Old Aged Security

[mediajunkie]

My parents were born in 1950. They landed in 2006. They turn 65 this year and know that they need to stay one more year to fulfil the residency requirement.

My sister is having a baby back home in November. They want to go home and help take care of the baby from November to April but might be cutting the trip short because my dad says he needs to stay in Canada for at least 6 months prior to receiving Old Aged Security in August 2016. I tried searching for that requirement online but I cannot find it.

My parents never worked in Canada.

Is there a requirement where you have to stay in Canada for 6 months prior to receiving old aged security? All I can find is that you must have resided in Canada (I do not know if it incudes trips overseas, but I don't think it does). If so, where is that clause?

 

[Leon]

According to http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/services/pensions/oas/pension/index.shtml they must have resided in Canada for at least 10 years before they can receive OAS.

However, if not residing in Canada, it becomes 20 years. For the govt., the definition of residing somewhere is generally at least 6 months a year and the same goes for health care in most provinces so your parents should not leave Canada for more than 6 months a year if they want to keep their OAS and health care.