What is OAS?
Old Age Security benefits are monthly payments from the federal government to eligible Canadians aged 65 and older. These payments, along with the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and personal savings, are meant to provide financial support as seniors age out of the workforce.
When you become eligible, Service Canada will automatically enroll you for the OAS pension and notify you by mail.
OAS vs. Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS)
Although GIS is part of the OAS program, there are distinctions between the two. Like OAS, you’re automatically enrolled in GIS payments if you’re eligible; however, GIS payments aren’t considered taxable income, and only Canadian residents with a low monthly income qualify for the payments.
To qualify for this extra financial assistance, you must file personal income taxes and have a maximum income below a certain threshold (based on how you file your taxes). Your GIS payments are made on the same day as the OAS payments.
If you believe you meet the requirements for OAS or GIS but haven’t been notified, you can apply for both benefits at the same time.
OAS payment dates for 2026
The government lists all of the current (and past) year’s OAS payment dates. For 2026, OAS payments go out on:
January 28, 2026
February 25, 2026
March 27, 2026
April 28, 2026
May 27, 2026
June 26, 2026
July 29, 2026
August 27, 2026
September 25, 2026
October 28, 2026
November 26, 2026
December 22, 2026
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How much are OAS payments?
The exact amount you receive depends on a few key factors: your age, your citizenship, and how long you’ve lived in the country. And, OAS payments are indexed to inflation, meaning they generally increase each year. If the cost of living decreases, don’t worry—your benefits will never decrease.
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Here are the maximum amounts you could receive with OAS:
Source: Government of Canada
You’ll only receive the maximum amount if your annual income is below the threshold, and you’ve lived in Canada for at least 40 years since you turned 18. If you’ve lived in the country for at least 10 years (but less than 40), you may be eligible for a partial OAS payment, but if you’re outside of Canada when you apply, you can only get partial OAS payments if you’ve lived in Canada for at least 20 years after you turned 18.
You’ll also notice that people between the ages of 65 and 74 receive less than those aged 75 and up. This is because Canadians over age 75 receive an automatic 10% increase to their OAS payments.
The Government of Canada provides an OAS benefits calculator on its website. The tool is designed to show you when you can begin receiving benefits, the amount you’ll receive, and how your payments might change depending on your personal situation.
OAS eligibility requirements
Whether or not you’re eligible for OAS also depends on the same factors that will ultimately determine how much you receive. To be eligible for OAS, you must:
Be at least 65 years old
Be a Canadian citizen or legal resident
OAS also has residency requirements. If you’re living in Canada when you apply, you must have lived in Canada for at least 10 years since you turned 18. If you’re living outside of Canada, you must have lived in Canada for at least 20 years since you turned 18.
Your employment history doesn’t affect your eligibility. You can receive OAS even if you are still working or have never worked.
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