OAS Eligibility Calculator for Canadians Abroad

Check if you can receive Old Age Security (OAS) payments after leaving Canada

Residence, Not Citizenship

OAS eligibility is based on years of legal residence in Canada after age 18, not citizenship. Permanent residents qualify equally with citizens.

Years of Residence

To receive OAS outside Canada, you generally need at least 20 years of residence

Have you lived in Canada for more than 20 years (after age 18) by the time you depart?

Social Security Agreements

Canada has social security agreements with 53 countries. These agreements can help you meet the 20-year residence requirement by combining years lived in Canada with years in agreement countries. You still need a minimum of 10 years residence in Canada.

View countries with agreements →

Agreements in force (53 countries):

Antigua and Barbuda, Australia*, Austria, Barbados, Belgium, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel*, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jersey/Guernsey, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, North Macedonia, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand*, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, United Kingdom*, United States, Uruguay

* Australia, New Zealand, Israel, and UK agreements have limited provisions and may not help with OAS residence requirements.

Agreements signed but not yet in force: Brazil, Bulgaria, India, Serbia

Official Government Information:

OAS Eligibility Requirements Lived or Living Outside Canada - Pensions

How OAS works after you leave Canada

Old Age Security is earned by living in Canada, not by working or contributing. Every year of residence after age 18 counts, and 40 years earns the full pension. Unlike CPP, which follows you anywhere once you've contributed, OAS has a portability test: to keep receiving it indefinitely outside Canada, you need at least 20 years of Canadian residence after age 18. Fall short of that and payments stop six months after you leave.

If you qualify, the amount is proportional. Each year of residence earns one fortieth of the full pension, and the percentage is fixed when your OAS starts — years spent abroad afterwards don't reduce it, but they don't add to it either. That makes your departure date a genuine planning decision: leaving at 19.5 years versus 20 years of residence is the difference between losing the pension abroad and keeping it for life.

Canada's social security agreements soften the 20-year rule. If you've lived in one of the dozens of agreement countries, you can usually count that time toward the portability requirement, though at least 10 years must be actual Canadian residence. A few agreements (Australia, New Zealand, Israel, and the UK) have limited provisions, so check the specific agreement before counting on it.

Keeping OAS abroad doesn't mean keeping all of it. As a non-resident you'll face Canadian Part XIII withholding on each payment — 25% by default, frequently reduced by treaty — and your destination country may tax it again. To see the combined tax picture on OAS, CPP, and your other Canadian income across popular destinations, try the non-resident withholding tax calculator. And if you're not sure you'll actually be a non-resident, start with the tax residency checker. These estimates are for planning purposes and aren't financial advice.

OAS abroad FAQ

Can I receive OAS if I live outside Canada?

Yes, if you meet the 20-year rule: you need at least 20 years of residence in Canada after age 18 for OAS payments to continue indefinitely while you live abroad. With less than 20 years, payments stop after you have been outside Canada for six months, unless a social security agreement lets you combine residence in another country to meet the requirement.

How much OAS will I get if I move abroad?

OAS is earned in fortieths. Forty years of Canadian residence after age 18 earns the full pension; anything less earns a proportional share — for example, 30 years earns 30/40, or 75%. The partial percentage is locked in when your pension starts; it does not grow after you leave. Use the checker above to estimate your percentage and monthly amount from your own dates.

What if I have less than 20 years of residence in Canada?

You may still qualify through one of Canada's social security agreements. These agreements let you count periods of residence or contributions in the partner country toward the 20-year requirement, though you still need at least 10 years of actual Canadian residence. Without an agreement, your OAS stops after six consecutive months outside Canada and resumes only if you return.

Is OAS taxed if I live abroad?

Yes. OAS paid to a non-resident is subject to Canadian Part XIII withholding tax — 25% of the gross amount by default, often reduced by a tax treaty. You may also be able to file a Section 217 election to pay graduated rates instead, and your new country of residence may tax the pension as well. Non-residents in some countries also face the OAS recovery tax if their world income is high.

Can I still defer OAS to age 70 as a non-resident?

Yes. Deferral works the same way abroad: each month you delay past 65 increases your pension by 0.6%, up to a maximum of 36% more at age 70. Deferral increases the payment percentage but does not add years of residence to your entitlement.

Does the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) continue abroad?

No. GIS is residence-based: payments stop after you have been outside Canada for six months, regardless of how many years you lived in Canada. Only the OAS pension itself is portable abroad.

How OAS works after you leave Canada

OAS abroad FAQ

Can I receive OAS if I live outside Canada?

How much OAS will I get if I move abroad?

What if I have less than 20 years of residence in Canada?

Is OAS taxed if I live abroad?

Can I still defer OAS to age 70 as a non-resident?

Does the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) continue abroad?

No. GIS is residence-based: payments stop after you have been outside Canada for six months, regardless of how many years you lived in Canada. Only the OAS pension itself is portable abroad.

OAS Eligibility Calculator for Canadians Abroad

Social Security Agreements

How OAS works after you leave Canada

OAS abroad FAQ

Find out what leaving actually costs.

OAS Eligibility Calculator for Canadians Abroad

Social Security Agreements

How OAS works after you leave Canada

OAS abroad FAQ