Pension question, Canada
Can I get CPP if I live outside Canada?
Service Canada says you can receive CPP from age 60 with at least one valid contribution; there is no minimum number of years. CPP does not arrive by itself: Service Canada says you must apply for the retirement pension.
- Source: canada.ca, CPP contributions, CPP eligibility, CPP amount and CRA contribution rates table, read 3 October 2026
- Source: canada.ca, CPP apply, CPP statement of contributions, My Service Canada Account registration and CPP contact, read 3 October 2026
What to do next
- Find your Social Insurance Number on old pay stubs or tax slips.
- List each Canadian employer and the years you worked there.
- Run our free check to see which other countries may hold a pension in your name.
Check your own working life for free
Tell us where you worked. The free check shows which countries may hold a pension for you, and which can be ruled out and why. No sign in, no charge.
Run the free checkQuestions people also ask
What happens if CPP is never applied for?
If a CPP contributor dies in the month of, or before, their 70th birthday without ever having applied for their retirement pension, that pension is paid to nobody.
Do you give advice on what to do?
No. We identify where a pension is likely held and the official route to it, and we name each source with the date we read it. We do not give financial, tax or legal advice.