Before you pack your bags, here’s how travel could change your Centrelink payments
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Dreaming of jetting off to Europe for a sun-soaked holiday, or perhaps planning a long-awaited visit to family overseas?
If you’re one of the many Australians receiving the Age Pension, it’s important to know how your Centrelink payments and concession cards could be affected while you’re away.
With international travel booming—Sydney and Brisbane airports are bracing for record-breaking winter crowds—now’s the perfect time to brush up on the rules before you pack your bags.
The Good News: Your Pension Can Be Paid Indefinitely (With Some Caveats!)
Let’s start with some reassuring news: for most people, the Age Pension can continue to be paid while you’re overseas, even for extended periods.
However, there are a few important exceptions and changes to be aware of, especially if you’re planning to be away for more than six weeks.
Short Trips (Up to Six Weeks): Smooth Sailing
Australians who receive the Age Pension are being reminded that overseas travel can affect both their payments and concession entitlements. With millions gearing up to fly out—and one airport predicting its 'busiest winter ever' for international departures—Services Australia has set out what pensioners need to know.
Most travellers can keep their pension 'paid indefinitely' while abroad, but there are notable exceptions, especially for trips lasting more than six weeks.

Community services officer Justin Bott explained: 'For those temporarily going overseas, for the first six weeks you’re away, nothing happens. You don’t need to tell us you’ve gone, and your pension rate won’t change. After six weeks, your pension rate will automatically go down as the Energy Supplement stops and the Pension Supplement reduces to the basic rate. They stay at the reduced rate until you return to Australia. After six weeks, your Pensioner Concession Card will be cancelled. A new card will be issued when you return to Australia if eligible.'
At present, the Energy Supplement pays $14.10 a fortnight for singles and $21.20 combined for couples, while the maximum Pension Supplement is $83.60 per fortnight for singles and $126 for couples.
In earlier news: 'We will always let you know': Government entity issues urgent warning for pensioners
Longer Stays (More Than Six Weeks): What Changes?
Longer trips trigger extra rules. If you remain overseas for 26 weeks or more, your payment may be reduced based on your Australian Working Life Residence—the years you lived here between age 16 and pension age.
As Bott noted, 'If you’ve been an Australian resident for 35 years or more between the ages of 16 and age pension age, then there will be no change. If you’ve been a resident for less than 35 years, then the rate of pension you get will be based on how long you were a resident during that 35-year period.'
For example, someone with 10 years of residence would receive 10/35ths of the standard pension. A different formula applies if you travel to New Zealand.
If you’re leaving Australia to live elsewhere, the supplements cease and your concession card is cancelled as soon as you depart.
Also read: 'It's outrageous': Senior feels 'punished' after losing vital government benefits
The easiest way to tell Services Australia about your travel plans—and see how they might affect your pension—is through your Centrelink account on myGov.
Meanwhile, demand for overseas holidays is soaring. Sydney Airport expects more than 2.5 million passengers during the winter school break, including one million international travellers.
CEO Scott Charlton says this could be the airport’s 'busiest winter ever' despite global tensions and rising costs. Brisbane Airport is also forecasting about 2.78 million passengers through its terminals over the June–July period.
Read next: Age Pension assets test: What counts, what doesn’t, and how it affects your retirement payments
Have you travelled overseas while receiving the Age Pension? Did you run into any surprises with your payments or concession cards? Share your experiences, tips, or questions in the comments below!
If you’re one of the many Australians receiving the Age Pension, it’s important to know how your Centrelink payments and concession cards could be affected while you’re away.
With international travel booming—Sydney and Brisbane airports are bracing for record-breaking winter crowds—now’s the perfect time to brush up on the rules before you pack your bags.
The Good News: Your Pension Can Be Paid Indefinitely (With Some Caveats!)
Let’s start with some reassuring news: for most people, the Age Pension can continue to be paid while you’re overseas, even for extended periods.
However, there are a few important exceptions and changes to be aware of, especially if you’re planning to be away for more than six weeks.
Short Trips (Up to Six Weeks): Smooth Sailing
Australians who receive the Age Pension are being reminded that overseas travel can affect both their payments and concession entitlements. With millions gearing up to fly out—and one airport predicting its 'busiest winter ever' for international departures—Services Australia has set out what pensioners need to know.
Most travellers can keep their pension 'paid indefinitely' while abroad, but there are notable exceptions, especially for trips lasting more than six weeks.

Aussies receiving the Age Pension from Centrelink can generally keep being paid while travelling overseas, but your payment rate and concession card status may change if you’re away for more than six weeks. Image source: Aleksei Zaitcev / Unsplash.
Community services officer Justin Bott explained: 'For those temporarily going overseas, for the first six weeks you’re away, nothing happens. You don’t need to tell us you’ve gone, and your pension rate won’t change. After six weeks, your pension rate will automatically go down as the Energy Supplement stops and the Pension Supplement reduces to the basic rate. They stay at the reduced rate until you return to Australia. After six weeks, your Pensioner Concession Card will be cancelled. A new card will be issued when you return to Australia if eligible.'
At present, the Energy Supplement pays $14.10 a fortnight for singles and $21.20 combined for couples, while the maximum Pension Supplement is $83.60 per fortnight for singles and $126 for couples.
In earlier news: 'We will always let you know': Government entity issues urgent warning for pensioners
Longer Stays (More Than Six Weeks): What Changes?
Longer trips trigger extra rules. If you remain overseas for 26 weeks or more, your payment may be reduced based on your Australian Working Life Residence—the years you lived here between age 16 and pension age.
As Bott noted, 'If you’ve been an Australian resident for 35 years or more between the ages of 16 and age pension age, then there will be no change. If you’ve been a resident for less than 35 years, then the rate of pension you get will be based on how long you were a resident during that 35-year period.'
For example, someone with 10 years of residence would receive 10/35ths of the standard pension. A different formula applies if you travel to New Zealand.
If you’re leaving Australia to live elsewhere, the supplements cease and your concession card is cancelled as soon as you depart.
Also read: 'It's outrageous': Senior feels 'punished' after losing vital government benefits
The easiest way to tell Services Australia about your travel plans—and see how they might affect your pension—is through your Centrelink account on myGov.
Meanwhile, demand for overseas holidays is soaring. Sydney Airport expects more than 2.5 million passengers during the winter school break, including one million international travellers.
CEO Scott Charlton says this could be the airport’s 'busiest winter ever' despite global tensions and rising costs. Brisbane Airport is also forecasting about 2.78 million passengers through its terminals over the June–July period.
Read next: Age Pension assets test: What counts, what doesn’t, and how it affects your retirement payments
Key Takeaways
- Aussies receiving the Age Pension from Centrelink can generally keep being paid while travelling overseas, but your payment rate and concession card status may change if you’re away for more than six weeks.
- After six weeks overseas, the Energy Supplement stops, the Pension Supplement drops to the basic rate, and your Pensioner Concession Card is cancelled (though you’ll get a new card on your return if eligible).
- If you stay overseas for 26 weeks or more, your Age Pension rate might reduce depending on how many years you’ve lived in Australia between ages 16 and pension age – you need 35 years residency in that period to keep your full rate.
- It’s best to advise Services Australia of your overseas travel through your Centrelink account on myGov to ensure you understand how your payments will be affected while you’re away.
Have you travelled overseas while receiving the Age Pension? Did you run into any surprises with your payments or concession cards? Share your experiences, tips, or questions in the comments below!