn more about what super is and how it works here. 

Can I get super if I’m a temporary resident?

Yes - super is for people who work in Australia, and it can apply whether you’re an Australian citizen, permanent resident or here on a temporary visa.

If you’re eligible, your employer generally needs to pay super for you as part of your employment. It doesn’t matter whether you work full-time, part-time or casually – you may still be entitled to super.

Earning super can depend on things like your age, the hours you work, and the type of work you do. The Australian government’s Department of Home Affairs is a good place to find out about whether your visa allows you to work and receive super. 

What about a working holiday visa?

If you’re here on a Working Holiday visa (subclass 417) or Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462), you may also be able to get super while you work.

That could include working in a café, restaurant, farm, shop, hotel, construction job or another eligible role.

The Australian government’s Department of Home Affairs is a good place to find out about whether your visa allows you to work and receive super. 

How do I start getting super?

When you start a new job, you can give your employer the details of the super fund you'd like to use, and they'll pay your super into that account. If you've done some work before, you may already have a super account you'd like to keep using.

You can also have your super paid into your employer's super fund (called their default fund).

Your employer's default fund is the fund they've selected for employees who don't choose a different fund.

For example, Rest is the default fund for thousands of employers across Australia. If you choose to have your super paid into your employer's default fund, they’ll open an account for you and pay your super there.

This account can then follow you from job to job (this is sometimes called a “stapled” account), or you might change funds with each employer.

Which super fund you choose to join will depend on your situation, fees, investments, service, and trustworthiness. Learn more about choosing a super fund here.

Do note that if you work for several employers while you’re in Australia, you could end up with more than one super account. Find out more about the potential benefits of combining your super into one account here.

Am I being paid super? It’s worth checking.

A good place to start is your payslip. Check that super is being paid and keep track of which fund your contributions are going into. Or speak with someone in your Accounts or HR department. 

While the correct amount of super contributions may be listed on your payslip, it doesn’t always mean that the money has been contributed to your super fund. To see when and how much was contributed, check your super fund’s app or member portal, or review your annual statements.

Your payments will typically show up in your super fund within 7-10 working days of being paid your salary or wages. Rest members can log into the Rest App or MemberAccess and see their super balance and employer contributions. 

How much super should I be getting?

The current SG rate is set by the government and is 12% of qualifying earnings.

For example, if you earn $1,000 in qualifying earnings, your employer would generally pay $120 into your super account. 

I’m leaving Australia? What happens to my super?

Your time in Australia might be temporary, but the super you earn while working here is still important.

If you’re a temporary resident, your visa has ended, and you’ve left Australia permanently, you may be able to claim your super.

This is called a Departing Australia Superannuation Payment (DASP). Once you receive a DASP payment, your super account will be automatically closed.   

Can I claim Departing Australia Superannuation Payment (DASP)?

You may be able to apply for DASP if:

• you were in Australia on an eligible temporary visa
• you worked in Australia and received super contributions
• you’ve left Australia
• your temporary visa has ended
• you’re not an Australian or New Zealand citizen or an Australian permanent resident

Some visa types are excluded, so check the eligibility requirements that apply to you.

Where can I apply for DASP?

You can apply through the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) DASP online system.

How much tax will I pay?

DASP payments are taxed before they’re paid to you. The amount of tax depends on your situation, including the type of visa you held. If you were working in Australia on a Working Holiday visa, a different DASP tax rate may apply.

This means the amount you receive may be less than the balance shown in your super account.

Tax rules can change, so check the latest information before you apply.