If you leave Australia and never apply for your superannuation through the DASP process, the money does not stay in your super fund indefinitely. After a period of inactivity, the fund is required to transfer unclaimed super to the ATO, where it sits as a government-held balance against your TFN.
When does super become unclaimed
Super funds are required to report and transfer unclaimed super balances to the ATO under specific conditions. For temporary residents who have departed Australia, funds transfer unclaimed balances to the ATO typically after the fund has been unable to pay the DASP or after the account has been inactive for a defined period.
Can you still claim it after it transfers to the ATO
Yes. Once your super has been transferred to the ATO, you can still claim it. The ATO holds the balance and you can request payment through the same DASP process. The main difference is that you are now claiming from the ATO directly rather than from a super fund.
The withholding tax still applies. The ATO deducts the 65% rate from the taxable component before paying you, just as a fund would have done.
How to find out if your super has transferred to the ATO
Log in to myGov and check the ATO section. Any super that has been transferred to the ATO will appear there. You can also use the ATO's lost super search tool to find balances held both in funds and by the ATO against your TFN.
Does the balance earn interest while held by the ATO
No. Super transferred to the ATO as unclaimed super does not earn investment returns. This is a practical reason to claim your super sooner rather than later, as the balance will not grow while it sits with the government.
The message for working holiday makers
Claim your super. It is your money, earned as part of your employment in Australia. Even after the 65% withholding tax, you will receive the remaining 35%, which is worth claiming regardless of the amount.
Need help?
Claim your super before it transfers to the ATO
We help working holiday makers claim their superannuation through DASP before or after it transfers to the ATO. Get in touch and we will handle the application.
Claim your super →Keep reading →
How much super should your employer be paying you?
From 1 July 2024, employers must contribute 11.5% of your earnings to your super fund. Here is how to check you are getting what you are owed.