www.centrelink.gov.au
When will the Agreement start?
The Agreement will commence on 1 October 2008.
Does the Agreement help you?
The Agreement may help you increase your income by making it easier for you to receive:
• an Australian pension:
– if you live in Australia and have accumulated periods of coverage in the Korean National Pension Scheme, or
– if you live in the Republic of Korea or another agreement country (see “explanatory notes”) and have been a resident in Australia between the age of 16 and age pension age for at least 12 months, of which at least six months must be consecutive.
• a Korean pension:
– if you are an Australian citizen or Korean national and have accumulated periods of coverage in the Korean National Pension Scheme.
How does the Agreement help?
The Agreement generally allows you to lodge your claim for an Australian pension from Australia, the Republic of Korea or another agreement country, and add your periods of Australian residence and Korean National Pension Scheme coverage together to meet the minimum qualifying period for an Australian pension. Under the Agreement Australian citizens, their family members and survivors may generally receive Korean pensions under the same conditions as Korean nationals, regardless of where they live.
How do you claim?
In Australia, Korean pension claim forms can be obtained by contacting Centrelink International Services. You can contact Centrelink International Services for advice and help in claiming a Korean pension and can lodge the claim at any local Centrelink office. In the Republic of Korea, Australian pension claim forms can be obtained from our website www.centrelink.gov.au (follow the “forms” link), by contacting your local Korean National Pension Service office or by contacting Centrelink International Services. You can lodge a claim for an Australian pension at any Korean National Pension Service office. If you live in another country with which Australia has an international social security agreement, Australian pension claim forms can be obtained from our website www.centrelink.gov.au (follow the “forms” link) or by contacting Centrelink International Services. You may also lodge a claim with the social insurance office in the country in which you live. Claims for Australian pensions should be lodged promptly as back-payments are not normally made. Claims can be lodged up to 13 weeks before reaching age pension age.
Which Australian pension can you claim?
If you are male and over 65 years of age, or you are female and over the qualifying age (see “explanatory notes”) and you have lived in Australia for more than 10 years, or your Australian residence periods and periods of coverage under the Korean National Pension Scheme add up to more than 10 years you can claim Age Pension.
Which Korean pension can you claim?
If you are over 60* years of age and you have at least 12 months of coverage under the Korean National Pension Scheme and a period of employment or self-employment in Australia** that, when added to your Korean coverage period adds up to more than 10 years you can claim old age pension If you are aged between 55 and 59 and the period you were employed or self-employed in Australia** and your period of coverage under the Korean National Pension Scheme adds up to more than 10 years, and you do not participate in any income-earning activity you can claim early old age pension. If you are over 60* years of age and you have at least 12 months of coverage under the Korean National Pension Scheme and a period of employment or self-employment in Australia** that, when added to your Korean coverage period, adds up to between five and 10 years you can claim special old age pension. If you are between 60* and 64 years of age and still engaged in income earning activities
you can claim active old age pension.
* Special occupation employees (miners or fishermen) are entitled to a Korean old age pension from 55 years of age.
**Only periods of Australian employment or self-employment after 1 January 1988, and between age 16 and age pension age (see “explanatory notes”), can be included.
Note: the Korean National Pension Service makes all decisions about Korean pension matters.
Lump sum refund: if you are a citizen of Australia who paid contributions to the Korean National Pension Service, you may be able to claim a lump sum refund under the same conditions as Korean nationals.
Divided pension: if you are at least 60, divorced, and were married for at least five years during your spouse’s period of coverage under the Korean National Pension Scheme, you may be entitled to part of your spouse’s Korean old age pension.
Centrelink Facts
What will you be paid?
Your Australian pension rate will be based on your:
• income and assets, including any Korean pension that you may receive, and
• periods of residence in Australia between 16 years of age and age pension age. Centrelink may be advised by Australia’s immigration department of your travel to and from Australia since 1994. We may use this information to ensure you are qualified for payments and that your payment rate is correct. The Korean National Pension Service will calculate the amount of your Korean pension.
Explanatory notes
Korean National Pension
Service contact details
Korean National Pension Service
7–16 Shincheon-dong
Songpa-gu
Seoul 138–725
REPUBLIC OF KOREA
Phone: +82 2 2240 1114
Fax: +82 2 424 9209
Agreement countries: Australia currently has international social security agreements with a number of countries, including Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark*, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Republic of Korea, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand*, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland* and the USA*.
Agreements with other countries will be added to this list as they are implemented.
*These countries do not accept Australian claims under other agreements.
Age pension age: This is the age at which you become eligible for Australian Age Pension. It is 65 years of age for men. The qualifying age for women depends on your date of birth, as shown below:
Date of birth Qualification age
Before 1 July 1944 you are pension age now
1 July 1944 to 31 December 1945 63½
1 January 1946 to 30 June 1947 64
1 July 1947 to 31 December 1948 64½
1 January 1949 and later 65
Centrelink Facts
For more information
If you would like more detailed information you should contact Centrelink International Services for free help and advice.
• Call: 13 1673 from within Australia.
Note: calls from your home phone to Centrelink “13” numbers from anywhere in Australia are charged at a fixed rate. That rate may vary from the price of a local call and may also vary between telephone service providers. Calls from mobile phones may be timed and charged at a higher rate.
• Call: +61 3 6222 3455 from outside Australia. You can contact your local international telephone operator to arrange a reverse charge call to this number. Some Australian telephone companies also offer services that allow you to call into Australia at no cost.
• Email: [email protected]
Note: email is not a secure communication medium.
• Fax: +61 3 6222 2799.
• Write to: GPO Box 273, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia.
Disclaimer
The information contained in this publication is intended only as a guide to payments and services available.
What are your responsibilities?
• It is your responsibility to decide if you wish to apply for a payment and to make the application, having regard to your particular circumstances.
• The information is accurate as at May 2008, but may of course change. If you use this publication after that date, please check with Centrelink that the details are up to date.
From what date are benefits payable?
Most government payments are paid from, or after, the date on which the application is made. So the sooner you lodge your application the quicker you may be paid.
What is the position if you deal with a third party?
You may deal with a third party who is not a member of Centrelink’s staff. If you do so, please remember that Centrelink has not authorised any third parties to provide information or advice to you about payments.