Superannuation and DASP Guides
Superannuation (super) is Australia's compulsory retirement savings system. Your employer pays 12% of your wages into a super fund on top of your pay (effective from 1 July 2026). When you leave Australia at the end of your working holiday, you can withdraw your super through the Departing Australia Superannuation Payment (DASP) process. These articles cover how super works, how to track it, and how to claim it.
Claim your super →What Super covers, and who it is for
Superannuation is money your employer pays into a retirement fund on top of your wages, at 12 per cent from 1 July 2026. When you leave Australia for good you can claim it back through the Departing Australia Superannuation Payment. These guides cover how super accrues, how to check a balance, how to find funds you have lost track of, the DASP process, the documents it needs, and how the payment is taxed.
They are for anyone at the end of a working holiday, and in particular for anyone who worked casually across several employers and suspects the money went to more than one fund.
Two things decide how much comes back and how long it takes. Whether every account sitting under your TFN was found before the claim went in, because a claim only empties the funds you name. And when the claim is lodged relative to your visa ceasing. The payment itself is taxed at 65 per cent for working holiday makers, which is set by law and cannot be planned around.
All Super articles (14)
How Much Super Should You Have Been Paid?
12% of your ordinary time earnings, paid at least quarterly, on top of your wages. How to check it landed and what to do when it did not.
Read more →How Long Does DASP Take? About 28 Days
Most complete DASP applications are approved within 28 days, and bank clearing adds days on top. What decides the timing in your own case.
Read more →Super Tax When Leaving Australia: 65%
Superannuation tax when leaving Australia: the 65% DASP rate. How much super you receive, with worked examples: a $10,000 balance pays out $3,500.
Read more →Unclaimed Super: The ATO Holds It for You
Unclaimed super stays yours. Inactive accounts are transferred to the ATO, which holds the money indefinitely, and a DASP claim retrieves it years later.
Read more →How to Find Lost Super Before You Leave
Find lost superannuation before you leave Australia by searching every fund linked to your TFN. Multiple accounts, unclaimed super, and the DASP claim.
Read more →Which Super Fund Is Best for a DASP Claim?
For a working holiday maker the right fund is the one that pays a DASP claim quickly. Fees and default insurance matter more than investment returns.
Read more →Do Casual Workers Get Super? Yes, 12%
Casual and part time workers are paid 12% super from the first dollar earned, with no monthly minimum. Whether it actually arrives is a separate question.
Read more →How to Check Your Super Balance on a WHV
Your super sits with a fund, not with your employer. Contributions are paid quarterly, so a balance can look empty months after the work was actually done.
Read more →DASP Documents: What Every Fund Asks For
Identity, proof the visa has ceased and proof you have left, for every fund separately. Certified copies are what stalls most claims made from overseas.
Read more →DASP Taxed at 65%: What You Actually Get
Working holiday super is taxed at 65% on withdrawal, so a $10,000 balance pays out about $3,500. Why the rate exists and why claiming anyway is right.
Read more →Several Super Funds? Consolidate or Claim
Multiple funds mean multiple DASP applications - or one consolidation first. Which is faster, what fees change, and how insurance is affected.
Read more →DASP Rejected? Five Reasons and the Fixes
A rejected DASP claim is not lost money. It is almost always a visa record that has not updated, a name mismatch, or a fund holding none of your super.
Read more →Employer Not Paying Super? How to Report It
Check your fund's transactions, raise it with payroll, then lodge an unpaid-super report with the ATO. The recovery process and realistic timelines.
Read more →Claim Your Super Now or Leave It Invested?
The 65% withholding applies whenever you claim, so waiting does not reduce it. Fees, returning to Australia and permanent residency are what decide this.
Read more →Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Do working holiday makers get superannuation in Australia?
Yes. Every working holiday maker is entitled to superannuation contributions from their employer. The current rate is 12% of your ordinary time earnings (effective 1 July 2026, per the FWC Annual Wage Review), paid on top of your wages directly into a super fund.
How do working holiday makers claim their super when leaving Australia?
You claim your super through the Departing Australia Superannuation Payment (DASP) process, available once your visa has expired or been cancelled and you have left the country. The payment is taxed at 65% for working holiday makers.
How much tax is taken from super withdrawals?
The DASP tax rate for working holiday makers is 65% of the taxable component of your super balance. This is higher than the 35% rate that applied before 2017.
How do you find lost or unclaimed super?
You can find lost super by linking your TFN to your account through our service, contacting the Australian Taxation Office, or working with a tax agent who can search across all funds.