APC

If you worked in Australia on a student visa, working holiday visa, or another temporary visa, chances are your employer contributed money to a retirement fund. This fund is called superannuation (or just “super”).

👉 The good news? You don’t have to wait until retirement — when you leave Australia for good, you can claim that money back.
👉 The catch? If you don’t, it may end up with the government and take forever to recover later.

What’s Superannuation “Super”?

Super is money your employer pays on top of your wage — usually 10.5% of your earnings — into a special fund. Think of it as “bonus savings” you can only touch under certain rules.

Best Practices for Managing Your Super

One of the biggest mistakes I see from students and working holiday makers? Letting employers open super accounts for them. It might feel easier in the moment, but long-term it can cause headaches. What are common hickups? Non-existing or lost logins, wrong details of yourself, duplicate funds and even missing money. It happened to me. I saw myself with four employers. It happens quicker than you think in Australia. One of them put my starting date as date of birth. This mistake made consolidating my super into one account of my choice a little more complicated and it was super frustrating.

👉 Open your own super account online.
That way, you’re always in control of your login, personal details and balance.

👉 Always give new employers your fund details.
By law, they must pay into your chosen fund if you hand in the Standard Choice form within 28 days. If you don’t, the ATO will “staple” you to a fund. Alternatively, your boss will just use their default. This can lead to multiple accounts and unnecessary fees. Yes, each account charges you a fee. Let’s avoid this.

👉 Keep your account active when switching visas.
Moving from a Working Holiday Visa to a student visa? You don’t need to start a new fund, your existing one stays valid.

Choosing a Super Fund

If you want to keep things simple, pick a large, well-known fund with low fees and easy online access. I can tell you that I got lost. I compared Super Funds on several portals, also on the official ATO YourSuper comparison website. What did I do? I asked the people around me which super is best, also which bank account is recommended. I started with HSBC, but wasn’t really happy with their app and transparency. Also just a little tip – and I will put out a post for international banks. I opened a HSBC Euro account. Before transferring all my money, I tested with 10 EUR. Only 3 Eur made it into the Australian HSBC account. The rest was taken as fees, transaction, transfer, or whatever fees. Not great, so look out.

Long story short. I opened an ING Orange Everyday account and am super happy. I had it now for almost 18 months. The saving maximiser is one of the best and gives you the highest interest rates… longer story even shorter: I also started my Superannuation account with them ING Living Super – so far no complaints. I do have a refer a friend code for you. Simply open your account and use JPP854. Of course, Terms and Conditions apply. But you could get 100 AUD out of it.

How to Open a Superannuation Account

• Sign up on your chosen fund’s website.
• Provide your ID, tax file number (TFN), and Aussie address. It comes in handy to get an Australian Driver’s License, but that’s a topic for another day.
• You’ll get a member/account number. Keep this safe, it’s what you give to every employer.
• Stick with the default investment/insurance options unless you really want to customise.

Consolidating Your Accounts

If you already have multiple funds:

1. Log into myGov → ATO services.
2. Check for all accounts in your name (even old or lost ones).
3. Choose your main fund, and transfer everything in.

⚠️ Watch out: sometimes old accounts carry insurance you may want to keep. Double-check before consolidating.

Who Can Claim the Super?

You can get your super back if:

• You worked on a temporary visa (student, working holiday, etc.) – more info on ATO website
• Your visa has expired or been cancelled
• You’ve left Australia permanently

You cannot claim if you’re:

• An Australian or New Zealand citizen
• A permanent resident
• Still holding an active visa

How to Claim Your Super (DASP system)

1. Check your balance (ATO online services or your super fund’s site).
2. Make sure your visa expired/cancelled (don’t cancel before finishing work).
3. Get your docs ready: passport, visa details, proof of ID, super account, bank details.
4. Apply online via the Departing Australia Superannuation Payment (DASP) system. More info here
   👉 You can start before you leave, but only submit once you’re out of Australia.
5. Wait for payment: usually ~20 days.

How Much is The Tax on Super Withdrawals

• Working Holiday Visa → Here’s the not-so-fun part about super if you’re on a Working Holiday Visa: the withdrawal tax is a massive 65% (ouch 😬). That means more than half your savings disappear when you cash out after leaving Australia.
• Student visa & other temporary visas → ~35% tax
• Funds track the visa you had at the time you earned the money, not when you withdraw it.
• Citizens & permanent residents: no access until retirement age.

👉 The hack? Have you heard of an Australian Business Number (ABN)? I’ll do a deep-dive right here.

What’s an ABN?

An Australian Business Number (ABN) is an 11-digit ID that registers you as a business. You’ll need it if you want to:

• Invoice clients or get paid as a freelancer/contractor
• Register for GST (only if you earn over $75,000/year)
• Run your own small business or gig work legally

What’s a Sole Trader?

Being a sole trader just means you’re running the business yourself. You’re the boss, you keep the profits, and you’re also responsible for taxes and any liabilities. At tax time, you report your earnings through your individual tax return using your ABN.

👉 Both Working Holiday Visa (WHV) and student visa holders can apply for an ABN. You don’t need to be a permanent resident or citizen.Working Holiday Visa (417/462) holders can apply for an ABN and operate as a sole trader.

You can invoice clients, work freelance, or even subcontract. Many people do this for jobs like hospitality shifts, farm work, trades, creative work or online gigs. Anything really.

As a sole trader, you are responsible for your own tax return. You don’t have an employer making super contributions on your behalf.

What are the Advantages and Rules for WHV Holders

Yes — you can apply for an ABN and work as a sole trader. Perfect for:

• Small side hustles
• Freelancing
• Gig-economy work (delivery, rideshare, online services)
• Tutoring or trade work

THE HACK: you can completely avoid the super fund. All money you earn is under your responsibility. You could put some of it into a super, but you’d still pay the 65% in tax… I feel that putting some of the money into an ETF gives you more return on investment. What do you think?

But:

• WHV rules still apply: max 6 months with one employer, even if you’re on ABN.
• An ABN isn’t mandatory unless your work type or client requires it. However, having one helps you get paid faster. It also helps you avoid PAYG tax withheld by clients.
• You must still declare income and lodge a tax return with your TFN.

👉👉🏼👉🏽👉🏾👉🏿 More about working holiday 👈👈🏼👈🏽👈🏾👈🏿

What are the Advantages and Rules for Student Visa Holders

Students can also run a business, freelance, or work part-time as a sole trader.

• Work limits apply: 48 hours per fortnight (during study periods).
• These limits include your ABN business hours.
• You need to report all income — so good record-keeping is essential.

THE HACK: Manage your own time and work efficiently with an ABN. You don’t track hours worked exactly. Instead, you invoice based on completed service units. For example, you charge a set fee per cleaning job. This approach focuses on delivering results. It does not focus on counting hours. Always prioritise your studies by attending classes and submitting assessments on time. Holding an ABN gives you more flexibility to manage your work as a sole trader within your visa conditions.

👉👉🏼👉🏽👉🏾👉🏿 More about student visa conditions 👈👈🏼👈🏽👈🏾👈🏿

How to Register as a Sole Trader

1. Get your TFN (Tax File Number) first.
2. Apply for an ABN for free at abr.gov.au — takes just minutes.
3. Set up as Sole Trader: You can trade under your own name or register a business name.
4. Invoice with your ABN so clients don’t withhold extra tax.
5. Follow your visa conditions: WHV = 6 months/employer. Student = 48 hrs/fortnight.
6. Keep records + lodge tax returns each year.

What happens to My Super when Switching Visas?

If you move from WHV → Student visa → another visa, your super stays put. You can only claim after your final visa expires and you’ve left Australia. Your last visa type determines the tax rate – well, technically. Let’s dive in deeper:

Let’s say you:

• Work 6 months on a WHV, earning $5,000 in super → locked at 65% tax if withdrawn.
• Then switch to a Student Visa, earning another $3,000 in super → locked at 35% tax if withdrawn.
• Later move to a Graduate Visa or Temporary Skilled Visa, and finally leave Australia.

When you claim DASP:

• WHV super = taxed 65%
• Student super = taxed 35%
• Other temporary visa super = usually taxed ~35%

The super funds and the ATO track your visa type with each employer contribution. When you claim your super after leaving Australia, the super amount is divided into portions based on these visa categories. The corresponding tax rates are then applied separately to each portion. This system ensures fairness. It matches tax rates to the visa conditions under which earnings were made. This approach considers the original visa conditions rather than the visa you hold when claiming. The tax withholding is automatic during DASP processing by the ATO.

What happens If I Don’t Claim My Super?

Superannuation isn’t just “free money” you forget about when you leave Australia. If you worked here on a student visa, WHV, or another temporary visa, your employer paid into your super fund. That money is yours to claim when you leave permanently.

But here’s the catch 👇

If You Don’t Claim It Right Away…

Your super fund won’t hold your account forever. Too much time passing after your visa expires can be problematic. Also, if your fund can’t reach you because you’ve changed address, email, or phone number, they will transfer your balance. It goes to the Australian government as “unclaimed super.” More info here

What Does “Unclaimed Super” Mean?

It’s still your money, but it’s now with the Australian Tax Office (ATO) instead of your fund. And the process to get it back becomes way more complicated.

To recover unclaimed super, you’ll need to:

• Apply directly to the ATO
• Provide detailed proof of identity
• Show evidence of your visa status and departure
• Wait for extra checks and longer processing times

And here’s the truth: many people describe it as confusing and stressful. They find it full of paperwork compared to the simple online DASP claim you could have done right after leaving.

Why You Should Claim On Time

• Faster → Most standard DASP payments are processed within 20 business days.
• Less Stress → You avoid extra forms and ATO back-and-forth.
• More Control → You can track your claim directly through your super fund instead of digging through government systems later.

Pro Tips

✔️ Track your visa expiry dates – for each visa type.
✔️ Don’t cancel visas too early.
✔️ Check your super balance before leaving.
✔️ Apply soon after departure for faster payment.
✔️ If unsure, get advice — every case is different.