If you worked in Australia on a temporary visa, you built up a pile of super — and the moment you leave, the government wants a cut before you see it. That’s the departing Australia superannuation payment (DASP), and depending on your visa, tax eats anywhere from 15% to 65% of it. This post shows exactly what you’ll pocket by visa type, whether you’re eligible, and how to claim it without losing money on the transfer home.
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What Is DASP and Who Can Claim It
DASP is the way temporary residents get their superannuation back after leaving Australia. Super is Australia’s compulsory retirement savings — your employer paid roughly 11–12% of your wage into a super fund on top of your salary. Since you’re not staying to retire here, you can withdraw that balance once your visa has ceased and you’ve left the country. You claim it from your super fund (or the ATO if the money has been transferred there), not from your employer.
Two things to know up front: you must have left Australia and your visa must be expired or cancelled to claim. And the payment is taxed — often heavily — which is where most people get an unpleasant surprise.
How Much Super Do You Actually Get Back?
Your balance is split into a taxed component and an (usually smaller) untaxed component, and DASP tax applies to each at set rates. Your visa type decides which rate you get. Working holiday makers (subclasses 417 and 462) get hit hardest — a flat 65% on the whole taxable amount. Everyone else on a non-WHM temporary visa pays less.
The rates come straight from the ATO’s DASP tax guidance.
⚠️ If you were ever a working holiday maker at any point, the entire DASP is taxed at the WHM rate — even for periods you held a different visa. One 417 stint taints the whole payment.
Are You Eligible? 5 Boxes You Must Tick
You can only claim DASP if all five of these are true:
- You accumulated super while on a temporary visa (working holiday, student, skilled temporary, etc.).
- Your visa has ceased — it’s expired or been cancelled.
- You have left Australia and are not planning to return on that visa.
- You are not an Australian or New Zealand citizen, and not a permanent resident.
- You are not a holder (or former holder) of an excluded visa — namely subclass 405 (Investor Retirement) and 410 (Retirement), which are not eligible for DASP.
If any single box is unticked, the ATO will reject the claim. Citizens, PRs and NZ citizens keep their super in the system until preservation age instead.
How to Claim: Step-by-Step
The free DASP online application system is the cheapest, fastest route. Here’s the full process:
Wait until you’ve left Australia and your visa has ceased. You can start the online form before you leave, but it can’t be submitted or paid until both conditions are met.
Gather your details: passport, visa details, tax file number (TFN), and your super fund name and member number. Your TFN speeds everything up but isn’t strictly mandatory.
Go to the DASP online application system on the ATO website. The same portal handles both fund-held and ATO-held super.
Confirm your immigration status. The system checks your visa records with Home Affairs automatically — no separate visa-cancellation letter needed in most cases.
For super still held by your fund: submit through the portal and the fund pays you. For super the ATO already holds (transferred as unclaimed money), the system routes you to the ATO-held DASP claim — the paper equivalent is form NAT 74880.
Choose your payment method: an Australian bank account, an overseas bank account (for some funds), or an international cheque. Funds must pay within 28 days of receiving a complete application.
If you’re sending the money to an overseas account, a specialist transfer service like Wise usually beats the bank’s exchange rate and flat wire fee — worth checking before you nominate an account, because the payer’s method can lock you in.
Edge Cases and Common Mistakes
Don’t close your Australian bank account too early. If your fund pays into an Aussie account, you’ll need it open to receive and then move the money. Closing it before payment lands is one of the most common — and most avoidable — mistakes.
Watch international transfer fees. Banks often charge a flat wire fee plus a poor exchange margin. On a few thousand dollars, that can quietly cost you $50–$150. Compare the bank against a service like {{ACCOUNT}} money-transfer providers before moving it.
Keep the gross vs. net numbers straight for tax at home. Some countries want the gross DASP (before Australian tax) declared, with the Australian tax treated as foreign tax paid. Others only care about the net. Save your ATO/fund payment summary — it shows both figures.
✅ Unclaimed super isn’t lost. If you leave and don’t claim within six months of your visa ceasing, your fund may transfer the balance to the ATO as unclaimed super. Good news: there’s no hard deadline to claim ATO-held DASP — you can lodge years later. The catch is ATO-held money earns no investment returns while it sits there. If you’re planning your exit, sort your tax file number and fund details before you fly.
FAQ
How long does a DASP claim take?
Your super fund must pay within 28 days of receiving a complete application. Missing details is the usual cause of delays, so double-check your TFN and member number.
Can I claim my super before I leave Australia?
No. You can start the online application early, but it can’t be finalised or paid until you’ve physically departed and your visa has ceased.
Why is my working holiday super taxed at 65%?
The government sets a flat 65% DASP rate for working holiday makers (subclasses 417 and 462). If you held a WHM visa at any point, that rate applies to your whole payment.
Do I get taxed again in my home country?
Possibly. Some countries tax foreign super withdrawals and let you offset the Australian tax already paid. Check your local rules and keep your payment summary showing the gross and net amounts.
What if my super fund has closed or merged?
The balance usually transfers to the successor fund or to the ATO. Use the DASP online system — it can locate both fund-held and ATO-held super under your details.
Is there a deadline to claim DASP?
Not from the ATO once it holds your money — you can claim ATO-held super with no hard cutoff. But it earns nothing while parked there, so claiming sooner is better.
The bottom line: you won’t get your full balance — count on losing 35% to 65% to tax — but the money is yours to claim with no rush deadline once it’s ATO-held. Start the free application below.