Can immigrants receive GIS in Canada?

Yes — but only if they also receive OAS, which requires a minimum of 10 years of Canadian residency after age 18. With 10 years of residency, you receive a partial OAS (10/40ths of the full amount). GIS eligibility then follows, also on a partial basis. Full OAS — and maximum GIS — requires 40 years of Canadian residency after age 18.

How is partial OAS calculated for immigrants?

Partial OAS is calculated as the number of years you lived in Canada after age 18 divided by 40, multiplied by the full OAS amount. Someone who lived in Canada for 20 years after age 18 receives 20/40 = 50% of the maximum OAS. GIS is then assessed on the same partial basis.

Do Social Security agreements help immigrants get OAS sooner?

Yes. Canada has Social Security agreements with over 60 countries. Under these agreements, periods of contribution or residence in a partner country can count toward the 10-year minimum to qualify for partial OAS. However, totalized years only count toward the threshold — the actual OAS payment is still based only on Canadian years of residence.

How long do I need to live in Canada to get full OAS and GIS?

You need 40 years of Canadian residency after age 18 to receive the full OAS amount. Most immigrants who arrive as adults will receive partial OAS. Even partial OAS qualifies you for at least some GIS if your income is low enough.

Can refugees qualify for OAS and GIS?

Yes. Refugees who are recognized as permanent residents or citizens and have lived in Canada for at least 10 years after age 18 qualify for partial OAS and potentially GIS. The same residency rules apply regardless of how someone arrived in Canada.

GIS for Newcomers and Immigrants — Partial OAS and Eligibility Explained (2026)

The OAS-GIS Link for Immigrants

The Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) is only available to people who already receive Old Age Security (OAS). This creates an important barrier for newcomers and immigrants: you cannot receive GIS until you receive OAS, and OAS has a minimum 10-year Canadian residency requirement.

For many immigrants who arrive in Canada as adults, this means receiving a partial OAS and partial GIS — sometimes significantly less than what a Canadian-born retiree receives.

Understanding these rules is essential for retirement planning as a newcomer to Canada.

OAS Residency Requirements

To receive OAS, you must have lived in Canada for a minimum number of years after age 18:

Situation	Minimum Years in Canada	OAS Amount
Living in Canada at 65	10 years	Partial (10/40)
Living outside Canada at 65	20 years	Full partial
Full OAS	40 years	100%

The partial OAS formula

$$\text{OAS amount} = \frac{\text{Years in Canada after age 18}}{40} \times \text{Full OAS}$$

Example: An immigrant who arrived at age 45 and retires at 65 has 20 years of Canadian residency.

$$\frac{20}{40} \times $727.67 = $363.84\text{/month}$$

This person receives approximately $363.84/month in OAS — half the full amount.

How GIS Works With Partial OAS

Once you receive any amount of OAS (even partial), you become potentially eligible for GIS. However, GIS for partial OAS recipients is more complex:

If you live in Canada

If you live in Canada and receive a partial OAS, GIS is calculated based on your actual income and the standard income thresholds. The GIS amount can be the full GIS amount — the partial OAS does not automatically reduce your GIS.

This means a low-income senior with partial OAS could receive:

Partial OAS: e.g., $363.84/month
Full GIS (if income is low enough): up to $1,086.88/month
Combined: ~$1,450/month — less than the full OAS + full GIS combination (~$1,815/month) but still meaningful

If you live outside Canada

If you live outside Canada, you may receive OAS (after 20 years of residency) but you are not eligible for GIS while living abroad. GIS requires Canadian residency. Returning to Canada restores GIS eligibility.

The 10-Year Residency Test in Practice

What counts as “years in Canada”

Years of residency are counted for OAS purposes if you were:

A Canadian citizen
A permanent resident (landed immigrant)
A temporary resident with certain status, depending on the period

Time spent studying, working on a permit, or living as a refugee claimant may or may not count — the rules depend on your specific immigration status during each period. Service Canada assesses residency history when you apply for OAS.

What does not count

Years spent outside Canada, even if a Canadian citizen
Years before age 18
Years as a visitor or unauthorized resident

Canada has Social Security Agreements (SSAs) with more than 60 countries including the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Australia, and many others.

Under these agreements, periods of residence or contributions in a partner country can be combined with Canadian periods to meet the 10-year minimum to qualify for OAS. This is called totalization.

What SSAs Do	What SSAs Don’t Do
Help meet the 10-year minimum to qualify	Increase the actual OAS payment amount
Count foreign periods toward eligibility only	Add foreign years to the 40-year calculation for payment purposes

Example: A German immigrant arrived in Canada at age 60 and retires at 65 with only 5 years of Canadian residency. Without an SSA, he does not qualify for OAS. Under the Canada-Germany SSA, his German years totalize with his Canadian years to meet the 10-year minimum — so he qualifies for a very small partial OAS (5/40ths = 12.5% of full OAS).

His German pension is separate and received from Germany directly.

Partner countries with SSAs include: United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Italy, Germany, France, Portugal, Greece, Philippines, India, South Korea, and many others. Check the Service Canada website for the full list.

CPP for Newcomers

GIS relates to OAS — but newcomers also need to understand CPP separately:

CPP is contribution-based, not residency-based
You qualify for CPP based on your Canadian contributions only (generally one year minimum)
Foreign pension contributions from SSA countries can sometimes count toward eligibility, but CPP amounts are based only on actual Canadian contributions
A newcomer who worked and contributed to CPP in Canada for 10 years will receive CPP based on those 10 years of contributions

Low CPP combined with partial OAS means newcomers are more likely to qualify for a meaningful GIS amount — since their total “other income” is lower.

Residency Requirements at a Glance

Requirement	Years	Result
Minimum for partial OAS (in Canada)	10	Partial OAS + possibly GIS
Minimum for partial OAS (outside Canada)	20	Partial OAS; no GIS abroad
Full OAS	40	Maximum OAS; standard GIS eligibility

Planning Considerations for Newcomers

1. Apply for OAS at 65 regardless of how many years you have

If you have at least 10 years of Canadian residency after 18, apply at 65. Even a small partial OAS unlocks GIS eligibility.

2. Understand whether your home country has an SSA with Canada

If you spent working years in a country with a Canadian SSA, confirm whether that agreement helps you meet the 10-year minimum.

3. Keep TFSA savings separate from RRSP

TFSA withdrawals do not count as income for GIS. If you have modest Canadian savings, keeping them in a TFSA ensures they can supplement your income without reducing GIS. See RRSP withdrawal before 65 to protect GIS.

4. Claim your foreign pension on your Canadian tax return

Foreign pension income is reportable in Canada and counts as income for the GIS income test. A large foreign pension could reduce or eliminate GIS even if your Canadian income is low. This should be factored into retirement income planning.

5. File taxes annually — even with foreign income

As a Canadian resident, you must report worldwide income on your Canadian tax return. Service Canada uses this data for GIS renewal. Missing a filing suspends GIS payments — see GIS renewal and filing requirements.