To qualify for a Canada Pension Plan (CPP) retirement pension, you must:

• be at least 60 years old
• have made at least one valid contribution to the CPP

Valid contributions can be either from work you did in Canada, or as the result of receiving credits from a former spouse or former common-law partner at the end of the relationship.

Working while on the CPP retirement pension

You can still work if you are receiving a CPP retirement pension, without reducing the pension amount. In fact, you could increase it by means of the CPP post-retirement benefit.

If you work while receiving your CPP retirement pension and are under age 70, you can still make CPP contributions. Each year you contribute to the CPP will result in a post-retirement benefit and increase your retirement income. We will automatically pay you this benefit the following year. You’ll receive it for the rest of your life.

You can choose to stop your post-retirement contributions when you reach age 65. Your CPP contributions will stop when you reach 70 years of age, even if you’re still working.

Other circumstances

If you lived and worked in Quebec

The CPP and Québec Pension Plan (QPP) work together to make sure that all contributors receive a retirement pension. Contact Retraite Québec if one of the following applies to you:

• you’ve only worked in Quebec
• you worked in Quebec and in at least one other province/territory, and are living in Quebec
• you’ve worked in Quebec, currently live outside Canada and your last province of residence was Quebec

• If you lived and worked in another country

  If you lived and worked in Canada and in another country, you may qualify to receive both a CPP retirement pension and a pension from the other country. Canada has international social security agreements with a number of countries.

• If you die before starting CPP retirement pension

  If you’re under 70 and you die before applying for your CPP retirement pension, it can’t be paid to anyone else. If you’re over 70, your estate can submit an application no later than one year after your death. Your estate will receive up to 11 months of retirement pension. Your family may also qualify for other CPP benefits.