Agreement comes into force March 1, 2014
March 1, 2014 – Ottawa, ON – Employment and Social Development Canada
The Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Multiculturalism, has announced that the Agreement on Social Security between Canada and the Republic of Bulgaria comes into force today, March 1, 2014. This Agreement will enable Canada and Bulgaria to better coordinate pension benefits and contributions for people who have lived or worked in either country. The Agreement will coordinate the operation of Canada’s Old Age Security and Canada Pension Plan programs with the comparable pension programs of Bulgaria.
The Agreement will benefit Canada by:
- helping eligible individuals qualify for old age, disability and survivor benefits based on their affiliation to each country’s pension system;
- permitting continuity of social security coverage when an employee is sent to work temporarily in Bulgaria and eliminating situations where the employer and employee might have to contribute to two countries’ social security programs for the same work. As a result, a Canadian who is sent to work in Bulgaria can continue to pay into the Canada Pension Plan and is exempt from paying into the pension program of Bulgaria. This increases the economic competitiveness of Canadian companies operating abroad.
Alexandra Fortier
Office of the Minister
819-994-2482
Media Relations Office
Employment and Social Development Canada
819-994-5559 media@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca
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The Agreement on Social Security will enable Canada to coordinate the operation of its Old Age Security and Canada Pension Plan programs with the comparable pension programs of Bulgaria. The Agreement will benefit Canada by:
The Agreement on Social Security will enable Canada to coordinate the operation of its Old Age Security and Canada Pension Plan programs with the comparable pension programs of Bulgaria. The Agreement will benefit Canada by:
- helping eligible individuals qualify for old age, disability and survivor benefits based on their affiliation to each country’s pension system; and
- permitting continuity of social security coverage when an employee is sent to work temporarily in Bulgaria and eliminating situations where the employer and employee might have to contribute to two countries’ social security programs for the same work. As a result, a Canadian who is sent to work in Bulgaria can continue to pay into the Canada Pension Plan and is exempt from paying into the pension program of Bulgaria. This increases the economic competitiveness of Canadian companies operating abroad.
Canada has signed 57 international social security agreements (or Conventions), of which 54 are in force, with the following countries:
Antigua and Barbuda
Australia
Austria
Barbados
Belgium
Bulgaria
Chile
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Dominica
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Grenada
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jersey/Guernsey
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 Brazil, India and Serbia but are not yet in force. They will enter into force once Canada and each of these countries have completed their respective legal processes.
