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Sort your super

Starting your first Australian job? Super is money your employer pays into a retirement fund. It sits separately from the bank account your wages go into. Here’s how to get the details ready for payroll.

I’ve sorted this

Where should I start?

Worked in Australia before? Find your existing fund first. First job here? Compare a fund before joining, then send its details to payroll. You don’t need a new account for every job.

Three steps before your first payday

General information for working holiday makers. Official guidance checked 17 October 2026; sources are linked below.

01 / CHECK FIRST

Find your existing account

Look in your fund’s app, an old statement or ATO online services through myGov. Keep the fund name and your member number handy.

Before you choose

If you find several accounts, check fees and insurance before combining them. Moving money can end cover attached to an old account.

Check Find your existing account

02 / COMPARE

Choose a fund if you need one

Compare fees, investment options, long-term performance and insurance. Read the product disclosure statement and check membership and insurance eligibility for your circumstances.

Before you choose

A familiar name or an employer suggestion isn’t enough to compare costs. Look at the actual product, and remember that past returns don’t guarantee future results.

Check Choose a fund if you need one

03 / SEND THE FORM

Give payroll your details

Ask for the employer’s super choice process. Your fund can supply its employer contribution details, including its ABN and USI; you’ll also need your member number.

Before you choose

A USI identifies the fund or product. Your member number identifies your own account. Use the fund’s joining or employer-information document rather than guessing.

Check Give payroll your details

Your questions, answered

Can I sort super through CommBank?

CommBank distributes Essential Super, provided by Colonial First State. You can view it through the CommBank app and access CFS to manage it. It is a separate super product, not your everyday bank account. Compare its fees, insurance and investment options before joining; you can choose a different super provider from your bank.

Official guidance

What if I don’t choose a fund?

Your employer may need to ask the ATO for your existing “stapled” fund — an account that follows you between jobs. If there isn’t one, the employer’s default fund may be used. Ask payroll where the money will go so you can keep track.

Official guidance

How do I know the money has arrived?

Check both your payslip and your fund’s transaction history. A payslip records payroll information; the fund shows contributions received. If something looks missing, ask payroll which fund they paid and when, then follow up with the fund.

Official guidance

Do I need another super account when I change jobs?

Usually you can give the next employer your existing fund details through their choice process. Keep them somewhere secure and update your contact details with the fund when your phone number or address changes.

Official guidance

Can I take my super with me when I leave Australia?

Eligible former temporary residents can apply for a departing Australia superannuation payment (DASP). You must have left Australia and your visa must have ceased to be in effect before submitting. Leaving for a short trip while your visa is still valid is not enough. Check the ATO’s full eligibility conditions before applying.

Official guidance

Will I get the full balance back?

Don’t budget on receiving the whole balance. The working holiday maker DASP rate is 65% of the taxable component, including its taxed and untaxed elements. The tax-free component is treated differently. Ask your fund how the rules apply to your payment, particularly if you’ve held different visas.

Official guidance

When can I tick this off?

Find your fund name, member number and employer contribution details.
Submit the choice details using your employer’s payroll process.
Keep access to your fund account and check incoming contributions.

Tick “I’ve sorted this” once you’ve found or opened your account and given payroll the details. You can come back here when you change jobs or get ready to leave Australia.

Official information links, with no affiliate tracking. This guide explains the process; it does not recommend a particular fund.

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