Most people are unaware that temporary residents working in Australia are eligible for super guarantee (SG). It is vital that all businesses who employ temporary residents are aware of the relevant super requirements.
Generally, if you pay a worker $450 or more before tax in a calendar month, you have to pay SG on top of their wages. Temporary residents are included in this.
If the temporary resident leaves Australia, they are able to claim the super you paid. This is called a departing Australia superannuation payment (DASP). There are a few requirements that need to be met, including:
- They must have accumulated superannuation whilst working in Australia
- Their visa must have ceased to be in effect (eg. expired or cancelled)
- They have left Australia
- They are not an Australian or New Zealand citizen
Assuming that they meet all of these necessary requirements, they will be able to extract the super amount in full upon departure.
Temporary residents can start their DASP application using a free online application system while they are in Australia. It’s simpler for them to get any supporting documents certified while they are in the country. However, they must wait until they leave the country to go back to their saved DASP application and submit it.
