What Happens to My Social Security If I Move to Canada from the U.S.?
When you leave the U.S. and move to a foreign country like Canada, your Social Security benefits can generally follow you. You are still eligible to receive your U.S. Social Security payments, as long as you meet certain requirements related to your work history and contributions, or through agreements like the U.S.-Canada totalization agreement. Whether you're a U.S. citizen or a foreign national who worked in the U.S., the rules allow for continued payments while living abroad. However, you should consider factors like taxation and benefit adjustments, such as the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), which may affect the amount you receive.
US Canada Totalization Agreement
The US Canada Totalization Agreement is a bilateral treaty that coordinates Social Security systems between the U.S. and Canada. It was designed to prevent workers who split their careers across both countries from paying Social Security taxes twice on the same earnings and to allow them to combine work credits from each system to qualify for benefits. Under The US Canada Totalization Agreement, most workers pay into the system of the country where they physically work, with limited exceptions for temporary assignments. If someone doesn’t meet the minimum work credits for benefits in one country—such as the U.S.’s 10-year (40-credit) rule—they can “totalize” or combine eligible work periods from both countries to become benefit-eligible. However, this agreement does not increase the amount of your benefit; it only allows credits from both countries to count toward eligibility.
At Plena Wealth Advisors, we specialize in helping U.S. expats navigate the cross-border retirement landscape. From benefit eligibility and spousal entitlements to tax strategy and compliance, we help you protect what you’ve earned — and plan with confidence.
Scenarios for Receiving Social Security if I Move to Canada
- You are a U.S. citizen who worked in the United States and are now living in Canada.
- You are a U.S. citizen who worked in the United States and are considering giving up your citizenship, now living in Canada.
- You are a Canadian or foreign citizen who worked in the United States on a visa and are now living in Canada.
- You are the spouse of an individual who worked in the United States and are now living in Canada.
In all of the above scenarios, as long as valid contributions were made to Social Security and you meet the eligibility requirements, the answer is YES! Citizenship and Canadian residency are not limiting factors to receiving Social Security benefits while living in Canada.
Can you collect both Canada Pension and U.S. Social Security?
Yes, you can collect both pensions. The benefits are coordinated under the totalization agreements between the two countries. This agreement ensures that those people who work in both countries have their benefit entitlements maximized.
U.S. Social Security for Canadian Citizens
Canadian citizens who worked in the United States may qualify for U.S. Social Security benefits—even if they retire in Canada. To be eligible, you typically need 40 credits (about 10 years of U.S. work). If you fall short, the US Canada Totalization Agreement allows you to combine work credits from both countries to meet the requirements. As long as you have at least six credits (about 1.5 years of U.S. work), you can apply Canadian work years to help qualify. This agreement does not increase your benefit amount; it only helps you qualify. Payments can be made to Canadian residents and are eligible for the pension income tax credit and can be split between spouses under Canada’s pension income splitting rules. When receiving Social Security payments in Canada, only 85% of the payment is taxable under the Canada-U.S. Tax Treaty.
Eligibility Scenario for Social Security Benefits
For example:
You are a Canadian citizen who moved to the U.S. on a work visa. You worked in the U.S. and made contributions to Social Security for five years before moving back to Canada. The time worked in the United States would provide you with 20 credits.
Once you move back to Canada, you work another 20 years before you retire. During this time, you contribute to the Canada Pension Plan (CPP). When you apply for Social Security, they will apply the time you worked in Canada, contributing to CPP, to give you the other 20 credits to qualify you for Social Security. As mentioned previously, your time contributing to CPP will not increase your Social Security pension, but it will qualify you to receive it.
How long can you be out of Canada without losing CPP?
You never lose your CPP benefits and are entitled to them regardless of if you leave Canada. Entitlement to CPP is based on years worked within Canada, so any years that Canadians spend working outside of Canada would not contribute to the CPP they are entitled to.
Getting an Estimate of Social Security Benefits
If you have not earned enough credits prior to your move to Canada, it is not possible to request an estimate of what your Social Security will be at retirement. You will need to wait until you apply for your pension at retirement.
If you have enough credits for Social Security, you should be able to obtain an estimate of your Social Security through their online calculators if you have your earnings record or have set up a MySSA account.
Social Security Benefits for Spouses
Social Security also has a benefit for spouses, which is very useful if one spouse never contributed to Social Security or would have a low benefit amount on their own record. The benefit can be up to 50 per cent of the worker’s primary insurance amount, depending on their age at retirement. Anyone whose spouse, ex-spouse, or deceased spouse was or is eligible for benefits is eligible for the spousal benefit, once they have reached the age of eligibility. Citizenship and residency do not affect the spousal benefit.
Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP)
The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) has been repealed by the Social Security Fairness Act and signed into law as of January 5, 2025. As such the WEP provision no longer applies. Previously the Windfall Elimination Provision could affect the actual amount of Social Security you receive and could reduce the size of your Social Security benefit if you receive a pension from a job in which you did not pay Social Security taxes. The WEP does not apply to spousal benefits or benefits that were received by using the Canada-U.S. totalization agreement.
How do I apply for U.S. Social Security from Canada?
You can visit or write to any U.S. Social Security office located along the U.S.-Canadian border. Alternatively, you can visit any in-person Service Canada Centre or call the toll-free number at 1-800-277-9914, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM local time, Monday to Friday.
Is a Canadian pension taxable in the U.S.?
Pensions are taxed in the jurisdiction where you are a tax resident. For U.S. persons, foreign pension income is reported on U.S. tax returns, but tax may or may not be owed depending on the tax already paid in their country of residence.
Conclusion
It is important to consider all sources of income in retirement and what that could mean long-term. Our focus for clients is long-term planning, and looking at the bigger picture, Social Security is just one of the areas we review and advise on. If you are looking for help with your investments, cross-border wealth management, or planning for retirement, please get in touch with our team!
Source: www.ssa.gov