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Review your trans-Tasman super/KiwiSaver portability decision

Your Australian super doesn't need to move automatically -- but there's a real, one-way scheme if you choose to transfer it into KiwiSaver.

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Your Australian super can stay in your existing fund indefinitely with no NZ residency requirement attached -- moving it isn't automatic or required just because you've relocated. But if you do want to consolidate your retirement savings into New Zealand, there's a specific scheme for it, and it's worth understanding before you either ignore the decision entirely or transfer without checking the details.

The Trans-Tasman Retirement Savings Portability scheme lets you voluntarily transfer complying Australian super into a KiwiSaver scheme once you've permanently emigrated, provided your fund is APRA-regulated (a self-managed super fund isn't eligible under this specific scheme).

What to do:

  1. Check whether your specific super fund is APRA-regulated and eligible for the portability scheme -- not all Australian super arrangements qualify.
  2. Understand that a transferred amount keeps a separate Australian-accessible component (from age 60) and New Zealand-accessible component (from NZ's retirement age) -- it doesn't simply become ordinary KiwiSaver money subject to NZ's withdrawal rules across the board.
  3. Get independent financial advice before transferring anything of real size -- this is a one-way decision, and the right call depends heavily on your specific fund, age, and long-term plans.
  4. If you're not transferring now, note that there's no deadline forcing a decision -- it's genuinely fine to leave it in Australia and revisit later.

Common mistakes: assuming super must be dealt with immediately after moving, and not realising a self-managed super fund isn't eligible for this specific portability scheme.

See the IRD's guidance on trans-Tasman portability of retirement savings for the current rules.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a deadline to transfer my Australian super?
No -- unlike the UK pension transfer window, this scheme has no time limit. You can leave it in Australian super indefinitely and decide later.
Can I use the transferred amount for a first home?
No -- savings transferred in under this scheme keep standard KiwiSaver lock-in rules but are specifically excluded from the first-home withdrawal, even though the rest of your KiwiSaver balance isn't.