From overseas
From overseas
On a temporary visa, your super.
Your employer pays super for you on a temporary visa too. When you leave Australia for good you can claim it, and claiming ends any insurance inside it.
What to know
Pensions back home
Your UK or Irish pension while you live in Australia.
A UK or Irish pension stays there when you move. The scheme decides what happens to it, whether it can move to your super and how your state pension record is kept.
Your NHS Pension
NHS staff in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
- With 2 years or more of membership, your pension is kept and paid from the scheme’s pension age: 60 in the 1995 Section, 65 in the 2008 Section, and State Pension age or 65 in the 2015 Scheme.
- With under 2 years, you can take a refund of your own contributions, less tax.
- With 2 years or more, it cannot move to an ordinary Australian super fund: UK law allows a transfer only to an overseas defined benefit scheme. Under 2 years, a transfer to a recognised overseas scheme is allowed.
- Back in the NHS within 5 years and your 2015 Scheme membership links up. For the 1995 and 2008 Sections the break is 12 months.
- It can be paid to a bank account abroad, in local currency. Statements are on My NHS Pension.
Source: NHS Business Services Authority guides, 2024 and 2025; Pension Schemes Act 2015, section 68; SPPA; HSC Pension Service.
Your UK State Pension
Anyone with a UK National Insurance record
- It is paid in Australia but frozen: no yearly increases while you live here. It rises to the current rate if you move back.
- The UK and Australia have had no social security agreement since 1 March 2001, so years here do not count toward it.
- Voluntary Class 3 contributions for time abroad cost £18.40 a week in 2026–27. Since 6 April 2026 new applicants need 10 years of UK residence or 10 qualifying years, and Class 2 is closed to most people abroad.
Source: GOV.UK and the Department for Work and Pensions; HMRC, from 6 April 2026.
A UK workplace pension, moved here
Workplace and personal pensions, not the NHS scheme
- It can move to an Australian fund on HMRC’s list of recognised overseas schemes. About 2,500 Australian entries were on it at 1 September 2026; being listed is not a guarantee.
- A 25% overseas transfer charge applies unless you live in the country of the fund receiving it.
- UK rules stop the fund paying you before 55, or 57 from April 2028, except in ill health.
- Moved within 6 months of becoming an Australian resident, its growth is not taxed here. After that, growth since you became resident is taxed. The transfer counts toward your contribution caps.
- A UK pension paid to you while you live here is taxed only in Australia.
Source: HMRC, Pensions Tax Manual (August 2026) and ROPS list (September 2026); ATO; UK and Australia tax convention 2003, article 17.
Your Irish pension
HSE and other Irish pension members
- Public service pensions: with 2 years or more, your pension is kept and paid at the scheme’s pension age, 66 in the Single Scheme and 60 or 65 in older schemes. With under 2 years, a refund less tax.
- Ireland and Australia have a social security agreement. Irish contributions and Australian residence can be added together to qualify for the Irish State Pension, from 66, and the Australian Age Pension. An Irish pension needs at least 52 Irish contributions.
- Voluntary PRSI from abroad keeps your record going: with 520 paid contributions, applied for within 60 months. Class A is 6.6% of your income, at least €500 a year; Class S is €650 a year.
- An Irish occupational pension or PRSA can move abroad only to the country where you now work, to a scheme approved there.
Source: Single Public Service Pension Scheme; publicservicepensions.gov.ie; Department of Social Protection; Citizens Information (February 2026); Revenue Pensions Manual (December 2025).
Whether to transfer, take a refund or pay voluntary contributions is your decision, with a licensed adviser in the UK or Ireland if you want one. We keep your statements and their dates.