Partial OAS for people who came to Canada as adults

How OAS residence is counted

To receive the full OAS pension, you generally need 40 years of residence in Canada after turning 18. If you have fewer, OAS is generally paid as a partial pension equal to your years of residence divided by 40. Residence here means living in Canada, not working or paying tax, though records like tax returns can help show where you lived.

You generally need at least 10 years of residence after 18 to receive any OAS while living in Canada. To keep receiving OAS while living outside Canada, the requirement is generally 20 years. Confirm both rules, and how your own dates are counted, with Service Canada.

Once a partial pension is set, it doesn't usually rise just because you live in Canada longer after payments begin. That's why the timing of your first payment matters more for newcomers than for people with a full 40 years.

Residence years don't have to be continuous. Periods of living in Canada after 18 are generally added together, with gaps for time spent living elsewhere. Short trips usually don't interrupt residence, but long absences may, so keep records of extended stays outside the country.

Partial OAS by years of residence

The table applies the years ÷ 40 rule to the October–December 2026 maximum of $762.50 a month for ages 65–74. OAS is adjusted quarterly for inflation, so actual amounts will move over time, and from 75 the amount is 10% higher.

Ana's example: arriving at 38

Suppose Ana moved to Canada at 38 and has lived here ever since. When she turns 65, she will have 27 years of residence after 18. Her OAS would be 27/40, or 67.5%, of the full amount — about $514.69 a month at the October–December 2026 rate.

Ana expects about $40,000 a year of other income from her CPP pension and workplace savings, so the clawback isn't a concern. Holding her residence at 27 years, the calculator adds up OAS received to age 90: about $163,671 if she starts at 65, or about $180,594 if she starts at 70, when the monthly amount would be about $699.98.

Those deferral figures assume her residence years stay at 27. In reality, delaying OAS may let extra years of residence count, which could change the result. How additional residence years and the deferral increase interact is something to confirm with Service Canada before choosing a start date.

Ana's 27 years also matter if she later moves abroad. With at least 20 years of residence after 18, she could generally keep receiving OAS while living outside Canada. Confirm with Service Canada before making plans.

Wei's example: arriving at 50

Now suppose Wei arrived in Canada at 50 to be closer to his daughter's family. At 65, he will have 15 years of residence, so his OAS would be 15/40, or 37.5%, of the full amount — about $285.94 a month at the October–December 2026 rate.

Wei expects modest other income of about $25,000 a year. Over payments to age 90, the calculator shows about $90,928 starting at 65 and about $100,330 starting at 70, again holding residence at 15 years.

With a small OAS and limited other income, Wei may also want to check whether he could qualify for the GIS. The GIS has its own income test and residence rules, and some sponsored immigrants face special conditions during their sponsorship period. Our GIS guide covers the basics; confirm your own eligibility with Service Canada.

International social security agreements

Canada has social security agreements with a number of countries. Under these agreements, periods of residence or contributions in the other country may help you meet the minimum residence requirement for OAS — for example, the 10-year minimum — even though the pension amount itself is still generally based on your years in Canada.

The same agreements may also help you qualify for a pension from the other country. Each agreement is different, so the details depend on where you lived before. Service Canada can tell you whether an agreement applies and what documents are needed.

CPP is a separate pension

It's common to assume that a short time in Canada also means a reduced CPP, but the two pensions work differently. CPP is based on what you contributed while working in Canada, not on how long you lived here. Someone who arrived at 38 and worked steadily may have a meaningful CPP pension even with a partial OAS.

Your CPP statement of contributions shows your record. The CPP guide and how CPP is calculated explain the formula, and the CPP start age tool shows how timing changes the monthly amount.

The reverse can also be true. Someone who arrived at 50 and worked for 15 years would have a fairly short contribution period, so their CPP may be modest as well. When both pensions are small, checking GIS eligibility becomes more important.

Records to gather and next steps

Before applying, it can help to gather evidence of when you arrived and any long absences from Canada. Service Canada may ask for documents that show your dates of entry and residence.

If some documents are hard to find, Service Canada can explain which other records it may accept as proof of residence.

• Immigration or citizenship documents showing your date of arrival.
• Passports or travel records for any extended periods spent outside Canada.
• Details of residence, work or pension contributions in any country you lived in before Canada.
• Your CPP statement of contributions, to see how your two pensions combine.

Putting the pieces together

A partial OAS is one piece of retirement income alongside CPP, workplace pensions and savings. The retirement plan tool lets you enter your own years in Canada, so the projection reflects a partial pension rather than the full amount.

If you're comparing start ages, the OAS clawback tool shows lifetime OAS for different start ages and incomes, and the OAS guide explains the rest of the program. For dates and current amounts, see key figures.

For couples where one spouse arrived later than the other, each spouse's OAS is calculated separately from their own residence history. The couples page covers how two different pension records fit together.