Lived or living outside Canada - Pensions and benefits – How much could you receive

How much could you receive

Receiving payment of Old Age Security and Canada Pension Plan pensions and benefits outside Canada

Receiving your Old Age Security (OAS) and Canada Pension Plan (CPP) payments in the local currency can save you money.

Because your payments will have already been converted into the local currency of the country where you live, you should get a better exchange rate, and you might also pay lower banking fees for cashing your cheques.

To receive your payments directly in your local bank account, see if you live in a country that offers the service of direct deposit.

Note: Payment dates

Your OAS or CPP payments will be issued on the same day as the OAS and CPP payments are issued in Canada, which is usually during the last three banking days of the month. See our page Old Age Security and Canada Pension Plan Payment Dates.

How can I receive my payments in the local currency?

Check the list of countries where direct deposit is offered to see in which countries the Receiver General of Canada can issue payments by Direct Deposit in local currency.

Check the list of countries where OAS and CPP payments are made in foreign currency to see in which countries the Receiver General of Canada issue payments by cheque in local currency.

Countries where Old Age Security and Canada Pension Plan Payments are Made in Foreign Currency

If you live outside Canada, your pension payment cheques are made in local currency in the following countries.

Country Official Currency
Australia AUD AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR
Austria EUR EURO CURRENCY
Belgium EUR EURO CURRENCY
Cyprus EUR EURO CURRENCY
Czech Republic CZK CZECH KORUNA
Denmark DKK DANISH KRONE
Ecuador USD US DOLLAR
Estonia EUR EURO CURRENCY
Fiji FJD FIJI DOLLAR
Finland EUR EURO CURRENCY
France EUR EURO CURRENCY
French Polynesia XPF CFP FRANC
Germany EUR EURO CURRENCY
Greece EUR EURO CURRENCY
Greenland DKK DANISH KRONE
Hong Kong HKD HONGKONG DOLLAR
Groenland DKK COURONNE DANOISE
Hong Kong HKD DOLLAR DE HONG KONG
India INR INDIAN RUPEE
Ireland EUR EURO CURRENCY
Italy EUR EURO CURRENCY
Japan JPY JAPANESE YEN
Kuwait KWD KUWAITI DINAR
Luxembourg EUR EURO CURRENCY
Malta EUR EURO CURRENCY
Micronesia USD US DOLLAR
Morocco MAD MOROCCO DIRHAM
Netherlands EUR EURO CURRENCY
New Caledonia XPF CFP FRANC
New Zealand NZD NEW ZEALAND DOLLAR
Norway NOK NORWEGIAN KRONE
Oman OMR OMANI RIAL
Pakistan PKR PAKISTANI RUPEE
Panama USD US DOLLAR
Papua New Guinea PGK PAP NEW G KINA
Philippines PHP PHILIPPINE PESO
Portugal EUR EURO CURRENCY
Puerto Rico USD US DOLLAR
Samoa WST WESTERN SAMOA, TALA
Saudi Arabia SAR SAUDI RIYAL
Singapore SGD SINGAPORE DOLLAR
Solomon Islands SBD SOLOMON ISLANDS DOLLAR
South Africa ZAR S.AFRICAN RAND
Spain EUR EURO CURRENCY
Sri Lanka LKR SRI LANKAN RUPEE
Sweden SEK SWEDISH KRONA
Switzerland CHF SWISS FRANC
Thailand THB THAILAND BAHT
United Arab Emirates AED U.A.E. DIRHAM
United Kingdom GBP POUND STERLING
United States USD US DOLLAR
Vanuatu VUV VANUATU VATU
Wallis and Futuna XPF CFP FRANC

This list is subject to change depending on the foreign banking arrangements made by the Receiver General of Canada and the Bank of America conversion service.

If you are currently having your benefits delivered to a Canadian address, your payments will continue to be issued in Canadian dollars. To receive your benefits in your local currency, you must contact International Social Security Agreements to change your cheque delivery address to the country where you live.

Note: Payment in wrong currency

If your payment is in the wrong currency, contact International Social Security Agreements as soon as possible.

Why is the amount on my cheque different from the amount on my cheque stub?

The amount on the cheque itself is the amount in the local currency that you will receive when you cash the cheque.

The amount on the cheque stub reflects the Canadian dollar value of the OAS or CPP payment before it was converted into your local currency. The Canadian dollar amount shown on the stub will appear on the taxation slip you receive for the year.

Note: The payment amount may fluctuate

Daily currency market fluctuations may cause your cheque amount to differ each month, even though your entitlement amount in Canadian dollars has not changed.

Page details

Date modified: