Retiring in Australia — the Age Pension 10-Year Residence Rule and Super Access Age

Eligibility age 67, the 10-year residence requirement and the super preservation age — the backbone of Australia's retirement system that late-arriving migrants especially need to know, compiled from official sources.

How retirement income works in Australia — the Age Pension and super are different things

Retirement income in Australia rests on three broad pillars: ① the Age Pension, paid by the government out of tax revenue; ② superannuation (super), which your employer is required to contribute to while you work; and ③ personal savings and investments. The starting point is understanding that this is not a single 'get back what you paid in' scheme, but a combination of systems with completely different characters. In particular, the later in life you migrated, the more important it is to know in advance about the wall of the Age Pension's residence requirement — that is the first step in retirement planning.

Age Pension vs super — start by separating their roles

The Age Pension is a welfare-style pension funded by tax with no separate contributions, paid after an assessment of age, residence and income/assets requirements. Super, by contrast, is a private balance accumulated in an account in your own name — whatever has been contributed is yours, regardless of how long you have lived in Australia. If you work on a temporary visa and leave Australia permanently, there is a separate pathway to claim your super back as a DASP (Departing Australia Superannuation Payment). In short, if you are staying in Australia to retire, you look at the combination of the Age Pension and super; if you are leaving, you look at DASP.

Age Pension eligibility — age 67, plus 10 years of residence

To receive the Age Pension you must pass all three gateways. ① Age: the current eligibility age is 67. ② Residence: in principle you must have lived in Australia as an Australian resident for a total of at least 10 years, including 5 consecutive years. ③ Means testing: the results of the income test and assets test determine whether you receive the full rate, a reduced rate or nothing. The thresholds are adjusted regularly, so check the latest figures with Services Australia.

The 10-year residence requirement — the wall late-arriving migrants most often miss

'Residence' here usually means time spent living in Australia as a permanent resident or citizen. Time spent on working holiday, student or temporary work visas generally does not count. For example, if you were granted permanent residency and settled at age 60, you would meet the residence requirement at around age 70 at the earliest — turning 67 does not automatically make you eligible. There are some exceptions, such as refugee and humanitarian visa holders, and totalisation may be possible under the international social security agreements explained below, so check your own situation with Services Australia.

Age: reaching 67 — check the detailed criteria by year of birth with Services Australia
Residence: a total of 10 years as an Australian resident, including 5 consecutive years
Means testing: passing the income test and assets test — thresholds are adjusted regularly

You can lodge your claim from 13 weeks before you reach the eligibility age. If you meet the age requirement but not the residence requirement, your claim will be refused — so first calculate your residence period from the date you were granted permanent residency.

Four situations by timing of migration — realistic expectations

Even with the same retirement preparation, the picture changes completely depending on when, and on what visa, you came to Australia. The realistic approach is to first work out which case is closest to yours and set your expectations accordingly.

Migrated young — long-term resident

You comfortably reach 10 years of residence after gaining permanent residency. With decades of super contributions, super is the core of your retirement income, and the Age Pension plays a supplementary role depending on your income/assets test results.

Migrating late, in your 50s or 60s

This is the type that needs the most care. Even at 67, if you have not completed 10 years of residence, you cannot receive the Age Pension. Check whether totalisation under a social security agreement is possible, and since your super accumulation period is also short, review the whole picture with a FIS consultation.

Working on a temporary visa, then leaving

If you leave Australia permanently after a working holiday or temporary work, you are not eligible for the Age Pension, and you claim back your accumulated super as a DASP (high tax rates apply depending on your visa type). See our separate DASP guide for the detailed process.

Parents who came on a parent visa

Even when parents gain permanent residency through a parent visa, they must still complete 10 years from that point before they qualify for the Age Pension. The sponsoring children need to plan realistically for living and medical costs during this period — read this together with our parent visa guide.

Retirement preparation checklist — 5 things you can do now

Even if retirement still feels far away, the five things below are worth checking now, whatever your age. All of them are free and can be done through official channels alone.

Link the ATO to your myGov account to view all your super accounts, and if you find forgotten accounts (lost super), consider consolidating them — this prevents paying duplicate fees.
Using the date you were granted permanent residency, calculate when you will meet the Age Pension residence requirement (10 years in total, including 5 consecutive years).
Simulate your expected retirement income with moneysmart's retirement planner calculator.
Use Services Australia's free FIS (Financial Information Service) consultations to see how the system as a whole intersects with your situation.
Organise your pension membership history and supporting documents from your home country in advance — you may need them when checking whether an international social security agreement applies to you.

Five pitfalls and common misconceptions

Retirement rules are an area where figures change often and misunderstandings abound. The five points below are mistakes that actually happen frequently, so note them in advance.

The myth that 'it starts automatically when you turn 67' — you must pass both the 10-year residence requirement (including 5 consecutive years) and the income/assets tests, and payment only starts once you lodge a claim yourself.
Confusing super with the Age Pension — super is your own savings; the Age Pension is a means-tested welfare pension. Having super does not guarantee the Age Pension, and having none does not mean it is paid automatically.
Overlooking that super counts in the assets test — once you reach the eligibility age, your super balance is included in the assets assessment. Even if you reduce your assets by gifting, they may continue to be counted as your assets for a certain period under the gifting rules, so check with Services Australia before acting on your own judgement.
Misunderstanding the relationship between DASP and permanent residency — once you obtain permanent residency or citizenship, you can no longer claim a DASP refund. 'Claiming your super back on departure' and 'settling in Australia to retire' are mutually exclusive options.
Beware of unlicensed 'financial consulting' — personalised financial advice may only be provided by a licensed financial adviser holding an AFSL. Instead of informal community advice or unlicensed operators, use official channels such as FIS and moneysmart first.

Useful official links

Frequently Asked Questions

From what age can I receive the Age Pension?▾

The current Age Pension eligibility age is 67 (for people born on or after 1 January 1957). However, age is only one of three gateways — you must also meet the residence requirements and pass the income/assets tests before anything is actually paid. Check the latest criteria with Services Australia.

How exactly is the 10-year residence requirement calculated?▾

In principle, you must have lived in Australia as an 'Australian resident' (generally a permanent resident or citizen) for a total of at least 10 years, including at least 5 consecutive years. Time spent on temporary visas such as working holiday or student visas generally does not count. There are some exceptions, such as refugee and humanitarian visa holders, so check your own situation with Services Australia.

I paid into the national pension scheme in my home country — can that be combined with my Australian residence period?▾

Australia has international social security agreements with a number of countries, including South Korea and Japan, and depending on the agreement, periods in the partner country can sometimes be used to help meet the Age Pension residence requirement. However, the scope and conditions differ from agreement to agreement, so you must confirm whether you qualify directly with Services Australia.

When can I start withdrawing my super?▾

You can withdraw your super once you reach your preservation age (now effectively 60 for everyone) and meet a condition of release, such as retiring. From age 65 you can access it unconditionally, regardless of whether you are still working. Withdrawal options include a lump sum and an income stream — check the detailed conditions and tax with the ATO.

If I have a lot of super, does that mean I can't get the Age Pension?▾

You are not automatically excluded. However, once you reach the eligibility age, your super balance is counted as an asset under the assets test and also feeds into the income test, so your payment may be reduced or cut to zero. The thresholds are adjusted regularly, so check the latest figures with Services Australia.

What happens to my super if I work without permanent residency and then leave Australia?▾

If you are a temporary visa holder and your visa has expired after you leave Australia, you can claim your super back as a DASP (Departing Australia Superannuation Payment). However, high tax rates apply (up to 65% if you have ever held a working holiday visa), and citizens and permanent residents are not eligible for DASP. See the ATO and our separate DASP guide for the detailed process.

Is there an official channel where I can get free help with retirement planning?▾

Services Australia's FIS (Financial Information Service) provides free, independent retirement financial information, and you can run your own simulations with moneysmart's retirement calculators. Note that these are general information only — personalised financial advice must come from a licensed financial adviser holding an AFSL.