Do you qualify

On this page

• Do you qualify for the Guaranteed Income Supplement
• Allowance benefit for your spouse or common-law partner
• Benefit for a surviving spouse or common-law partner
• Retirement hub New!

Do you qualify for the Guaranteed Income Supplement

You may be able to get this benefit if:

• you are 65 or older
• you live in Canada
• you receive the Old Age Security (OAS) pension
• your income is below $22,056 if you are single, widowed, or divorced
• your income plus the income of your spouse/common-law partner is below:
  • $29,136 if your spouse/common-law partner receives the full OAS pension
  • $52,848 if your spouse/common-law partner does not receive an OAS pension
  • $40,800 if your spouse/common-law partner receives the Allowance

If you moved to Canada as an immigrant

If you are an immigrant who is sponsored

If you are a sponsored immigrant and have lived in Canada for less than 10 years after age 18, you cannot receive the Guaranteed Income Supplement while you are sponsored unless your sponsor:

• suffers personal bankruptcy
• is imprisoned for more than 6 months
• is convicted of abusing you
• dies

If you are an immigrant who is not sponsored

If you are an immigrant who is not sponsored, you could receive the Guaranteed Income Supplement if you receive the Old Age Security pension.

Benefit for your spouse or common-law partner

Allowance

If you are eligible to receive the Guaranteed Income Supplement, your spouse or common-law partner may be able to receive the Allowance benefit if your spouse or common-law partner:

• is 60 to 64 years of age
• is a Canadian citizen or a legal resident
• resides in Canada and has resided in Canada for at least 10 years since the age of 18
• your combined annual income is less than the maximum annual income threshold for the Allowance

Benefit for a surviving spouse or common-law partner

Allowance for the Survivor

You could receive the Allowance for the Survivor if:

• you are 60 to 64 years of age
• your spouse or common-law partner has died and you have not remarried or entered into a common-law relationship
• your annual income is less than the maximum annual income threshold for the Allowance for the Survivor

Retirement hub New!

Explore our new retirement planning tool to find out about public pensions, when to collect them and tips to consider for your retirement income.