10.8.5.10 Totalising to Qualify for an Australian Benefit - Agreement with the Netherlands
Totalising
Article 14 of the Agreement with the Netherlands covers totalisation in order to qualify for an Australian benefit.
A Netherlands' period of insurance can be added to periods as an Australian resident in order to meet the minimum residence requirements for Australian benefits under the SSAct. The Agreement allows non-continuous periods of insurance in the Netherlands to be added together and counted as continuous.
The Agreement with the Netherlands allows any, and all, Netherlands' period of insurance listed in the scope of the Agreement to be totalised to qualify for an Australian benefit. For example, both Netherlands invalidity insurance periods (WAO) and old age insurance periods (AOW) can be used to totalise for Australian DSP.
People residing in the Netherlands, or a third country with which Australia has an agreement that provides for cooperation in the lodgement of claims, must have a minimum of 12 months Australian working life residence (6 months of which is continuous) before they can totalise to qualify for an Australian benefit. No minimum period of Australian working life residence is required for people residing in Australia.
Act reference: SS(IntAgree)Act Schedule 7 Netherlands