Old Age Security amounts have just gone up — Here’s how to make sure you get it in April

Seniors across Canada will soon receive their next monthly Old Age Security deposit. And this quarter, it comes with a small boost.

Service Canada bumped OAS rates at the start of Q2, so the payment landing on April 28 is slightly higher than anything that arrived between January and March. The increase is 0.1% for the April to June 2026 quarter, which works out to a 2.1% rise compared to this time last year.

The adjustment tracks changes to the Consumer Price Index, and the next rate review won’t come until July.

Here’s a breakdown of who qualifies, what the new amounts look like, and what to do if you haven’t been enrolled yet.

What is Old Age Security?

Old Age Security is the federal government’s main pension program for seniors. Unlike the Canada Pension Plan, it doesn’t require any work history or contributions — eligibility is based on age and how long you’ve lived in Canada.

Service Canada handles enrollment automatically for most people and sends a confirmation letter before your first payment. Old Age Security also counts as taxable income on your annual return.

Lower-income recipients may also qualify for the Guaranteed Income Supplement and related allowances, which arrive in the same monthly deposit.

Who qualifies for April 2026 payments?

To receive OAS this month, you need to:

• Be at least 65 years old
• Hold Canadian citizenship or legal resident status
• Have lived in Canada for at least 10 years after turning 18
• Have a 2024 net income under $148,451 (ages 65–74) or under $154,196 (ages 75+)

Canadians living abroad can still receive payments if they had citizenship or legal status when they left and lived in Canada for at least 20 years as an adult.

More about OAS eligibility

What are the new April 2026 amounts?

Here’s what the maximum monthly payments look like this quarter:

• OAS pension (ages 65–74): $743.05
• OAS pension (ages 75+): $817.36
• Guaranteed Income Supplement (single/partner without OAS): $1,108.74
• Guaranteed Income Supplement (partner gets OAS/Allowance): $667.41
• Allowance: $1,409.76
• Allowance for the Survivor: $1,681.69

Your actual payment may be lower depending on your situation. The full OAS pension requires 40 years of Canadian residence after age 18, with partial payments available between 10 and 39 years.

More about OAS payment amounts

What if you haven’t been enrolled?

Most people are registered automatically around age 64. If you never received a confirmation letter, you can apply through My Service Canada Account online or by submitting forms by mail or at a Service Canada office. The Allowance and Allowance for the Survivor require their own separate applications.

Worth knowing: delaying your OAS past 65 permanently increases your monthly amount. You gain 0.6% for every month you wait, up to a maximum of 36% more at age 70.

More about applying for OAS

Additional support for lower-income seniors

The Guaranteed Income Supplement is available to OAS recipients whose income falls below certain thresholds. Your OAS payments don’t count toward that calculation.

GIS income limits for April:

• Single, widowed, or divorced: annual income below $22,512
• Couples both receiving full OAS: combined income below $29,712
• Couples where one gets the Allowance: combined income below $41,616
• Couples where one doesn’t receive OAS or the Allowance: combined income below $53,952

More about GIS and other allowances

When does the April payment arrive?

Your deposit lands on Tuesday, April 28, 2026.

The full schedule for the rest of the year is as follows:

• May 27
• June 26
• July 29
• August 27
• September 25
• October 28
• November 26
• December 22