Canadian Reciprocal Agreement

The Reciprocal Agreement between the Governments of Canada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines was established by SR & 0 #28 of 1998. This agreement allows persons who have resided or worked both in Canada and in St. Vincent & the Grenadines to qualify for pensions from either or both countries.

The laws of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the laws of Canada require that a person completes a minimum period of residence or contributions before becoming entitled to a pension. Persons who have spent part of their lives in Canada and part in St. Vincent and the Grenadines may not have completed periods of sufficient length to qualify for a pension. Under the Reciprocal Agreement, arrangements are made for the pooling of the periods under the Social Security/National Insurance programme of Canada/St. Vincent and the Grenadines to allow the person to receive the benefit for which he/she qualifies.

The Agreement is also designed to make sure continuity of Social Security protection for persons who may have to travel from one Country to the other in the course of their employment.

Checklist

•   Applicable Legislation
•   Totalisation
•   Available benefits
•   Export of benefits

The qualifying Conditions for Canada Retirement Pension Plan

• Persons should have contributed to Canada’s Plan since January 1966
• Have reached age 60 but have not yet reached age 65,
  1. and are no longer contributing to the Canada or Quebec Pension Plan (regardless of whether you are still contributing to the NIS in St. Vincent & Grenadines, or
  2. are still contributing to the Canada Pension Plan but have substantially ceased working. You are considered to have “substantially” ceased working if, when your pension begins, the annual rate of your earnings from employment or self-employment does not exceed the annual amount of the maximum retirement pension payable to a person whose pension begins at age 65.
• Have reached age 65 (regardless of whether you are still working).

Canada Pension Plan Disability Pension

You may qualify for a Canada Pension Plan Disability Pension if you:

• Have become disabled, and
• Have not yet reached age 65, and
• Have made contributions to the Canada Pension Plan anytime since the start of the Plan in 1966 and
• Have contributed to the Canada Pension Plan or the NIS of SVG during 4 of the 6 years immediately prior to your disablement.

Canada Pension Plan Surviving Spouse’s Pension

You may qualify for this Pension if your spouse:

• Is deceased, and
• Had made contributions to the Canada Pension Plan any time since the start of the Plan in 1966, and
• Had contributed to the Canada Pension Plan or the NIS of SVG for a minimum period.

And if you:

• Had reached age 35 at the time of your spouse’s death, or
• Had not yet reached age 35 at the time of your spouse’s death but
  1. Are disabled or
  2. Were caring for a dependent child (including an adopted child) at the time of your spouse’s death.

Surviving spouse’s pensions are payable under the same conditions to widows and widowers. Pensions are payable even if you remarry.

Canada Pension Plan Death Benefit

A single-payment death benefit may be paid to the estate of a deceased person, or, in the absence of an estate, to the person responsible for the funeral expenses, the surviving spouse or the next of kin, if the deceased person:

• Had made contributions to the Canada Pension Plan any time since the start of the Plan in 1966, and
• Had contributed to the Canada Pension Plan or NIS of SVG for a minimum period (3 to 10 years)