You generally do not lose your Canadian pension (CPP or OAS) if you leave Canada, but payments may be affected by residency, length of stay abroad, and tax treaties. CPP payments continue worldwide if you qualify, while OAS requires 20 years of residence in Canada after age 18 to receive it outside the country long-term, unless a social security agreement applies.
Leaving or returning to Canada
Your Old Age Security (and Guaranteed Income Supplement) may stop if you're away for more than 6 months and don't qualify for receiving your payments while outside Canada.
Yes, you can receive your Canada Pension Plan (CPP) payments while living outside Canada, as long as you meet the eligibility requirements. The CPP is a contributory plan, meaning you must have made sufficient contributions during your working years in Canada to qualify for benefits.
Here are some situations that might affect your pension: Termination of employment before retirement: If you leave your employer before retirement age, you may forfeit some or all your pension benefits depending on your plan's vesting schedule.
Services Australia outlines the following: If you're overseas for up to 6 weeks — Generally, your pension payments will continue as normal if you're travelling for less than 6 weeks. If you're overseas for more than 6 weeks — Once you reach 6 weeks, your pension supplement will drop to the basic rate.
Pension Credit
This may be extended up to eight weeks if you're away because of the death of a close relative. If you're going abroad for medical treatment, you may be able to receive Pension Credit for up to 26 weeks. You can't keep receiving Pension Credit if you move abroad permanently.
Tell us about your travel online
If your Centrelink online account is linked to myGov, sign in now to do this. If you don't have a myGov account or a Centrelink online account you'll need to create them. We may ask you for supporting documents about your travel.
The "pension 5-year rule" refers to different IRS rules for retirement accounts (like Roth IRAs needing 5 years for tax-free earnings), beneficiary rules (requiring heirs to empty inherited accounts within 5 years), and specific employment pensions (like Federal or Congressional plans requiring 5 years of service for vesting or benefits). It can also relate to UK pension rules for overseas transfers (QROPS) or breaks in service for public sector workers, preventing tax avoidance or loss of benefits.
No, you generally don't lose your vested pension if you quit, but what you keep depends on your plan's rules, vesting period, and your choices; you can often roll it over, leave it, or cash it out (with potential taxes/penalties), but if you leave before meeting the plan's vesting requirements, you might forfeit some or all of the employer's contributions. The key is being vested, meaning you've worked long enough to earn the benefit, and then deciding whether to leave it in the plan, roll it into an IRA, or take a payout.
Your pension is typically insured by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC). In the event your company declares bankruptcy or can't make its payments, this federal agency guarantees your payments up to a certain amount. Your pension payments are also protected against certain creditor claims.
In actual fact, you can be absent from Canada as long as you want. The Canadian government recognizes that citizens may travel extensively, work or study abroad. You will always maintain your Canadian citizenship. What absentia may affect is your Canadian health care coverage and income tax.
If you move abroad, you can usually still claim all your pensions – including the State Pension. But it often changes how your pensions are taxed.
Non locked-in funds can be withdrawn in cash. The amount of tax withheld at source will be based on non-resident tax rates. Locked-in funds may be unlocked if you satisfy the CRA's requirements for being a non-resident of Canada.
There Is No “Six-Months-Per-Year Rule” for Canadians. Many Canadians mistakenly believe they may only spend six months each year in the United States. The truth: There is no U.S. rule limiting Canadians to six months total per year.
Deciding between a $44k lump sum and a $423/month pension depends on your health, longevity expectations, risk tolerance, and financial goals; the monthly check offers guaranteed income for life (great if you live long or need certainty) while the lump sum provides control and investment potential but risks misspending or market loss, though you can use it to pay off high-interest debt or invest for growth, but be mindful of immediate taxes and a potential loss of future guaranteed income for heirs.
Bottom line: If you're fired or your employer files for bankruptcy, your pension may still be protected — especially if you're vested. Understanding ERISA rules, vesting schedules, and PBGC coverage can help you keep the retirement income you've earned.
From 20 September 2025, the full pension is available, under the assets test, for homeowner singles whose assessable assets are under $321,500 – for homeowner couples the number is $481,500. The numbers for non-homeowners are $579,500 and $739,500 respectively.
But your payment will be reduced 0.6% for each month you're removed from 65. That means your benefit will be 36% smaller if you start collecting at 60. On the other hand, if you can hold off receiving CPP until after age 65, you'll boost your payment to the tune of 0.7% for each month you delay.
If a person is travelling overseas temporarily, after 6 weeks the pension supplement will reduce to the basic amount which is approximately $219.05 and $330.20 per quarter for a single and couple combined respectively.
If you're in a personal or workplace pension scheme, moving abroad shouldn't have any effect: your pension should continue to be paid in full. you're normally entitled to any rises regardless of where you live in the world.
The government is building a biometric exit system to confirm who actually departs the country, track how long green card holders stay abroad, and make sure you haven't abandoned your residency.