Ottawa, Ontario – The Government of Canada is committed to deepening its strong and diverse relationship with France. To this end, on March 14, 2013, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced the signing of a revised Social Security Agreement between the two countries. The announcement was made during a visit to Ottawa by French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault.
The revised Social Security Agreement, which replaces the 1981 agreement, will enable Canada and France to continue to harmonizeCanada’s Old Age Security program and the Canada Pension Plan with comparable pension programs in France. The revised Agreement will benefit Canada by:
- helping eligible individuals qualify for old age, disability and survivor benefits;
- enabling employees from Canada who are sent to work temporarily in France to continue to contribute to the Canada Pension Plan and be exempt from contributing to France’s pension system; and
- exempting Canadian businesses from paying French pension plan contributions for their employees sent to work temporarily in France, thus resulting in substantial savings.
The revised Agreement between Canada and France will enter into force after both countries have completed their respective legal procedures, which is expected to occur in 2014.
Canada has signed 56 international Social Security Agreements, of which 53 are in force with the following 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
- South Korea
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Republic of 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
Agreements have also been signed with Bulgaria, Brazil and India but are not yet in force. They will enter into force once Canada and each of these countries have completed their respective legal processes.
