Social Security Agreement with Australia - living in Australia

Who can get NZ Super or Veteran's Pension

You may be able to get NZ Super or Veteran's Pension while you're living in Australia if you meet the below criteria.

Meet NZ eligibility criteria for NZ Super and Veteran's Pension

You need to meet the New Zealand eligibility criteria for NZ Super or Veteran's Pension. However, you will be ordinarily resident in Australia instead of NZ, the Cook Islands, Niue or Tokelau when you apply.

If you're not ordinarily resident in Australia, you will need to either:

• have been physically present in Australia for at least 26 weeks, or
• intend to remain physically present in Australia for 1 year from when you apply.

Meet other criteria

You also need to:

• meet the criteria and have applied for the Australian Age Pension from Centrelink in Australia. You must be entitled to a rate that's more than $0.
• have lived in New Zealand continuously for at least 1 year since age 20, and
• are in Australia when you apply.

For Veteran's Pension you also need to have the necessary service and disability qualifications.

Travel on your NZ or Australian passport

When you go to Australia, it’s best to travel on your NZ or Australian passport, if you have one. This will make it easier to work out whether you meet the criteria for NZ Super or Veteran’s Pension.

Who can get Supported Living Payment

You may be able to get Supported Living Payment while you're living in Australia if you meet the below criteria.

Meet NZ eligibility criteria for Supported Living Payment

You need to meet the New Zealand eligibility criteria for Supported Living Payment. However you will be ordinarily resident in Australia instead of NZ when you apply.

If you're not ordinarily resident in Australia, you must intend to remain physically present in Australia for at least 1 year from when you apply.

Meet other criteria

You also need to:

• qualify for a rate of Disability Support Pension from Centrelink in Australia
• have lived in New Zealand and/or Australia continuously for at least:
  • 2 years since becoming a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident, and
  • 1  year since turning 20, and
• are in Australia when you apply.

To qualify for Disability Support Pension, there are certain rules you need to meet, including medical rules. These rules are different to the criteria for Supported Living Payment. It's best to check you meet these rules before you leave NZ.

Travel on your NZ or Australian passport

When you go to Australia, it’s best to travel on your NZ or Australian passport, if you have one. This will make it easier to work out whether you meet the criteria for Supported Living Payment.

Who can get Australian payments

You may be able to get Australian payments while you're living in Australia.

Centrelink in Australia decides who can get the Australian payments.

Step 1 - Apply for an Australian payment first

You need to contact Centrelink. They will ask you to claim an Australian payment first.

They'll let you know which one you need to claim. It depends what New Zealand payment you want to apply for.

The Australian payment will need to be approved before you can apply for a New Zealand payment.

Centrelink will send you the appropriate New Zealand application forms. 

Then contact Centrelink to find out your next steps.

Your total payment will be made up of:

• a NZ payment - our International Services team calculates and pays the NZ payment, and
• an Australian payment - Centrelink calculates and pays the Australian payment.

Below is the information about how we calculate the NZ payment. Talk to Centrelink for information about how they calculate the Australian payment.

NZ Super/Veteran's Pension 

If you've applied for NZ Super or Veteran's Pension, your NZ payment will be the smaller amount of either the:

• NZ rate (how much you get is based on certain criteria), or
• Australia rate (the maximum amount you would be paid by Centrelink if you didn't get a NZ payment).

What the NZ rate is based on

The NZ rate is based on the number of months you lived in NZ between the ages of 20 and 65. This is a total of 540 months (or 45 years).

If you're not an Australian citizen or Australian permanent resident, then:

• any months you've spent in another country (not NZ or Australia) between age 20 and 65, is counted as months you've lived in NZ, and
• if you get a benefit or pension from another country (not NZ or Australia), this is deducted from your NZ payment.

How we calculate the NZ rate

If you're single, we calculate the NZ rate this way:

• number of months you've lived in NZ divided by 540, and then multiplied by $558.31 gross (the weekly single rate we use) = amount 1
• work out 15% of amount 1 = amount 2
• amount 1 - amount 2 = NZ rate.

If you have a partner, we calculate the NZ rate this way:

• number of months you've lived in NZ divided by 540, and then multiplied by $461.41 gross (the weekly couple rate we use) = amount 1
• work out 15% of amount 1 = amount 2
• amount 1 - amount 2 = NZ rate.

In either situation, if the Australia rate is:

• more than this, we would pay you the NZ rate, or
• less than this, we would pay you the Australia rate.

This rate will be your NZ payment.

Centrelink calculates and pays the Australian payment This could be $0 depending on how they calculate it.

Example of NZ payment calculation - single

For example: you're single and have lived in NZ for the whole 45 years (540 months) between age 20 and 65. You don't get a benefit or pension from another country.

So the calculation would be:

• 540 divided by 540 and multiplied by $558.31 gross = $558.31 gross (amount 1)
• 15% of $558.31 = $83.75 (amount 2)
• $558.31 - $83.75 = $474.56.

This means the NZ rate would be $474.56 gross a week.

If the Australia rate is more than this, we would pay you the NZ rate.

Supported Living Payment 

If you've applied for the Supported Living Payment, your NZ payment will be the smaller amount of either the:

• NZ rate (how much you get is based on certain criteria), or
• Australia rate (the maximum amount you would be paid by Centrelink if you didn't get a NZ payment).

What the NZ rate is based on

The NZ rate is based on the number of months you lived in NZ or Australia between:

• age 20, and
• the date you're assessed as severely disabled by Centrelink or International Services.

If you get an overseas pension, we'll deduct this from your Supported Living Payment if:

• you're not an Australian citizen or Australian permanent resident, and
• the overseas pension is from another country (not NZ or Australia).

How we calculate the NZ rate

We calculate the NZ rate this way:

• number of months lived in NZ divided by the number of total months lived in NZ and Australia, and
• multiplied by the Supported Living Payment net rate you would qualify for.

If the Australia rate is:

• more than this, we would pay you the NZ rate, or
• less than this, we would pay you the Australia rate.

This rate will be your NZ payment.

Centrelink calculates and pays the Australian payment. This could be $0, depending on how they calculate it.

Example of NZ payment calculation - single

For example: you lived in NZ for 10 years (120 months), moved to Australia at age 30 and became severely disabled at age 35. You've lived in NZ and Australia for a total of 180 months. You're single and don't get a benefit or pension from another country.

So the calculation would be 120 divided by 180 and multiplied by $402.84 = $268.55.

This means the NZ rate would be $268.55 a week.

If the Australia rate is more than this, we would pay you the NZ rate.

If you're living in Australia, you can choose to have your payments made to either your:

• Australian bank account every 4 weeks, or
• NZ bank account every 2 weeks.

If they go to your Australian bank account, we'll pay the initial cost of transferring the funds. You must pay for any other costs that your bank charges.

You must pay the cost of any transfers if:

• your payments go to your NZ bank account, and
• you then transfer them to your Australian account.

Taxes

We won’t deduct tax from your New Zealand payments while you're living in Australia.

If your payments are put into:

• an Australian bank account, you may have to pay tax on these payments in Australia.
• a New Zealand bank account, you may need to pay tax on these payments in New Zealand and/or Australia.

For more information, contact the tax authorities in the relevant countries.

If you applied for NZ Super or Veteran's Pension

Payment will usually start from the date of your application or the entitlement date. It will be whichever is later.

If you applied for Supported Living Payment

If you apply for this from Australia for the first time, there is a stand-down before we can pay you.

Before you leave Australia you need to contact:

• our International Services team, and
• Centrelink, if you get an Australian payment.

Below are details of what will happen to your NZ payments. Our International Services team will talk you through this when you call and tell you what you need to do.

Talk to Centrelink for information about what will happen to your Australian payment.

NZ Super or Veteran's Pension

If you're leaving Australia for:

• 26 weeks or less, your payments will continue while you're away. You must continue to be ordinarily resident in Australia while you're away. Your NZ payment will be paid at the same rate you're paid in Australia.
• more than 26 weeks, your payments will stop from the day you leave Australia. You may be able to apply to get these payments while you're overseas. It depends if the country you're going to has a SSA or arrangement with NZ.

More than 26 weeks - Going to a country that has a SSA or arrangement with NZ

You can apply through that country's social security agency to be paid in that country. If you're going to the Cook Islands, Niue or Tokelau, go to this page to find out how to apply.

If you qualify, the payment will start from the later of either:

• the date of your application in that country, or
• the date you become entitled to that payment.

More than 26 weeks - Going to a country that doesn't have a SSA or arrangement with NZ

Your NZ payment will stop from the day you leave Australia.

If your payments aren’t stopped in time, you will need to refund any overpayments to us.

When you come back to Australia, you'll have to re-apply to restart these payments.

Supported Living Payment

If you're going to another country for:

• 26 weeks or less, your payments will stop after 4 weeks. You must continue to be ordinarily resident in Australia while you're away. Your NZ payment will be paid at the same rate you're paid in Australia.
• more than 26 weeks, your payments will stop from the day you leave Australia. You may be able to apply to get these payments overseas. It depends if the country you're going to has a SSA with NZ and what that agreement states.

More than 26 weeks - Going to a country that has a SSA with NZ

You may be able to apply to be paid in that country. It depends what the agreement states and if it covers you to be paid Supported Living Payment.

If you qualify, the payment will start from the later of either:

• the date of your application in that country, or
• the date you become entitled to that payment.

More than 26 weeks - Going to a country that doesn't have a SSA with NZ

Your NZ payment will stop from the day you leave Australia.

If your payments aren’t stopped in time, you will need to refund any overpayments to us.

When you come back to Australia, you'll have to re-apply to restart these payments.

Returning to NZ temporarily (less than 26 weeks)

You should talk to Centrelink before you travel to New Zealand.

You will continue to get your New Zealand payments at the same rate you're paid in Australia.

Returning to NZ temporarily (more than 26 weeks)

You should contact our International Services team before you travel to New Zealand.

You will continue to get your New Zealand payments, but the amount may change. 

Returning to NZ permanently

You should talk to Centrelink before you travel to New Zealand. Let them know you're returning permanently.

When you return to New Zealand, you need to contact us so we can assess your payments.

You still need to tell us about any changes to your circumstances when you're living in Australia. These changes may affect your payments. You also need to tell Centrelink about these changes.

These changes could include:

• entering a relationship, or
• moving address.