Old Age Security (OAS)
The OAS program is the Government of Canada’s largest pension program. The OAS pension is a monthly payment available to seniors aged 65 and older who meet the Canadian legal status and residence requirements. In addition to the OAS pension, there are three other types of OAS benefits:
Allowance: If you are 60 to 64 years of age and your spouse or common-law partner is receiving the OAS pension and is eligible for the Guaranteed Income Supplement, you might be eligible to receive this benefit.
Allowance for the Survivor: If you are 60 to 64 years of age and you are widowed, you might be eligible to receive this benefit.
Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS): If you live in Canada and you have a low income, this monthly non-taxable benefit can be added to your OAS pension.
Survivor’s pension: A monthly benefit paid to a deceased contributor’s surviving spouse or common-law partner if the survivor meets the eligibility requirements.
Child(ren)’s benefits: A monthly benefit for dependent children of a deceased contributor.
Contact information
Service Canada
Telephone: 1-800-277-9914 (you will need to provide your SIN)
Website: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/publicpensions/cpp/old-age-security.html
Government of Canada. Old Age Security – Overview. Retrieved from https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/publicpensions/cpp/old-age-security.html. Consulted on May 25, 2020. Important: The information presented on the official website takes precedence over the information contained in this document.
YOU WILL NEED
• Your social insurance number (SIN);
• Information about your spouse or common-law partner if you have one (SIN and date of birth);
• Information about where you have lived since age 18;
• Your banking information to sign up for direct deposit;
• The date you would like your pension to start;
• The amount of your employment or other pension income, if applicable.
STEPS TO FOLLOW
1) OAS enrolment (three situations)
• The month after you turn 64 years old, you receive from Service Canada a letter informing you that you have been selected for automatic enrolment. You will not have to apply for your OAS pension provided that the information in your letter is accurate. If you wish to delay your OAS pension, your GIS benefit or both, you may do so by:
– accessing your My Service Canada account and following the directions; or
– signing and returning the automatic enrolment letter by mail.
• The month after you turn 64 years old, you receive from Service Canada a letter informing you that you could be eligible for the OAS pension. You will need to apply for your OAS pension as soon as possible by:
– applying online through your My Service Canada Account; or
– completing and mailing to Service Canada the application enclosed in your letter.
• The month after you turn 64 years old, you do not receive a letter from Service Canada.
– If you wish to start receiving your OAS pension at age 65, you should apply for it right away.
– If you have already reached 65, and you wish to start your OAS pension immediately, you should apply as soon as possible so you don’t lose any payments. It may be possible to receive a retroactive payment for up to a maximum of 11 months from the date of your application.
2) Online and mail-in applications
• Online: To apply online, you must:
– be at least one month past your 64th birthday;
– not be currently receiving an OAS pension;
– have not already applied for the OAS pension and Service Canada is not currently assessing your application;
– be currently living in Canada;
– not have an authorized third party on your account.
• Mail-in: If any of the above criteria does not apply to you, you will need to complete the paper application by:
– printing and completing the application;
– including certified true copies of the required documents;
– mailing the application.
For the province of Québec:
Service Canada
P.O. Box 1816, Station Terminus
Québec City QC G1K 7L5
