Last Updated On 23 June 2026, 6:06 PM EDT (Toronto Time)

The next Old Age Security (OAS payment) and Guaranteed Income Supplement payments are confirmed for Thursday, June 26, 2026.

Millions of Canadian seniors will receive their combined OAS and GIS deposits on the same day as their Canada Pension Plan payments.

The June deposit is the final payment of the current April to June 2026 quarter before new OAS amounts take effect in July.

Seniors aged 65 to 74 currently receive a maximum OAS pension of $743.05 per month under the April to June quarterly rates.

Those aged 75 and older receive up to $817.36 per month, reflecting the permanent 10% enhancement introduced in July 2022.

Low-income seniors collecting the Guaranteed Income Supplement could see combined monthly deposits exceeding $1,852 depending on their income and marital status.

Immigration News Canada covers OAS and GIS as part of its financial literacy mission for newcomers and Canadians alike.

OAS eligibility is based on how many years you lived in Canada after age 18, making it directly relevant to newcomers planning their long-term financial security.

This guide covers current and upcoming payment amounts, GIS eligibility, the OAS recovery tax, the confirmed July 2026 increase, and how to apply.

What Is Old Age Security?

Old Age Security is a monthly pension available to most Canadians aged 65 and older, administered by Service Canada.

Unlike the Canada Pension Plan, OAS does not require any employment contributions during your working years.

Eligibility is based primarily on your age and how many years you have lived in Canada after turning 18.

You need a minimum of 10 years of Canadian residence after age 18 to qualify for a partial OAS pension.

Forty years of Canadian residence after age 18 qualifies you for the full maximum OAS pension amount.

OAS is funded from general federal tax revenue rather than through a dedicated payroll contribution system.

The program adjusts quarterly in January, April, July, and October based on changes in the Consumer Price Index as confirmed on the official OAS payment amounts page.

This quarterly adjustment ensures that senior benefits keep pace with the cost of living throughout the year.

OAS rates are protected from decreasing under the Old Age Security Act, even when the Consumer Price Index falls as explained in the April 2026 OAS increase coverage.

What Is the Guaranteed Income Supplement?

The Guaranteed Income Supplement is a non-taxable monthly payment for low-income seniors who already receive the OAS pension.

GIS is designed to provide additional financial support to seniors whose annual income falls below specific thresholds set by the government.

A single senior with no other income can receive up to $1,109.85 per month in GIS on top of their OAS pension.

That means a single low-income senior could receive a combined OAS and GIS deposit of approximately $1,852.90 per month.

GIS is reduced by $1 for every $2 of annual income other than OAS, creating a 50% reduction rate as your income rises.

The GIS also adjusts quarterly alongside OAS and is protected from decreasing when the cost of living drops.

Service Canada recalculates your GIS amount every July based on the income reported on your most recent tax return.

Filing your annual tax return on time is essential because late filing can trigger GIS payment suspensions starting in July.

The OAS program also includes two additional benefits for low-income Canadians aged 60 to 64.

The Allowance provides up to $1,411.13 per month for spouses of GIS recipients, and the Allowance for the Survivor pays up to $1,682.15 per month for widowed individuals.

Who Is Eligible for OAS and GIS?

To qualify for the OAS pension, you must be at least 65 years old.

You must be a Canadian citizen or legal resident at the time your application is approved.

If you currently live in Canada, you need at least 10 years of residence after age 18 to qualify for a partial pension.

If you live outside Canada, you need at least 20 years of Canadian residence after age 18 to continue receiving payments.

Canada has social security agreements with over 60 countries that may allow foreign residence periods to count toward OAS eligibility.

Many seniors are enrolled automatically and receive a notification letter from Service Canada the month after they turn 64.

If you do not receive an automatic enrollment letter, you will need to apply on your own at least six months before you want payments to begin.

To qualify for GIS, you must already be receiving the OAS pension and living in Canada.

Your annual income must fall below the threshold for your household type.

A single senior qualifies if their annual income other than OAS is below $22,512.

A couple where both partners receive OAS qualifies if their combined income is below $29,760.

Sponsored immigrants cannot receive GIS for the duration of their sponsorship agreement, which is now 20 years in every province except Quebec.

If you defer your OAS pension, you will not be eligible for GIS during the deferral period.

How Much OAS and GIS Can You Get in June 2026?

The following table shows the maximum monthly OAS pension amounts for the current April to June 2026 quarter as published on the official quarterly rate card.

OAS Benefit Category	Maximum Monthly Amount
OAS pension (ages 65 to 74)	$743.05
OAS pension (ages 75 and older)	$817.36
GIS (single, widowed, or divorced)	$1,109.85
GIS (spouse receives full OAS)	$668.08 each
Allowance (ages 60 to 64)	$1,411.13
Allowance for the Survivor	$1,682.15

Not everyone receives the maximum OAS amount.

Your pension is prorated based on how many years you lived in Canada after age 18 divided by 40.

A newcomer who arrived in Canada at age 45 and applied at 65 would have 20 years of residence, qualifying for 50% of the maximum OAS.

GIS amounts decrease as your annual income rises above zero at a rate of $1 reduction for every $2 of income.

The first $5,000 of employment or self-employment income is fully exempt from the GIS calculation.

Half of the next $10,000 in employment income is also exempt, giving working seniors room to earn without losing their full supplement.

OAS and GIS Payment Dates for 2026

OAS, GIS, and CPP all deposit on the same dates each month according to the federal benefits payment calendar.

Direct deposit recipients typically see funds in their bank account by the morning of the scheduled date.

The December payment is advanced to December 22 so that seniors receive their funds before the holiday season.

Payment Date

January 28, 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 28, 2026

November 26, 2026

December 22, 2026

The gap between the December 22 payment and the late January 2027 deposit is roughly five weeks, the longest stretch of the year.

Seniors who budget on a monthly cycle should plan ahead for that extended gap to avoid cash flow pressure during the holiday period.

OAS Deferral: Should You Delay Your Pension?

You can choose to delay your OAS pension beyond age 65 in exchange for a permanently higher monthly payment.

For every month you defer past age 65, your OAS increases by 0.6%.

That adds up to a maximum increase of 36% if you wait until age 70 to start collecting.

A senior who defers until 70 and qualifies for the July 2026 maximum could receive approximately $1,022 per month.

After age 70, there is no additional benefit to deferring and your pension will begin automatically.

The maximum retroactive start date for OAS is 11 months.

The deferral period itself does not count toward retroactivity.

Deferring OAS means you are not eligible for GIS during the deferral period because GIS requires active OAS receipt.

Deferral makes the most financial sense for seniors with other income sources who do not need OAS immediately at 65.

The OAS Recovery Tax Explained

Higher-income seniors face the OAS recovery tax, commonly known as the clawback.

This tax reduces your OAS pension by 15 cents for every dollar of net world income above the annual threshold.

For the 2026 income year, the recovery tax begins at $95,323 of net world income for seniors aged 65 to 74 according to the official rate card.

Full OAS repayment occurs at $154,753 of net world income for seniors aged 65 to 74.

For seniors aged 75 and older, the upper threshold is $160,696 because their OAS maximum is 10% higher.

Recovery Tax Detail	2026 Amounts
Minimum income threshold (ages 65-74)	$95,323
Full repayment threshold (ages 65-74)	$154,753
Full repayment threshold (ages 75+)	$160,696
Recovery tax rate	15%
Current period (Jul 2025 to Jun 2026) threshold	$90,997 (2024 income)
Next period (Jul 2026 to Jun 2027) threshold	$93,454 (2025 income)

The recovery tax is spread across 12 monthly OAS payments rather than collected as a single lump sum as explained in the April 2026 CPP and OAS article.

Net world income includes your OAS pension itself, which means the pension can partially trigger its own clawback at certain income levels.

July 2026 OAS Increase and GIS Reset

The Government of Canada has confirmed a 1.2% quarterly increase for OAS benefits effective July 1, 2026.

This is the largest quarterly adjustment of 2026 so far, following the 0.3% January increase and the 0.1% April increase.

The first payment at the new rate will arrive on July 29, 2026.

Benefit	April to June 2026	July to September 2026 (Projected)
OAS pension (ages 65 to 74)	$743.05	~$751.97
OAS pension (ages 75+)	$817.36	~$827.17

Official July dollar figures will be published by Service Canada when the quarter begins.

Rounding can shift the final amounts by a cent or two from the projected figures above.

July is also the month when Service Canada recalculates GIS amounts based on your 2025 tax return.

Your July GIS payment could change in two ways: the 1.2% quarterly CPI increase and an individual recalculation based on your 2025 income.

If your income dropped in 2025 compared to 2024, your July GIS payment could increase substantially beyond the standard quarterly bump.

Seniors who did not file their 2025 tax return by April 30 risk having their GIS payments suspended starting in July until Service Canada receives their income information.

How To Apply for OAS and GIS

Many Canadians are enrolled in OAS automatically and receive a notification letter from Service Canada after turning 64.

If the information in your letter is correct, your OAS pension will begin the month after you turn 65 without any application.

If you do not receive an automatic enrollment letter, apply through your My Service Canada Account or by submitting a paper application.

Service Canada recommends applying at least six months before your desired start date because processing can take several months.

For GIS, Service Canada automatically assesses your eligibility each year when you file your tax return.

If you qualify, GIS payments are added to your monthly OAS deposit without requiring a separate application in most cases.

First-time applicants who did not receive GIS automatically may need to apply using the GIS application form available online or at a Service Canada office.

You will need your Social Insurance Number, proof of Canadian residence, and your most recent tax assessment to complete the application process.

What To Do If Your OAS or GIS Payment Is Missing

Confirm the date against the official payment calendar because a payment is not late until the scheduled date has passed.

Direct deposit payments typically arrive by the morning of the scheduled date.

Service Canada advises cheque recipients to wait five to ten business days after the scheduled date before reporting a missing payment.

The most common cause of a missing payment is outdated banking information in your My Service Canada Account.

Log into your account and verify that your direct deposit details and mailing address are up-to-date.

If your details are correct and the payment has not arrived after the waiting period, call Service Canada at 1-800-277-9914.

GIS payments can also be interrupted if your annual tax return has not been filed or assessed by the CRA.

Check your CRA My Account to confirm your tax return has been assessed and that no outstanding balance is affecting your benefits.

The June 26 deposit is the sixth of twelve confirmed payments in 2026 and the final payment before the July quarterly increase takes effect.

With the confirmed 1.2% OAS increase and the annual GIS recalculation both arriving in July 2026, the next payment on July 29 could look different from what you received this month.

Filing your 2025 tax return on time is the single most important step to keep your GIS flowing without interruption.

For newcomers building their future in Canada, every year of Canadian residence after age 18 moves you closer to qualifying for these essential retirement benefits.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can I receive OAS and CPP at the same time?

Yes, OAS and CPP are two separate programs with independent eligibility criteria and calculation methods.

Most Canadian seniors receive both pensions deposited on the same monthly date, with CPP based on employment contributions and OAS based on years of Canadian residence.

Will my OAS payment increase in July 2026?

Yes, the Government of Canada has confirmed a 1.2% quarterly increase for OAS benefits starting July 1, 2026.

The maximum OAS pension for seniors aged 65 to 74 will rise from $743.05 to approximately $751.97 per month.

Seniors aged 75 and older will see their maximum rise from $817.36 to approximately $827.17 per month.

Do newcomers qualify for OAS?

Yes, newcomers qualify for OAS once they have accumulated at least 10 years of Canadian residence after turning 18.

International social security agreements may allow foreign residence periods to count toward the 10-year minimum.

The OAS pension is prorated based on years of Canadian residence divided by 40.

Is GIS taxable income?

No, the Guaranteed Income Supplement is completely non-taxable.

You do not need to report GIS payments as income on your annual tax return.

However, you must file your tax return every year to maintain your GIS eligibility, because Service Canada uses your tax data to recalculate your GIS amount each July.

What happens to my GIS if I leave Canada?

GIS payments stop after you have been outside Canada for six consecutive months.

Unlike the OAS pension, which continues to be paid to qualifying recipients living abroad, GIS requires you to be living in Canada.

If you return to Canada after an absence, you must reapply for GIS and provide proof of your return to resume payments.

Fact-Checked: All payment amounts, dates, income thresholds, quarterly adjustments, and clawback figures in this article have been verified against official Government of Canada sources, including the OAS payment amounts page, the benefits payment calendar, and the April to June 2026 quarterly rate card as of June 2026.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or tax advice. Contact Service Canada or a qualified professional for guidance on your specific situation.

Gagandeep Kaur Sekhon

Gagandeep Kaur Sekhon moved to Canada in 2010 on a study visa. She navigated through the ups and downs of her student life and gained her permanent residency in 2015. Today, she is a proud Canadian citizen residing in Calgary, Alberta. She is mother of 2 beautiful daughters and making her difference through writing and guidance at INC – Immigration News Canada.