• Benefits from Canada and Abroad
• Objectives of Agreements
• Canadian Benefits
• Benefits from Another Country
• For More Information

This information provides a general description of Canada's social security agreements with other countries. It should be noted that the provisions of specific agreements may vary from the description given here.

Benefits from Canada and Abroad

If you have lived and worked in another country, you may be eligible for social security benefits, either from that country or from Canada.

You may qualify for these benefits:

• if you have lived and worked in a country which has a social security agreement with Canada, and
• if you have paid into the social security plan of that country.

The benefits you may qualify for are:

• retirement, disability or survivor benefits from the other country,
• Canadian Old Age Security pension or Allowance,
• Canada Pension Plan disability or survivor benefits.

If you work in Canada and contribute to the Canada Pension Plan, and your employer sends you to work in another country temporarily, a social security agreement with that country might enable you to:

• continue paying into the Canada Pension Plan for your work in that country,
• have the periods spent in that country considered as residence in Canada for purposes of the Old Age Security Program, and
• be exempt from contributing to the social security plan of the other country.

Objectives of Agreements

• reduce restrictions, based on nationality, which may prevent Canadians from receiving benefits under the social security laws of the other country;
• reduce or eliminate restrictions on paying pensions abroad;
• ensure that Canadians working abroad temporarily continue to pay into the Canada Pension Plan alone. (This means they do not have to pay into two pension plans for the same work);
• make it easier to qualify for benefits by allowing Canadians to combine all pension credits earned in Canada and other countries where they lived or worked.

Canadian Benefits

Old Age Security

If you have lived in Canada for ten years after reaching age 18, you may qualify for the Old Age Security pension or Allowance.

If you have lived in Canada for at least 20 years after reaching age 18, you may collect the Old Age Security pension outside Canada.

Canada Pension Plan

If you have contributed to the Canada Pension Plan for a certain number of years (between 3 and 10, depending on the type of benefit and age of the contributor), you may qualify for a disability pension, and the members of your family may qualify for survivor or child benefits.

You do not need an agreement to qualify for the Canada Pension Plan retirement pension. This is because you can receive a monthly retirement pension at any time after your 60th birthday if you have made at least one valid contribution to the Plan. The amount of the benefit depends on how long and how much you have contributed to the Plan.

Minimum Requirements

Perhaps you have not lived and worked in Canada long enough to qualify for a Canadian pension. If so, Canada counts your pension credits from the other country to help you qualify for a pension.

Pension Amount

Once you qualify, your pension will be based on your residence or your contributions in Canada. This applies to both the Old Age Security Program and the Canada Pension Plan.

Benefits from Another Country

Perhaps you now live in Canada after having immigrated or returned from a country with which Canada has a social security agreement. If so, you may qualify for a pension from that other country.

Minimum Requirements

To receive a pension from another country, you must have lived and paid contributions to the pension plan of that country for a minimum number of years.

If the other country has a social security agreement with Canada, it may consider the time you lived and worked in Canada to help you qualify for a pension from that country.

Pension Amount

Once you qualify, your pension will be based on your residence or contributions in that country.

For More Information

For more information on Canada's social security agreements, you can contact Income Security Programs by telephone, mail, fax or email.

For more information on Canada Pension Plan contributions while working abroad, please contact:

Revenue Collections
Ottawa Tax Services Office
Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (CCRA)
Ottawa, ON K1A 0L9
CANADA
Tel: (613) 598-2408 (collect calls)
Fax: (613) 952-1982

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