Australian Superannuation (Super) Guide
Understanding Super, fund selection, account consolidation, and DASP refund.
1. What is Superannuation?
Super Overview
Superannuation (Super for short) is Australia's mandatory retirement pension system. Employers must contribute 12% (from 1 July 2025) of employee wages into their super account. This is in addition to salary, not deducted from it.
Super Contribution Rate Changes
| Period | Rate |
|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 11.5% |
| 2025-26 | 12% |
| 2026-27 onwards | 12% (final target reached) |
Super Contribution Obligation
Super is contributed for all employees (part-time, casual) earning $450+/month. Applies equally to WHV and student visa holders. Check super contributions on your pay slip regularly.
2. Choosing a Super Fund
Major Super Funds
Australia's largest super fund. Low fees, good returns. ~3.2M members.
QLD-based large fund. Sunsuper + QSuper merged. ~2.3M members.
Default fund for hospitality/tourism. Common for WHV holders. Low fees.
Default fund for retail industry. ~2M members. Easy app management.
Fund Comparison Criteria
- Administration Fee: ~$50-$100/year
3. Super Consolidation / Management
Why Consolidate?
New super accounts may be created with each job change. Multiple accounts mean duplicate admin fees and insurance premiums from each, reducing your balance. Consolidating into one account saves fees and simplifies management.
How to Consolidate
- Check all super accounts in MyGov → ATO services
- Choose the fund to keep (main account)
- Use 'Transfer super' to move other balances
- Or request Rollover directly via super fund app
Finding Lost Super
Super may be classified as 'Lost Super' due to address changes or moving overseas. ATO manages these, and you can search via MyGov. Check if you've ever worked in Australia.
4. DASP (Departure Super Refund)
What is DASP?
DASP (Departing Australia Superannuation Payment) is a scheme for temporary visa holders who worked in Australia to claim their super balance after permanent departure.
Eligibility
- Permanently departed from Australia
- Visa expired or cancelled
- Temporary visa holder (not citizen/PR)
5. Useful Links
- ATO — Super for Temporary Residents(opens in a new window)
Temporary resident super guide and DASP application
- MyGov — Super(opens in a new window)
Check super balance, consolidate, find Lost Super
- AustralianSuper(opens in a new window)
Australia's largest super fund official site
- (opens in a new window)
Advanced Super Guide — Monitoring Contributions, Vetting Funds, Voluntary Payments, and Planning Your DASP
The 12% your employer pays in isn't money that protects itself — it only stays safe if you keep an eye on it. From Payday Super, which took effect in July 2026, through verifying fund performance and using tax-concession caps, to planning your DASP when you leave the country, this guide pulls together the deeper side of super. Figures like caps and tax rates are adjusted each financial year, and how they apply can differ by visa type and personal circumstances, so always confirm the final details with official bodies such as the ATO or moneysmart before acting.
Monitoring Employer Contributions in Practice — The 2026 Payday Super Era
Payday Super Begins — Contributions Now Land Every Payday (Payday Superannuation, effective 1 July 2026)
From 1 July 2026, Payday Superannuation takes effect: instead of lumping super into quarterly payments, employers must now pay it at the same time as each pay run. The contribution has to reach your fund account within 7 business days of payday, and the old quarterly deadline system (28 October, 28 January, 28 April, 28 July) ended with the quarter closing on 30 June 2026. For migrant workers, the biggest change is that you can now confirm the deposit in your fund app within a week or two of your first pay. Instead of waiting months as before, you can spot non-payment early and act on it, so at a new job, make checking your fund deposit after your first pay a habit.
What Super Is Calculated On — From OTE to Qualifying Earnings (QE)
Alongside Payday Super, the contribution base is being redefined from the old OTE (Ordinary Time Earnings) to Qualifying Earnings. Overtime is still excluded, but casual loading, commissions, shift allowances, and paid leave are all included, and amounts you redirect to super via salary sacrifice also count toward the base — so an employer can't use that as an excuse to cut your SG. The check is simple: multiply the total of the relevant items on your payslip by 12% and see whether it matches the super accrued. If you're casual, remember in particular that your entire loaded hourly rate is the base.