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The short answer
If you were a temporary resident and have left Australia, you can apply for your super as a Departing Australia Superannuation Payment (DASP). Tax is withheld: an ATO page last updated in 2017 lists 0% on the tax-free component, 35% on the taxed element and 45% on the untaxed element, and 65% for working holiday makers. Check the ATO for current rates before you claim.
Many Nigerians come to Australia on student, skilled temporary or graduate visas and leave after some years. Every job along the way paid super into a fund in your name. Super is generally locked until retirement, but temporary residents who leave can take it as a DASP. It is your money; the question is how much tax comes off and how to claim without losing track of it.
Who can claim
The ATO's DASP payment summary instructions describe the payment as being for eligible temporary residents who have left Australia and applied to the fund. The ATO sets further conditions, for example about the status of your visa, on its main DASP pages, which we could not open for this article. Before you claim, confirm:
- you held a temporary visa, not a permanent one;
- you have left Australia;
- your visa position meets the ATO's current conditions;
- you know every fund holding super for you.
If you later become a permanent resident, DASP is unlikely to be the route; check with the ATO. If you might come back to Australia, think before claiming; once paid, the money is out of super.
Tax withheld
The ATO instructions set withholding rates by component. The page was last updated on 26 July 2017; rates change by law, so treat these as historical and check the current figures with the ATO before you rely on them.
| Component | Rate on the 2017 ATO page |
|---|---|
| Tax-free component | 0% |
| Taxed element of the taxable component | 35% |
| Untaxed element of the taxable component | 45% |
| Working holiday makers (taxed and untaxed) | 65% |
The same page says DASP is not assessable income and the fund must give you a payment summary within 14 days. You do not add it to an Australian tax return.
Worked example (illustrative only)
A former student has A$10,000 in super, all taxed element. At the 35% rate on the 2017 page, A$3,500 is withheld and A$6,500 is paid. If the same balance belonged to a working holiday maker at 65%, A$6,500 would be withheld and A$3,500 paid. Your fund's statement shows your actual components.
Steps
- Before you leave, list every fund you have been with, from payslips and fund emails. Moneysmart points you to check for lost super you may have forgotten.
- Consider combining accounts while still in Australia, which leaves one claim instead of several.
- Keep an email address and phone number that will work from Nigeria, and update your fund.
- After you leave, apply through the ATO's DASP process or directly to your fund, following the ATO's current instructions.
- Give your bank details. Ask your fund which overseas or Australian accounts it can pay into.
- Keep the payment summary.
Questions to ask your fund before you go
- What is my balance, and how is it split between tax-free and taxable components?
- Does my account include insurance, and what happens to it if I claim?
- Can you pay a DASP into an overseas account, and in which currencies?
- What identity documents will you need from me once I am abroad, and how must they be certified?
- How long do you usually take to pay once a claim is complete?
Timing traps
- Closing your Australian bank account too early. A payment into an Australian account is often the simplest route; keep one open until the money arrives.
- Forgetting a fund. Small accounts from short jobs are easy to miss.
- Leaving it for years. Unclaimed super of former temporary residents can be moved from funds to the ATO after a time; it can still be claimed, but we could not confirm the current timing.
- Your TFN. The ATO says your TFN is yours for life, including overseas. Keep the number; you will need it.
Your Nigerian tax position
How Nigeria treats a DASP received after you return is a separate question. The ATO notes that temporary residents are generally not taxed in Australia on most foreign income; the reverse, Nigerian tax on an Australian payment, is for the NRS rules. See Nigerian tax for residents of Australia.
Where Pryme fits
When your DASP arrives in Australian dollars, Pryme can help with what comes next in Nigeria: hold the money in a currency you choose and convert to naira only when you decide, with the rate and fee shown first. See Swap, the multicurrency account and how super works.
Questions people ask
Can I get my super back if I leave Australia?
If you were a temporary resident and have left, you can apply for a DASP. Permanent residents and citizens follow other rules.
How much tax is taken from DASP?
An ATO page last updated in 2017 lists 35% on the taxed element and 45% on the untaxed element, 65% for working holiday makers. Check current rates.
Do I include DASP in my Australian tax return?
No. The ATO says DASP is not assessable income.
Can I claim DASP from Nigeria?
Yes, the payment is for people who have left Australia. Keep contact details current with your fund.
Sources
- ATO: Departing Australia superannuation payment summary instructions (last updated 26 Jul 2017) · accessed Oct 2026
- Moneysmart (ASIC): How super works (updated 29 Sep 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- ATO: What is a tax file number? (updated 22 Jun 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- ATO: Foreign and temporary resident income (updated 8 Jun 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.