Infosheet on the Agreement on Social Security between Canada and Mexico

Qualifying for Canadian and Mexican benefits

• Catalogue number MEX1-08-03E
• Printable version in PDF format (54 kb, 2 pages). To download and print PDF files, you will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader. 

The Agreement
Qualifying for a Canadian benefit
Qualifying for a Mexican benefit
Payment of your benefits
For more information
How to apply for benefits

The Agreement

The Agreement on Social Security between Canada and Mexico came into force on
May 1, 1996.

The Agreement may help you qualify for Canadian and Mexican old age and disability benefits if you contributed to both the Canada Pension Plan and the pension program of Mexico, or if you resided in Canada and in Mexico.

The Agreement may also help you qualify for Canadian and Mexican survivor benefits if you are the widow, widower or child of a person who contributed to the pension programs of the two countries.

Social security legislation and agreements are complex. This sheet contains only general information and may not describe all the provisions that apply to your situation.

Back to top

Qualifying for a Canadian benefit

The Canadian pension programs included in the Agreement are the Canada Pension Plan and the Old Age Security program.

Under the Canada Pension Plan, you can receive a benefit when you retire or if you become disabled. The Plan may also pay benefits to your survivors after you die. To qualify for a benefit, you normally must have contributed to the Plan for a minimum period.

If you do not qualify for a Canada Pension Plan benefit, Canada will consider periods credited under the pension program of Mexico as periods of contribution to the Canada Pension Plan.

The Old Age Security program covers most persons who live or have lived in Canada. The pension is payable at the age of 65 to persons who meet certain residence conditions. To qualify for a Canadian Old Age Security pension in Canada, you normally must have lived in this country for at least 10 years after the age of 18. You normally need 20 years of residence in Canada after the same age to receive an Old Age Security pension outside Canada.

What happens if you do not qualify for a Canadian Old Age Security pension because you have not lived in Canada for the minimum number of years? Under the Agreement, Canada will consider periods credited under the pension program of Mexico as periods of residence in Canada.

Back to top

Qualifying for a Mexican benefit

The Mexican pension program is similar to the Canada Pension Plan and covers most employed and self-employed persons in Mexico.

To qualify for a benefit under the Mexican pension program, you normally must have contributed to the program for a minimum number of weeks. For example, to qualify for a Mexican old age benefit, you normally must have contributed to the program for 1,250 weeks.

If you have not contributed to the program for the minimum period, you may not qualify for a Mexican benefit. However, under the Agreement, Mexico will consider periods of contribution to the Canada Pension Plan and periods of residence in Canada after the age of 18 as credited periods under the pension program of Mexico.

Back to top

Payment of your benefits

You may qualify for a Canadian or Mexican benefit, or both. Under the Agreement, each country will pay a benefit based solely on your periods of contribution or periods of residence under its pension program.

Back to top

For more information

You can find more information on the Social Security Agreement between Canada and Mexico on the Mexican International Benefits page.

Back to top

How to apply for benefits

If you want to apply for a Canadian or Mexican benefit under the Agreement, or if you have questions, please call or write us.

From Canada or the United States, you can contact us, free of charge, at:

• 1 800 277-9914
• 1 800 255-4786 (TTY)

From other countries, please call:

• 1 613 957-1954

You can also write to us at:

• Income Security Programs
  Human Resources Development Canada
  Ottawa, ON K1A 0L4
  CANADA

• E-mail
• Fax: 1 613 952-8901

Back to top

International Benefits publications