Couple wants to retire in Australia and still claim NZ Super. These rules make it harder than they think
Monday, 19 January 2026
Retirement questions Answered: from time to time, we will pick a question sent in by a reader and offer a response from contributor Gill South. You can read more here and submit questions below.
I have a lot of friends my age who have farewelled their adult kids in recent years as they follow jobs and lives to Aussie. Many of their children are liking it there and making it their permanent home, buying houses and settling down, in some cases.
It would break my heart if my kids did that, and I know it’s a possibility, but my friends cope by going on lots of visits and if that doesn’t do it, those who can afford it, are planning to buy apartments or homes over there. That way, they can go and spend good chunks of quality time with their offspring, especially important if grandchildren came along.
So it was very topical to receive a question from a reader who is thinking ahead about this situation, and I took this to the policy lead at Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission.
First the question:
We are retiring to Sydney when we reach 65 in a decade, to be closer to our adult children who are unlikely to return to New Zealand to live or work, with the plan that we’d be able to receive our NZ Super there. We’ve worked our whole careers in New Zealand so far and intend working here until retirement. We have a freehold home in central Auckland and will soon be empty nesters. We intend to buy a small place in Sydney and retain a similar small ‘lock up and leave’ property in Auckland (hopefully both mortgage free, with retirement savings in the bank from downsizing and SuperFund). Is this dream possible? We don’t intend to be a burden on Australia or NZ, but would prefer having the freedom to choose which country we want to spend time in each year, without thinking about minimum or maximum ‘requirements’ to retain our NZ Super. We have no intention of getting any Ozzie Super as we’d not be eligible. - Sue and Martin*”
This seemingly straightforward query from Sue and Martin has called for quite a complex response from the Retirement Commission’s policy lead, Dr Michelle Reyers, who also consulted with the Ministry of Social Development international policy team on our behalf.
“We’re often asked whether New Zealanders can keep receiving NZ Super if they spend time in Australia,” she says. And the answer depends on individual circumstances and there are clear rules that apply.
Read more from Gill South:
Assuming you are an established NZ resident, like Sue and Martin, once you’re receiving NZ Super, you can travel overseas for up to 26 weeks at a time and keep the full payment provided you remain “ordinarily resident” in New Zealand.
Whether a person is considered “ordinarily resident” in New Zealand is assessed on a case-by-case basis. Factors taken into account will include their intention towards New Zealand, the length of time they spend here and whether they have a home, bank accounts and other assets here, which it sounds like Sue and Martin would have.
Important point: if someone is only present in New Zealand for short periods of time – even if they are never away longer than 26 weeks at a time – it may be more difficult to establish that they are “ordinarily resident,” Michelle warns.
Also, she stresses, a person can’t be “ordinarily resident” in more than one country at a time. If someone was “ordinarily resident” elsewhere in the world, they would need to use general or special portability provisions or Social Security Agreements, to continue to receive payments rather than relying on temporary absence criteria.
Are you still with me?
Michelle tells me, the Social Security Agreement between New Zealand and Australia determines what rules apply to receiving the pension when someone from New Zealand moves to Australia.
New Zealanders can get their NZ Super payments if they choose to live permanently in Australia if they:
Meet the relevant qualifications to receive a New Zealand Super
Meet the qualifications for the Australian age pension
Are a New Zealand citizen and are able to get an Australian Special Category visa, or they are an Australian citizen or an Australian Permanent Resident. New Zealand Permanent Residence Visa holders will not automatically qualify.
See what Michelle means about it being more complicated than at first glance?
A final point she makes, which I found quite mind-boggling, was that the qualifying pension age in Australia is 67, which we all know.
But did you know, New Zealanders living in Australia for more than 26 weeks at a time, can’t collect their New Zealand pension in Australia until they are 67? This would rather put a fly in the ointment for Martin and Sue, who are obviously counting down the days until they turn 65, and I don’t blame them.
The international services section on the MSD website offers further information if you want to research this further. The general message from Michelle is to make no assumptions and do your homework.
Good luck, Sue and Martin.
*Disclaimer: The information in this article is of a general nature and is not intended to be personalised financial advice. The names of the individuals in this story have been changed to protect their privacy.
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Gill South is a freelance business writer who has authored a book on personal finance and written for many major publications in New Zealand.