Australian citizens and permanent residents living overseas generally cannot withdraw their superannuation until they reach age 65 or meet a strict condition of release (like retiring after age 60). It remains in the Australian fund, regardless of moving permanently. Temporary residents can withdraw it via a Departing Australia Superannuation Payment (DASP).
If you earn super while working in Australia on a temporary visa, you can apply to claim your super back when you leave Australia. This is called a Departing Australia Superannuation Payment (DASP). you've left Australia and you don't hold another active Australian visa. you hold another active Australian visa.
However, temporary residents are able to access their super if they're moving away from Australia and aren't planning on returning. Applying through your super fund and providing proof of you temporary visa and departure plans should be ample proof for you to be able to cash out out your superannuation payments.
You may be able to get Age Pension for the whole time you're outside Australia, even if you're leaving to live in another country. If you leave within 2 years of returning to Australia to live, your payment may stop if you: came back to Australia to live.
Pension Credit
This may be extended up to eight weeks if you're away because of the death of a close relative. If you're going abroad for medical treatment, you may be able to receive Pension Credit for up to 26 weeks. You can't keep receiving Pension Credit if you move abroad permanently.
The $1,000 a month rule is a retirement guideline suggesting you need about $240,000 saved for every $1,000 per month in desired income, based on a 5% annual withdrawal rate (5% of $240k is $12k/year, or $1k/month). It's a simple way to set savings goals, but it doesn't account for inflation, taxes, or other income like Social Security, so it's best used as a starting point, not a complete plan.
Australian living overseas can only withdraw from their super if they satisfy one of the following conditions of release: They reach preservation age (60 years old), and retire. They turn 65, regardless of employment status. They are permanently incapacitated.
Claim for Australian Pension from an agreement country form (AUS140) Use this form to claim an Australian Pension while you are in an agreement country. You must download our forms and fill them in so they are processed quickly. You can also electronically sign some of our forms.
You'll need to contact the International Pension Centre to move your State Pension abroad. Also, if you're getting Pension Credit, it'll stop if you move abroad permanently. If you're moving abroad to receive medical treatment, you may still be able to receive this benefit for up to 26 weeks.
Make a partial or full withdrawal
You can withdraw some or all your super savings to your nominated bank account. The fastest way for you to make a partial withdrawal is by logging into your account online and going to Transactions. Or complete this form to make a full withdrawal.
The bring-forward rule enables you to accelerate your super contributions by using up to three years' worth of non-concessional (after-tax) contributions caps in a single year. This means you could contribute up to three times the annual limit in one go, or spread your contribution out over two to three years.
The purpose of Australia's superannuation system is to help you save for your retirement. The funds held in a super account are invested to help grow your balance. Temporary residents can generally access these funds when they leave Australia.
A super income stream is when you withdraw your money as small regular payments over a long period of time. If you're aged 60 or over, this income is usually tax-free. If you're under 60, you may pay tax on your super income stream. See retirement income and tax.
Most banks in Australia will permit you to keep your account as a foreign non-resident.
Your preservation age – or access age – is the minimum age that your super must be 'preserved' until. The government sets the age limit and for all Australians, it's generally age 60. If you're already over the age of 60, you've hit your preservation age.
The full amount of age pension that a person is eligible for is payable while overseas for 26 weeks. However, once overseas for longer than 26 weeks, the amount of age pension payable to a person is dependent upon the person's length of residency in Australia.
Yes, you can receive your Canada Pension Plan (CPP) payments while living outside Canada, as long as you meet the eligibility requirements. The CPP is a contributory plan, meaning you must have made sufficient contributions during your working years in Canada to qualify for benefits.
If you get NZ Super or Veteran's Pension and plan to go overseas for 26 weeks or less, your payments may continue while you're away. If you're delayed and return to NZ after 26 weeks, we may still be able to help.
You'll need to make your claim within six months of leaving Australia. If you're an Australian citizen leaving permanently, the same rules apply to your super, as if you were living in Australia. This means your super must stay in your super fund(s) until you are eligible to access it.
If you get NZ Super or Veteran's Pension and plan to live overseas, you can't get these payments once you leave NZ unless you meet certain criteria. You must apply to keep these payments going. To apply, call our International Services team at least 6 weeks before you leave.
If you can't claim online
If you didn't set up a myGov account before you left Australia, or you can't claim online, you can do one of the following: complete the claim for Australian pension from an agreement country form for the country you're in. call the social security authorities in that country.
With that being said, what is a wealthy retirement? Well, according to ASFA, a comfortable retirement for a couple is around $75,000 per year and $53,000 for a single person. Given this, I would consider achieving a retirement income of, say, 30% over these amounts to be a wealthy retirement.
According to recent data from SmartAsset [1] and AARP [2], here's how retirement income and savings stack up in 2025: Average individual retirement income: $60,000/year or $5,000/month. Median individual retirement income: $47,000/year or $3,900/month. Average retirement income for couples: $100,000/year or $8,300/ ...