Superannuitants living in Australia

Under the agreement with Australia a client can be paid New Zealand Superannuation when they are living in Australia, provided they meet the Australian Age Pension qualifications.

When a former New Zealand resident is already living in Australia, they can get New Zealand Superannuation if they:

• meet the New Zealand Superannuation qualifications (except for being ordinarily resident in New Zealand) and
• meet the qualifications for the Australian Age Pension (including the qualifying pension age) and
• are a New Zealand citizen and able to get an Australian Special Category Visa, an Australian citizen, or an Australian Permanent Resident (New Zealand residence class visa holders will not automatically qualify) and
• are resident in Australia and are either in Australia or New Zealand at the time they apply and
• intend to live in Australia for at least 1 year or have been living in Australia for at least 26 weeks and
• have had at least 12 months continuous residence in New Zealand since age 20 and
• have a total of 10 years residence in New Zealand and/or their Australia working age residence since the age of 20, 5 years of which must be since the age of 50 (Australian residence that can be counted includes residence in Australia on a temporary residence visa or non-permanent visa)

Note the qualifying pension age in Australia is different from the age for New Zealand Superannuation. The client must be the qualifying pension age in Australia to get their New Zealand Superannuation payments in Australia.

If the client is not entitled to an Australian Age Pension, the client is not entitled to any payments from New Zealand.

If the client has a partner, the partner must complete an application form and establish entitlement in their own right.

Clients in a relationship can be paid the couple's rate in Australia regardless of the sex or gender of either partner.

The client must let Services Australia - International Services and our International Services know immediately if there are any changes in their circumstances. Especially if they intend to leave Australia to live in another country.

International Services is responsible for:

• assessing entitlement
• granting and declining applications
• reviewing entitlement
• renewing entitlement and
• cancelling payment