Old Age Security (OAS) is a monthly pension for people 65 and older who have lived in Canada for at least 10 years since turning 18. You don’t need to have worked to get it. It arrives on the same day as CPP, the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) and the Allowance, and the calendar at the top of this page shows every date.
How much OAS you’ll get
The amount depends on your age, how long you have lived in Canada after 18, and your income. These are the maximums for October to December 2026.
| Your situation | Maximum a month (October to December 2026) | You get no OAS if your 2025 net world income was |
|---|---|---|
| Age 65 to 74 | $762.50 | $152,062 or more |
| Age 75 and over | $838.75 | $157,923 or more |
The full pension needs 40 years in Canada after age 18. With fewer years you get a partial pension: your years in Canada divided by 40. For example, 20 years gets you 50% of the full pension, or about $381.25 a month at age 65 to 74 for October to December 2026.
At 75, your pension goes up by 10% automatically. The increase starts the month after your 75th birthday. You don’t need to apply, and it doesn’t lower your GIS.
OAS is indexed four times a year, in January, April, July and October, to keep up with the cost of living. It never goes down if prices fall.
A single senior with a full OAS pension and no other income could also get the maximum GIS of $1,138.90. Together that’s up to $1,901.40 a month for October to December 2026.
The OAS clawback (recovery tax)
If your net income is above a set level, you pay back 15% of the amount over that level. The repayment is taken off your monthly OAS for the next July to June.
| Income year | Clawback starts at | Repaid during |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $93,454 | July 2026 to June 2027 |
| 2026 | $95,323 | July 2027 to June 2028 |
Example: your 2025 net income was $100,000. That’s $6,546 over $93,454. You repay 15% of that, or $981.90, which works out to about $81.83 less OAS each month from July 2026 to June 2027.
Most people on a modest income never pay the clawback. The net income used for it includes your OAS pension itself.
Who qualifies
- You are 65 or older.
- You are a Canadian citizen or a legal resident when your pension is approved.
- You have lived in Canada at least 10 years since age 18. If you live outside Canada, you need at least 20 years.
- Your income is below the limit in the table above.
- You file a tax return every year. Service Canada uses it to check your income.
Work history doesn’t matter. You can get OAS if you never worked, or if you are still working.
How to get OAS
Most people are enrolled automatically.
- Watch for a letter from Service Canada around your 64th birthday. If it says you are enrolled, you don’t need to do anything.
- If there’s no letter one month after your 64th birthday, or the letter asks you to apply, apply online through My Service Canada Account. You can apply online once you are at least one month past your 64th birthday.
- If you can’t apply online, fill in form ISP-3550, the application for OAS and the GIS, and mail it to Service Canada.
- Sign up for direct deposit when you apply. It’s faster than a cheque.
If you are already over 65 and just applying now, Service Canada may pay up to 11 months of back payments. You can’t get back payments for months you chose to delay.
Should you delay OAS?
You can start OAS at any age from 65 to 70. For each month you wait, your pension goes up 0.6%, to a maximum of 36% at age 70.
| Start age | Increase | Maximum a month (October to December 2026 rates) |
|---|---|---|
| 65 | none | $762.50 |
| 66 | 7.2% | $806.11 |
| 67 | 14.4% | $860.25 |
| 68 | 21.6% | $914.40 |
| 69 | 28.8% | $968.54 |
| 70 | 36% | $1,022.68 |
Don’t delay if you could get the GIS. You can’t get the GIS while your OAS is on hold, your spouse can’t get the Allowance, and the GIS doesn’t grow when you delay. Waiting past 70 also gains nothing, so apply right away if you are already 70.
Delaying can make sense if you are healthy and have other income. It can also help if you have fewer than 40 years in Canada, because years you live here before your pension starts can raise a partial pension. Once it starts, extra years don’t count.
Taxes on OAS
OAS counts as taxable income, so include it on your tax return. The GIS, the Allowance and the Allowance for the Survivor are not taxable.
OAS, the GIS and the Allowance
OAS opens the door to three income-tested benefits, all paid on the same day as OAS:
- Guaranteed Income Supplement: up to $1,138.90 a month for a single senior with income under $23,112 (October to December 2026). It’s worked out from your tax return each July.
- Allowance: up to $1,428.06 a month for someone aged 60 to 64 whose spouse or partner gets OAS and the GIS, if the couple’s combined income is under $42,144.
- Allowance for the Survivor: up to $1,726.18 a month for a widowed person aged 60 to 64 with income under $31,152 who hasn’t remarried or entered a new common-law relationship.
For these income limits, Service Canada leaves out your OAS pension, the first $5,000 of work income and half of the next $10,000.
What changed in 2026
- OAS rose 1.2% in July 2026, for a total increase of 2.3% from July 2025 to July 2026.
- It rises another 1.4% for October to December 2026, starting with the October 28 payment. That is a 3.0% increase over the past year.
- An increase takes effect in October 2026. The calendar at the top of this page will show the new amounts once Service Canada publishes them.
- The clawback now starts at $93,454 of 2025 income, up from $90,997 of 2024 income.
Payment late, missing or different?
Payments can take a few days to arrive, and cheques take longer than direct deposit. Wait 5 to 10 business days after the payment date before you call.
- Check your payment details in My Service Canada Account.
- Call Service Canada at 1-800-277-9914 (TTY 1-800-255-4786), Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm local time. From outside Canada and the US, call collect at 1-613-957-1954.
Common reasons a payment is late, smaller or missing:
- You didn’t file your tax return, so your GIS couldn’t be recalculated in July.
- You moved or changed banks and didn’t tell Service Canada.
- The clawback is being taken off because your income went up.
- Your GIS or Allowance changed in July because your income changed the year before.
- You turned 75, so your OAS went up (a bigger payment is not a mistake).
Watch for scams. Service Canada and the CRA never ask for fees, gift cards, cryptocurrency or passwords by text or email. If a message says you must pay to get your pension, don’t reply. Call the number above instead.
Other help you might be missing
- Guaranteed Income Supplement: if your income is low, this can more than double your OAS. It’s often automatic, but check.
- Canada Pension Plan: if you ever worked in Canada, you likely paid in and can collect CPP too.
- Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit: a tax-free quarterly payment for low and modest incomes. You get it by filing your taxes.
- Provincial seniors’ top-ups: in Ontario, GAINS; in BC, the Senior’s Supplement; in Alberta, the Alberta Seniors Benefit; in Saskatchewan, the Seniors Income Plan. Each has its own income rules.
- Allowance: if you are 60 to 64 and your spouse gets the GIS, you may qualify before you turn 65.
Common questions
What day is OAS paid each month?
Usually on the third-last business day of the month, the same day as CPP. December is paid earlier, before the holidays. The calendar at the top of this page lists every date.
How much is OAS at age 75?
Up to $838.75 a month for October to December 2026. That’s 10% more than the amount for ages 65 to 74, and it starts automatically the month after your 75th birthday.
Can I get OAS if I never worked?
Yes. OAS is based on your age, your years living in Canada and your income, not on your work history.
Is OAS clawed back if I keep working?
Only if your net income is above the threshold: $93,454 for 2025 income. You repay 15% of the amount over it.
Can I get OAS if I move outside Canada?
Yes, if you lived in Canada at least 20 years after age 18. Time in a country that has a social security agreement with Canada may count toward the 20 years.
Does OAS go up in October 2026?
Yes. OAS is reviewed every January, April, July and October, and an increase takes effect in October 2026. Check canada.ca or the calendar above for the new amounts.
