Superannuation if you're on a temporary visa

The basics: who gets super and how much

Superannuation guarantee (SG) is a compulsory contribution your employer makes into a super fund on your behalf, calculated as a percentage of your ordinary time earnings. As at 2026, the SG rate is 12%, having reached that level from 1 July 2025 after a series of scheduled annual increases — it's legislated to remain at 12% going forward, with no further increases currently scheduled.

Most employees are entitled to it regardless of visa status, provided you're over 18 (or, if under 18, working more than 30 hours a week) and earning any amount — the old $450-a-month minimum threshold for eligibility was removed some years ago, so even small amounts of earnings now attract super. This applies whether you're on a skilled visa, a working holiday visa, a student visa working part-time, or most other temporary categories, as long as you're working as an employee rather than a genuine independent contractor.

It's paid on top of your wage, not deducted from it — an employer quoting you a salary should be clear about whether the figure is 'plus super' or already includes it, since the difference is 12% of your pay.

Choosing a super fund

New employees generally have the right to choose their own super fund; if you don't nominate one, your employer will pay contributions into a default fund (often, but not always, an existing fund you may have from a previous job, or the employer's chosen default). It's worth actively choosing rather than leaving it to default, particularly if you already have a fund from an earlier period of work in Australia, since ending up with several small accounts across different employers means paying multiple sets of account fees and insurance premiums on balances that would be better consolidated.

Comparing funds usually comes down to fees, investment performance over time, and insurance cover bundled with the account (many funds include default life and total-and-permanent-disability insurance, which is sometimes worth keeping and sometimes worth reviewing given your circumstances). Independent comparison tools exist for this and it's a reasonable thing to spend twenty minutes on rather than accept a default blindly.

Giving your chosen fund's details to a new employer is done alongside your tax file number declaration when you start a job — the two forms usually get completed together.

What happens to your super while you're working here

Your super accumulates like any employee's — contributions from your employer(s), invested according to the fund's default or your chosen investment option, growing (or occasionally shrinking, depending on market performance) over time. You can generally check your balance and consolidate multiple accounts through your myGov account once it's linked to the ATO, which shows all the super accounts reported against your tax file number.

While you're working and living in Australia on a temporary visa, you generally can't access your super early just because you're not a citizen or permanent resident — the early-release conditions that apply to super (severe financial hardship, compassionate grounds, and similar) are narrow and apply the same way regardless of visa status. The specific temporary-visa pathway to accessing it is leaving the country permanently, covered next.

If you're on a working holiday visa specifically, note that the DASP tax treatment (below) is notably less favourable than for other temporary visa categories — worth knowing early rather than only discovering it when you go to claim.

Claiming your super back when you leave — DASP

If you were on an eligible temporary visa, that visa has expired or been cancelled, and you've left Australia, you can apply for a Departing Australia Superannuation Payment (DASP) — a mechanism specifically for temporary residents to access their super after leaving rather than waiting until retirement age. You apply directly through the ATO's online DASP system after you've departed; it isn't automatic and isn't triggered just by your visa expiring while you're still in the country.

DASP is taxed on the way out, and the rate depends on your visa history. For most temporary visa holders, the rate as at 2026 is 35% on the taxed element of the payment (45% on any untaxed element, which is less common for typical employee contributions). For anyone who held a working holiday visa (417 or 462) at any point during the period the super accrued, the rate is materially higher — 65% on the taxable component, a specific and deliberate policy setting introduced in 2017 and still in force as at 2026.

This means the amount that actually lands in your account is meaningfully less than the balance shown in your super fund — worth factoring into any financial planning for your departure, rather than assuming the full fund balance is what you'll receive.

Practical steps before you leave Australia

Consolidate any multiple super accounts before you go, so you're only dealing with one DASP claim rather than several. Make sure your super fund and the ATO both have your current contact details and, ideally, an overseas address or email you'll still be checking, since DASP processing happens after departure and any correspondence needs to reach you.

Apply for DASP once you've genuinely left and your visa has expired or been cancelled — applying too early, while still holding a valid visa, generally isn't possible. The ATO's online DASP application is the standard route and doesn't require a tax agent, though if your situation is complicated (multiple visa types held over time, uncertainty about which DASP rate applies to which portion of your balance) a registered tax agent can help you work through it before you claim.

If you're transitioning from a temporary visa onto a permanent one rather than leaving the country, none of this DASP process applies to you at all — your super simply continues accumulating normally, the same as for any other Australian resident, and there's no early access trigger from the visa change itself.

What's the superannuation rate in Australia in 2026?

12% of ordinary time earnings, as at 2026 — this reached its final scheduled level from 1 July 2025 and is legislated to stay at 12%, with no further increases currently planned. It's paid by your employer on top of your wage.

Do temporary visa holders get superannuation?

Yes, in most cases — eligibility depends on being an employee (rather than a genuine independent contractor), being over 18, and earning any amount, not on visa status. Working holiday makers, skilled visa holders, and most other temporary visa employees are entitled to standard super contributions.

Can I access my super while I'm still living in Australia on a temporary visa?

Generally no — the standard early-release conditions (severe financial hardship, compassionate grounds) apply the same regardless of visa status, and are narrow. The specific pathway for temporary residents is claiming a Departing Australia Superannuation Payment (DASP) after you've genuinely left the country and your visa has expired or been cancelled.

How much tax do I pay when I claim DASP?

As at 2026, 35% on the taxed element for most temporary visa holders (45% on any untaxed element). If you held a working holiday visa (417 or 462) at any point, the rate is 65% on the taxable component instead — a specific higher rate that has applied since 2017.

Can I choose my own super fund?

Yes, most employees can nominate their own fund when starting a job. If you don't, contributions go to a default fund chosen by your employer. Choosing actively and consolidating multiple accounts from different jobs avoids paying duplicate fees.

Is this financial advice about which super fund to choose?

No. It's general information about how superannuation works for temporary visa holders. Fund selection and DASP timing questions can be discussed with a registered tax agent or a licensed financial adviser; visa questions belong with a MARA-registered migration agent — Migratio matches you with one for free.