OAS Payment Dates 2026

2026 OAS Payment Schedule

All 12 OAS payment dates for 2026: January 27, 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 29, 2026; November 26, 2026; December 22, 2026. OAS and CPP payments are issued on the same date by Service Canada. If you receive both, they typically appear as separate deposits on the same day.

2026 OAS Amounts

October–December 2026 reference maximums are $762.50/month at ages 65–74 and $838.75 from the month after turning 75. Earlier quarters differ; these are not all-year 2026 amounts. Full-OAS single-person GIS has a $1,138.90 monthly reference maximum this quarter, but household circumstances and assessable income determine payment.

Partial residence and deferral affect OAS. See the OAS calculator for explicit-period scenarios.

When Are You Eligible for OAS?

You can receive OAS at age 65 if you've lived in Canada for at least 10 years after age 18. Full OAS (100%) requires 40 years of Canadian residency after age 18. Partial OAS: 1/40th of the full amount for each year of residency.

Example: 30 years of residency = 75% OAS. If you lived abroad for part of your working life, bilateral social security agreements between Canada and many countries may count foreign residency toward your OAS eligibility. See our OAS Outside Canada guide.

OAS Deferral Bonus

You can delay starting OAS from age 65 to any month up to age 70. Each month of deferral adds 0.6% (7.2%/year), for a maximum increase of 36% at age 70. Full OAS deferred to 70 in 2026: approximately $990.04/month (65–74 rate × 1.36).

Break-even age vs. starting at 65: approximately 81–82 years. Deferral is especially valuable for Canadians who: expect to live past 82, are still working at 65, are doing RRSP meltdown, or whose income would trigger the OAS clawback if OAS started at 65.

OAS and the Recovery Tax (Clawback)

The recovery threshold for 2026 net world income is $95,323. July 2026–June 2027 withholding uses 2025 income and $93,454. Recovery is 15% above the income-year threshold, capped at actual OAS received.

Full recovery depends on your actual pension, not one universal income ceiling. See the OAS Recovery Tax Guide.

Setting Up OAS Direct Deposit

Apply for OAS through My Service Canada Account or by paper application (form ISP-3000). Service Canada automatically enrolls most Canadians in OAS at 64 — you'll receive a letter. If you want to defer, you must actively notify Service Canada.

To set up or change direct deposit: log in to My Service Canada Account, or call 1-800-277-9914. Allow 1–2 payment cycles for changes to take effect.

OAS Payments Outside Canada

OAS is paid worldwide. Non-residents face a standard 25% withholding tax, reduced to 15% by most tax treaties (U.S., Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, France, Mexico, Costa Rica, Thailand, and most European countries).

Apply for reduced withholding using NR5 form. If you plan to retire abroad, see our OAS Outside Canada guide for country-by-country withholding rates and treaty details.