To get a Canadian pension, you generally need to meet residency/contribution requirements: for Old Age Security (OAS), at least 10 years of residency after 18 (20 years if living abroad) for any pension, with 40 years for the full amount; for the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), you need at least one valid contribution (a single year of work) to qualify for any payment, with 39 years of contributions earning the maximum, and you must be 60+ to apply.
There isn't one magic number of years you have to work to get “a pension” in Canada. It depends on which pension you're talking about: CPP (Canada Pension Plan): Based on how long and how much you contributed. OAS (Old Age Security): Based on how long you've lived in Canada, not how long you've worked.
You can qualify for OAS based on payments to a foreign pension plan as long as there is an existing tax treaty between Canada and your destination tax country. Getting it is another matter through; Requires 10 years of tax payments if you retire in Canada but 20 years of payments if you retire abroad iirc.
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.
Your CPP/OAS follows the rules based on where you live. U.S. residents report both U.S. Social Security and CPP/OAS as Social Security benefits, with up to 85% potentially taxable based on combined income. Until January 2025, the Windfall Elimination Provision reduced U.S. Social Security for those receiving CPP/QPP.
You may be able to get Age Pension for the whole time you're outside Australia, even if you're leaving to live in another country. If you leave within 2 years of returning to Australia to live, your payment may stop if you: came back to Australia to live. started getting Age Pension after you returned.
Canada's 183-day rule is a key factor in determining tax residency: if you stay in Canada for 183 days or more in a calendar year, you're generally considered a resident for tax purposes for that entire year (a "deemed resident"), even if you don't have strong ties, subjecting your worldwide income to Canadian tax. However, this rule works alongside Canada's complex residency tests and tax treaties, meaning you might become a resident sooner with significant ties (like family or property) or avoid it if a treaty designates you a resident of another country.
Super Visa: Extended Stays With Family
The Super Visa offers the most practical option for many American retirees who have Canadian children or grandchildren. This multiple-entry visa allows you to stay up to 5 years at a time without renewing your status, with the visa valid for up to 10 years total.
You can leave and come back to Canada multiple times as long as your visitor visa has not expired.
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.
Options for Your Pension When You Quit Your Job
If you have quit or left your job, there are a few different ways that you can handle your pension. You could cash it out, keep the money in the plan without making any more contributions, or even, in some cases, transfer your pension plan to your new position.
To qualify for the CPP retirement pension, 2 conditions must be met: 1. You must be at least 60 years old. 2. You must have made at least one valid contribution to the CPP.
You usually need 35 qualifying years of National Insurance contributions to get the full amount. You'll still get something if you have at least 10 qualifying years - these can be before or after April 2016.
The American and Canadian systems provide many similar benefits to retirees with similar types of tax-advantaged accounts that allow people to save for retirement. But Canadian retirees enjoy a lower poverty rate than those on the other side of the border.
Canada's public healthcare system, known as Medicare, offers free healthcare services, but only to Canadian citizens and permanent residents. For foreigners, healthcare coverage is not automatically available.
If you are a U.S. citizen, you may receive your Social Security payments outside the U.S. as long as you are eligible for them.
For a $70,000 income in Canada (using 2025 rates), you'll pay roughly $13,000 to $20,000 in total taxes (federal, provincial, CPP, EI), depending on your province, resulting in a take-home pay around $50,000-$59,000, with federal tax around 14.5% or 20.5% depending on the portion, plus provincial tax and deductions like CPP and EI.
Unlike the U.S., Canada doesn't tax based on citizenship, but if you live and earn income there, you'll be paying Canadian taxes. That includes both federal income tax and provincial or territorial tax, which together determine your total rate. (Yes, even the province you move to affects your tax bill.)
You: stayed in Canada for 183 days or more (the 183-day rule ) in the tax year. do not have significant residential ties in Canada. are not considered a resident of another country under a tax treaty between Canada and that country.
You'll need to contact the International Pension Centre to move your State Pension abroad. Also, if you're getting Pension Credit, it'll stop if you move abroad permanently. If you're moving abroad to receive medical treatment, you may still be able to receive this benefit for up to 26 weeks.
How much income can I have and still get the Age Pension? If you're single, you can earn up to $2,575.40 per fortnight and still receive a part pension. Couples can earn up to $3,934.00 combined. Transitional rate pensioners and those living apart due to ill health may have higher thresholds.
In general, you can retire as early as age 50 with five years of service credit unless all service was earned on or after January 1, 2013. Then you must be at least age 52 to retire. There are some exceptions to the 5-year requirement.