Tax, superannuation and the pension

​​​​​​​​​​​​Salary taxation

In Australia, you are required to pay tax on your income. If you intend to live in Australia permanently, you are considered an Australian resident for tax purposes which means:

• you must declare all your income in your tax return;

• you can claim the benefits of the Australian tax system, such as: 
     o the tax-free threshold;
     o tax offsets; and
     o generally lower tax rates than a foreign resident.

If you work or earn money in Australia, you must have a Tax File Number (TFN) which is a unique number issued by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).

To apply online for a Tax File Number and for more information on salary taxation, visit the Australian Taxation Office​ website​. 

Superannuation (Super)

Super is money set aside over your lifetime to provide for your retirement. For most people, super begins when you start work and your employer starts paying super for you – these payments are known as super guarantee contributions or concessional contributions.

Temporary residents who work in Australia, and have super contributions paid by their employer, are entitled to receive their super benefits once they leave Australia. This payment is called a departing Australia superannuation payment (DASP).

For more information on superannuation and DASP,​​ visit the Australian Taxatio​n Office website​​. 

Pensions

Age pensions are financial support for those over 65 who have retired from the workforce. Not all migrants will qualify for an age pension in Australia.

You can find the conditions for receiving the pension on the Department of Human Services Age Pension and planning your retirement​ page​.

For information on all support payments in Australia, visit the Centrelink​ page​.