Do you need to apply

Pension office may send you a letter to let you know that you will receive the Old Age Security (OAS) pension when you turn 64 years old.

If you did not receive any letter about the Old Age Security pension the month after you turned 64, make sure to call pension call centre to find out if you need to apply.

Determine your OAS starting period

You’ll be asked to choose 1 of the following:

• start receiving your pension at age 65 (your pension will start the month after your 65th birthday)
• start receiving your pension at a specific date that you choose

You’ll need to find out when is the best time for you to start receiving your pension. Usually, people are encouraged to start as soon as they are qualified. However, there may be time that pensioner will delay the starting period due to personal financial situation. Please consult your financial planner to discuss your options.

Submit your application

Apply online

To be able to apply online, you must:

• be at least 1 month past your 64th birthday
• not be currently receiving an Old Age Security pension
• have not already applied for the Old Age Security pension and Service Canada is not currently assessing your application
• be currently living inside of Canada
• not have an authorized third party on your account (for example, a person acting by proxy)

If you are applying online, you’ll need a My Service Canada Account (MSCA).

If you don’t have a My Service Canada Account (MSCA), you can register for one. You’ll receive a personal access code to complete your registration.

Before you begin, please ensure you have:

• your Social Insurance Number (SIN)
• information about your spouse or common-law partner if you have one (Social Insurance Number, date of birth)
• information about where you have lived since age 18
• your banking information to sign up for direct deposit
• the date you would like your pension to start
• your reduction in employment or pension income, if applicable

Apply using a paper application

If you are applying by mail you need to:

• print and complete the paper form Application for the OAS and the GIS (ISP-3550)
• include certified true copies of the required documents
• mail the application or bring it in person to a Service Canada office

See the Reference Guide (ISP-3550A) for information on filling in your application form.

If someone is helping you with your application

You must provide consent for someone to help you with your application. You can do this 2 ways:

1. through your My Service Canada Account
   or
2. complete the Consent to Communicate Information to an Authorized Person form (ISP-1603) and mail it to us, or drop it off at a Service Canada office

This does not give the person helping you authority to:

• submit your application
• apply for benefits on your behalf
• change your payment address
• request or change the withholding of tax for you

If you need to apply or act on someone’s behalf

If someone cannot manage their own affairs, another person or agency may act on their behalf. To apply to administer benefits on someone’s behalf you need to:

• have a medical professional complete the Certificate of Incapability form (ISP-3505)
• complete one of the following forms that applies to you:
• Agreement to administer benefits under the Old Age Security Act and/or the Canada Pension Plan by a Private Trustee form (for administration by an individual)
• Agreement to administer benefits under the Old Age Security Act and/or the Canada Pension Plan by an Agency or Institution form (for administration by an agency, charitable organization or municipality)

You will need to mail, or drop it off at a Service Canada office. These forms do not give the person applying on someone’s behalf authority to submit an application through My Service Canada Account (MSCA). You must submit a paper application.

Application status

To view your application status, you can:

• log into My Service Canada Account (MSCA)
• contact pension call centre
• visit your local Service Canada centre

If you don’t have an MSCA account, you can register for one.

Decision letter

Pension office will mail you a letter with either:

• a decision on your application
• a request for more information

Your decision letter

Your letter with a decision will include:

• the amount you will receive each month
• the date for your first payment
• any past payments that may be owed to you

If you disagree with the decision

If you disagree with the decision, you may ask to have the decision reviewed. You must request this review in writing within 90 days of receiving your decision letter.

Your application will be reviewed by Service Canada staff who were not involved in making the original decision on your application.

There are 3 ways you can make a request for reconsideration:

1. submit your request online using My Service Canada Account (MSCA), or
2. complete and submit the Request for Reconsideration of an Old Age Security Decision form (ISP-3134), or
3. prepare and submit a written request to review the decision and include:
   1. your name
   2. your address
   3. your telephone number
   4. your social insurance number or client identification number
   5. a detailed explanation of why you do not agree with the decision
   6. any new information that could affect the decision
   7. your signature and the date

If you complete your request on paper

Sign and date your written request and submit it:

1. by mail to the return address on the decision letter, or
2. in person at a Service Canada office 

Reconsiderations can take several months to complete, depending on the case. Service Canada will review your application and any new information you submit in support of your request and send you a (new) decision by mail.

If you disagree with the reconsideration

If you disagree with the new decision, the next step is to contact the Social Security Tribunal to appeal.