What is the super guarantee rate (SG)?
The superannuation guarantee rate (SG rate) is the minimum amount of super your employer legally has to pay to your super. From 1 July 2023, the superannuation rate is 11% of your ordinary time earnings.
Ordinary time earnings includes your ordinary hours of work, over-award payments, shift loading, commissions, bonuses, and paid leave.
Your employer has to pay super for you at least 4 times a year, every quarter. If you're covered by an award or an employment agreement that gives you a higher super rate than 11%, your employer has to pay the higher rate.
If you're with Australian Retirement Trust, it's easy to check your super payments. Just log in to our app or Member Online.
Super guarantee rate (SG) increases
The superannuation rate is scheduled to increase every year until it reaches 12% on 1 July 2025.
| Date | SG rate |
|---|---|
| 1 July 2023 | 11.00% |
| 1 July 2024 | 11.50% |
| 1 July 2025 | 12.00% |
For more detail about the superannuation rate in Australia, visit the ATO website.
Am I eligible for the superannuation guarantee?
Most workers in Australia should get SG payments from their employer, including if you're here on a working visa. It’s important to make sure you’re receiving the right amount of super – after all, super is your money, and it's a big part of having enough money in retirement.
Make sure your employer has your ART account details or send them a Selecting Australian Retirement Trust form.
You are eligible if:
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You work full-time, part-time, or casual
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You're under 18 years old and working more than 30 hours a week
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You're a private or domestic worker and working more than 30 hours per week
You are not eligible if:
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You're under 18 years old and working 30 hours a week or less
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You're on unpaid leave
How much super should I be getting?
Find out how much money 11% of your pay is, by entering your pay for your normal hours into the government's handy MoneySmart calculator.
Frequently asked questions about superannuation rates
If you can't find an answer to your question below, it's easy to contact us.
What's the minimum super contribution?
The minimum amount of super that your employer has to pay you is 11% from 1 July. This is called the superannuation guarantee rate (SG).
When did superannuation start in Australia?
The compulsory superannuation guarantee (SG) was introduced in 1992, so employers had to pay 3% to 4% super for most workers. The SG rate gradually increased to 9% by 2002.
Superannuation did exist before 1992 – and there was legislation about it as far back as 1915 – but it wasn't available for everyone. The first national survey of super in 1974 showed only 32% of workers (mostly men) were receiving super.
And super has continued to change a lot since then, with government initiatives like the First Home Super Saver Scheme. And we're proud of industry innovations like our award-winning QSuper Lifetime Pension, which turns your super into retirement income payments that last as long as you live.
You can find out more in the government's timeline here.
Do casual employees get super?
Yes, casual employees get the superannuation guarantee, just like full-time and part-time workers.
Is super paid on overtime?
No, unfortunately, employers don't need to pay the super guarantee on overtime pay – even if the overtime is regular, frequent, or bundled into your total salary package. But you should always be getting super for your normal hours (ordinary time earnings).
The exception is that if your employer can't tell you which hours you worked were overtime, then they should be paying the super guarantee on all the hours you worked that day. Find out more on the ATO website.
Is super paid on bonuses?
Yes, if you get a bonus for work you did during your normal hours of work, then you should also get a super contribution based on the bonus amount.
You don't get super if you get a bonus for overtime work.
Do you get super on long service leave?
Yes, you should be getting the SG rate while on long service leave, unless you request a payout of the leave amount (e.g. when you resign or retire) instead of taking it as leave.
Do you get super during parental leave?
Unfortunately, the law is that your employer doesn't have to pay super while you're away from work on unpaid leave. So for parental leave, even though your employer is still paying you the national minimum wage for 18 weeks while you're on Centrelink's parental leave pay, they don't have to pay super.
If your employer offers extra paid parental leave on top of Centrelink's parental leave payment, you can check with them or the ATO about whether you'll get super during this extra paid leave.
What should I do if I'm not being paid super?
First, check with your employer, because super doesn't get paid with every pay cycle. So it could be up to 5 months before you see your first super payment from your employer in your super account.
If payroll doesn't already have it, send them your ART account details or the Selecting Australian Retirement Trust form listing us as your choice of super fund.
If you can't solve the problem easily, you can check our list of the ATO's deadlines for employers to pay super and contact the ATO about unpaid super.
What next?
The superannuation guarantee is only one way to grow your super. You can make extra contributions to your super, and some workers can get extra super contributions from the government as well.
How much super should I have?
See how your super balance stacks up against others your age, and find out whether you're on track for a comfortable life.
How to grow your super
Use our handy checklist to take advantage of all the ways you could be growing your super.