Are you receiving the Australian Age Pension and thinking about moving overseas permanently?
Whether you want to retire in Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia or another country, it is important to understand how moving abroad could affect your Centrelink payments.
The good news is that you may be able to continue receiving the Australian Age Pension after moving overseas permanently. However, your payment amount and supplementary benefits can change, and your Australian residence history may affect how much you receive.
The rules are different for someone moving overseas permanently compared with someone taking an extended holiday.
In this guide, we explain what happens to your Age Pension when you leave Australia to live overseas, how your payment is calculated, what happens to your Pension Supplement and concession card, and what you should check before making the move.
This guide reflects the rules available in October 2026. Your individual entitlement depends on your circumstances and the rules applying when you leave Australia.
Can you keep receiving the Age Pension if you move overseas permanently?
Yes, in many cases.
The Australian Age Pension can generally continue to be paid overseas indefinitely, provided you continue to satisfy the applicable qualification requirements and your pension remains payable.
However, your payment will not necessarily remain the same as it was when you lived in Australia.
Services Australia may consider:
Your Australian residence history.
Your income and assets.
Whether you are moving overseas permanently or travelling temporarily.
Whether you receive your pension under an international Social Security Agreement.
Whether you recently returned to Australia to live before claiming.
Any changes to your relationship, finances or other circumstances.
You should notify Services Australia before leaving Australia to live overseas and confirm how your particular circumstances will affect your payment.
For a broader overview of the rules, see our guide to Living Overseas and the Australian Age Pension: The Complete Guide.
What happens to your Age Pension when you leave Australia permanently?
When you leave Australia to live in another country, your Age Pension is generally assessed under the arrangements for people living outside Australia.
From your departure date, several changes can occur.
1. Your Pension Supplement stops
Under the rules applying from 20 September 2026, your Pension Supplement stops when you leave Australia to live overseas permanently.
Previously, a basic amount of the Pension Supplement could continue to be paid to people living overseas. The rules have changed, so it is important to use current information when estimating your overseas retirement income.
This change affects the total payment you receive, even if your underlying Age Pension continues.
2. Your Energy Supplement stops
Your Energy Supplement stops when you leave Australia to live overseas permanently.
This is another reason why the amount deposited into your bank account may be lower after your move.
3. Your Pensioner Concession Card is cancelled
Your Pensioner Concession Card is cancelled when you leave Australia to live overseas permanently.
This can affect access to concessions linked to the card. You should not assume that Australian concession arrangements will remain available simply because you continue receiving the Age Pension.
The rules are different for temporary overseas travel, where a concession card generally remains current for up to six weeks.
You can read the current requirements in Services Australia's guide to leaving Australia while receiving the Age Pension.
Will your Age Pension rate be reduced after moving overseas?
It can be.
One of the most important factors is how long you were an Australian resident between age 16 and Age Pension age.
This period is commonly referred to as your Australian Working Life Residence.
If you have 35 years or more of qualifying Australian residence during this period, your pension rate will generally not be reduced under the proportional payment rule that can apply after 26 weeks overseas.
If you have fewer than 35 years, your pension may be reduced proportionally.
How does the proportional payment rule work?
For example, imagine someone has only 10 years of qualifying Australian residence between age 16 and Age Pension age.
In circumstances where the proportional payment rule applies, their rate may be calculated using 10/35ths of the applicable rate.
This is an illustration of the proportional calculation, not a guarantee of the amount that person would receive.
The actual calculation depends on the applicable rules and the person's circumstances.
Important: The 26-week rule is not a requirement to return to Australia every six months. It is a point at which the payment rate may change for some people who are overseas.
If you move overseas permanently, the outside-Australia payment arrangements apply. Your residence history may therefore affect your pension rate after the relevant period.
What if you lived in Australia for more than 35 years?
If you have at least 35 years of qualifying Australian residence between age 16 and Age Pension age, you will generally avoid a reduction under the proportional payment rule.
However, this does not mean that every aspect of your payment will remain unchanged.
Your Pension Supplement and Energy Supplement can still stop, your Pensioner Concession Card can be cancelled, and your income and assets can continue to affect your pension.
You should therefore distinguish between a reduction caused by the proportional residence rule and a reduction caused by other changes to your circumstances.
What if you have lived in Australia for less than 10 years?
If you have spent significant periods overseas, your residence history may affect whether you qualify for the Age Pension in the first place.
The general residence requirement is at least 10 years as an Australian resident, including at least five continuous years, although exceptions can apply.
International Social Security Agreements and certain special circumstances can affect how the requirements operate.
If you have lived in Australia for fewer than 10 years, or have spent many years living overseas, do not assume you are either eligible or ineligible without checking your circumstances.
Your qualifying residence history needs to be assessed under the relevant rules.
What happens to your income and assets when you move overseas?
Moving overseas does not automatically remove your income and assets from Centrelink assessment.
Your Australian and overseas financial circumstances may continue to affect your Age Pension.
Relevant items can include:
Australian bank accounts and term deposits.
Shares and managed investments.
Superannuation and pension accounts.
Australian investment properties.
Overseas property.
Foreign bank accounts.
Rental income.
Foreign pensions and other income.
The treatment of individual assets and income depends on the applicable assessment rules.
For example, if you retain an Australian investment property and receive rental income after moving overseas, the property and its income may remain relevant to your pension assessment.
Similarly, purchasing a property in your destination country does not automatically make it exempt from the assets test.
Your principal residence, if you own one, may be treated differently from an investment property. However, moving overseas can change the circumstances that determine how a property is assessed.
If your finances will change significantly as a result of your move, check how those changes may affect your pension before making a commitment.
You may also find our guides to the Age Pension assets test and how to increase your Age Pension in Australia helpful. Replace these general blog links with the exact article URLs once your relevant articles are published.
How often will you receive your Age Pension overseas?
If you live outside Australia on a permanent or long-term basis, Services Australia generally pays your pension every four weeks rather than fortnightly.
This means you should plan your overseas budget around the actual payment schedule.
For example, you may need to manage rent, food, utilities, insurance and other expenses over a four-week payment period.
You should also allow for potential bank charges, currency conversion costs and exchange-rate movements if you are receiving or spending money in another currency.
Services Australia publishes the current payment schedule and rates for people outside Australia.
Can your Age Pension increase while you live overseas?
The basic pension rates for people living outside Australia are subject to indexation, so the applicable maximum rates can change over time.
However, your own payment may not increase by the same amount as the headline rate.
Your income, assets, residence history and other circumstances can affect your actual entitlement.
It is also important to distinguish between the base pension and supplementary payments. Even if the base pension is indexed, you should not assume that supplements which stop when you move overseas will be restored through indexation.
For budgeting purposes, use the rate that applies to your circumstances rather than simply assuming you will receive the maximum single or couple rate.
What happens if you move to Thailand, Vietnam or another country?
The country you choose can be important.
Australia has international Social Security Agreements with a number of countries. These agreements can affect eligibility and payment arrangements for people living overseas.
However, the rules are not the same for every country.
If you plan to retire in Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia or another destination, check whether an agreement applies and how the relevant rules affect your circumstances.
You should also consider the practical cost of living in your destination, including:
Accommodation and rent.
Healthcare and medical insurance.
Visas and immigration requirements.
Food, utilities and transport.
Flights back to Australia.
Currency conversion and bank charges.
Emergency savings.
A lower cost of living may make retirement overseas attractive, but it is important to calculate your likely pension and total expenses before deciding to move.
What if you return to Australia after moving overseas?
You may be able to return to Australia and continue receiving your Age Pension, provided you remain eligible.
However, your payment may need to be reassessed when your circumstances change.
For example, you may need to update Centrelink about your address, relationship status, income, assets and other relevant details.
If you have been living overseas for a long period, you should also check whether your Medicare enrolment needs attention.
If you return to Australia after living overseas and subsequently plan to leave again, be particularly careful about the two-year rule that can apply to some former Australian residents who claim the Age Pension after returning to live in Australia.
Your payment may stop if you leave Australia within two years of returning and starting to receive the pension, subject to applicable exceptions.
This is particularly important if you are considering returning to Australia temporarily to claim the Age Pension before moving overseas again.
What if you have not claimed the Age Pension yet?
If you have not yet claimed the Age Pension, the rules are different from those applying to someone who already receives it.
Services Australia advises that you should generally claim before leaving Australia if you are planning to retire overseas.
If you live in a country with an Australian Social Security Agreement, you may be able to claim from that country, provided you satisfy the relevant eligibility requirements.
If you live in a country without an agreement, you generally cannot be granted the Age Pension while living there.
If you are approaching Age Pension age and planning to move overseas, it is worth checking your eligibility before you leave.
Read our related guide: Can You Get the Australian Age Pension While Living Overseas?.
A practical example
Imagine an Australian couple who currently receive the Age Pension and plan to move permanently to Thailand.
Before moving, they should consider the following.
First, establish their likely overseas payment. Their current Australian payment may include supplementary benefits that will stop when they leave permanently.
Second, check their Australian residence history. If either person's qualifying residence history is less than 35 years, the proportional payment rules may affect their rate.
Third, review their assets and income. They may retain Australian investments, own overseas property or receive rental income.
Fourth, prepare a realistic budget. Their expenses may be lower than in Australia, but they still need to account for healthcare, insurance, travel, currency movements and emergencies.
Finally, confirm the rules before departure. They should notify Services Australia and clarify any questions about their specific circumstances.
The key lesson is that they should not base their decision on their current fortnightly pension alone. They need to estimate the payment and expenses that will apply after the move.
Checklist before moving overseas permanently
Before you leave Australia to live overseas, consider checking:
Whether you will remain eligible for the Age Pension.
Your Australian residence history.
Whether the destination country has a Social Security Agreement with Australia.
How your Pension Supplement and Energy Supplement will be affected.
When your Pensioner Concession Card will be cancelled.
How your income and assets will be assessed.
Whether you retain Australian property or receive rental income.
Your expected pension payment schedule.
Your banking and currency conversion arrangements.
Your healthcare, insurance and visa requirements.
Whether you may need to return to Australia.
Whether any tax or residency issues need professional advice.
Frequently asked questions
Can I receive the Age Pension indefinitely while living overseas?
You may be able to continue receiving the Age Pension indefinitely, provided you remain eligible and the payment remains payable under the applicable rules.
Will I lose my Age Pension if I move overseas permanently?
Not necessarily. Many eligible pensioners continue receiving payments overseas, but their rate and supplementary benefits may change.
Does the Pension Supplement stop when I move overseas permanently?
Yes. Under the rules applying from 20 September 2026, the Pension Supplement stops when you leave Australia to live overseas permanently.
Does the Energy Supplement continue overseas?
The Energy Supplement stops when you leave Australia to live overseas permanently.
Will my pension be reduced after 26 weeks?
It may be, depending on your Australian residence history and the rules applying to your circumstances. The proportional payment rule generally affects people with fewer than 35 years of qualifying Australian residence.
Will my overseas property affect my Age Pension?
It can. Overseas property and other assets may be relevant to the assets test, while income from investments or rental property may be relevant to the income test.
Can I move back to Australia later?
Yes, you can generally return to Australia, but your pension and other entitlements may need to be reassessed based on your circumstances.
Final thoughts
Moving overseas permanently does not automatically mean you lose the Australian Age Pension. However, the amount you receive and the benefits available to you can change significantly.
The most important considerations are your Australian residence history, the country you move to, your income and assets, and the rules applying to people who live outside Australia.
If you are considering a permanent move, check your likely entitlement before leaving. A clear understanding of your pension and living costs can help you make a more informed retirement decision.
At Age Pension Services, we help Australians understand their potential Age Pension entitlement and navigate the application process.
If you are planning to retire overseas, returning to Australia after living abroad, or unsure how your circumstances may affect your pension, we can help you identify the relevant rules and documentation.
👉 Book a Retirement Planning Consultation to discuss your circumstances.
Disclaimer
This article provides general information only and is not personal financial, legal or tax advice. Age Pension rules can change and your entitlement depends on your individual circumstances. Confirm your position with Services Australia before making significant retirement or overseas relocation decisions.