Australia - Pensions and benefits

If you have lived or worked in Australia and in Canada, or you are the survivor of someone who has lived or worked in Australia and in Canada, you may be eligible for pensions or benefits from Australia or Canada, or both.

The Agreement on Social Security between Canada and Australia came into force on September 1, 1989.

Available benefits

If you contributed to both the Canada Pension Plan and resided in Australia, or if you lived in Canada and Australia, this agreement may help you qualify for:

Canadian old age and disability benefits
Australian old age and disability benefits

If you are the widow, widower or child of a person who contributed to the Canada Pension Plan and resided in Australia, this agreement may help you qualify for:

Canadian survivor benefits
Australian survivor benefits

You may qualify for a Canadian or an Australian benefit, or both. However, under the Agreement, the benefit paid by each country will be based solely on your creditable periods under that country’s pension program. In other words, Canada will pay a benefit amount reflecting the portion of your periods that are creditable under Canada's pension program, and Australia will pay a benefit amount reflecting the portion of your creditable periods under Australia's pension program.

Eligibility

Canadian benefits

The Canadian pension programs included in the Agreement are the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and the Old Age Security (OAS) program.

If you do not qualify for a Canada Pension Plan benefit based on your contributions to the CPP, Canada will consider periods of residence in Australia after the age of 18 as periods of contribution to the Canada Pension Plan.

If you do not qualify for an Old Age Security pension based on your years of residence in Canada, Canada will consider periods during which you resided in Australia after the age of 18 as periods of residence in Canada.

Note: Quebec Pension Plan (QPP) contributors

The Government of Canada's international social security agreements cover Old Age Security and Canada Pension Plan benefits only. If you contribute or have contributed to the QPP but not to the CPP, please consult the Quebec Pension Plan.

Australian benefits

To qualify for a benefit under the Australian pension program, you normally must have lived in Australia for a minimum number of years.

If you have not lived in Australia for the minimum period, Australia will consider periods of contribution to the Canada Pension Plan and periods of residence in Canada after the age of 18 as periods of residence in Australia. To determine eligibility for Australian disability and survivor benefits, Australia will consider periods of contribution to the Canada Pension Plan as periods of residence in Australia.

Apply

Print and complete one of the following application forms:

If you live in Canada

If you live in Canada and want to apply for Canadian benefits, consult the Pensions in Canada.

If you live in Canada and want to apply for Australian benefits:

Attach any necessary supporting documents, and return the application form to a Service Canada Centre, or mail it to:

International Operations
Service Canada
PO Box 250
Fredericton NB E3B 4Z6
Canada

If you live in Australia

If you live in Australia and want to apply for Canadian benefits:

Attach any necessary supporting documents, and return the application form to a social security office in Australia, or mail it to:

International Operations
Service Canada
PO Box 250
Fredericton NB E3B 4Z6
Canada

Language selection

Search