Austria - Pensions and benefits

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

The Agreement on Social Security between Canada and Austria came into force on November 1, 1987. A supplementary agreement came into force December 1, 1996. The Agreement was replaced with a revised agreement that came into force on July 1, 2023.

Available benefits

If you contributed to both the Canada Pension Plan and the Austrian pension program, or if you lived in Canada and Austria, this agreement may help you qualify for:

Canadian old age and disability benefits
Austrian old age and disability benefits

If you are the widow, widower or child of a person who contributed to the pension programs of both countries, this agreement may help you qualify for:

Canadian survivor benefits
Austrian survivor benefits

You may qualify for a Canadian or an Austrian 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 of contribution or periods of residence that are creditable under Canada's pension program, and Austria will pay a benefit amount reflecting the portion of your creditable periods under Austria’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 coverage under the Austrian pension program 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 of coverage under the Austrian pension program or periods during which you resided in Austria after the age of 18 as periods or 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.

Austrian benefits

The pension program of Austria consists of the Pension Insurance for Wage Earners, Pension Insurance for Salaried Employees, Austrian Mining Industry Insurance, Austrian Railways Insurance, Social Insurance for Trade and Industry and Social Insurance for Farmers.

To qualify for a benefit under the Austrian pension program, you normally must have periods of coverage under the program for a minimum number of months. If you have not contributed to the Austrian pension program for the minimum period, Austria will consider periods of contribution to the Canada Pension Plan and periods of residence in Canada after the age of 18 as periods of coverage under the Austrian pension program.

If you are a Canadian citizen, under the Agreement you can receive an Austrian benefit while residing in Canada.

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 Austrian 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 Austria

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

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