Old Age Security (OAS) is a subsidy the Government of Canada pays to seniors who are age 65 and older.

As of April 2025, individual seniors with up to $93,000 of annual income receive $9,000 annually in OAS cash benefits.

Senior couples with up to $182,000 in annual income can receive $18,000 annually in OAS benefits. Because seniors can rely on pension income splitting (which isn't available to other household types), they are able to maximize their OAS subsidies.

All seniors are eligible for OAS if they are Canadian citizens or legal residents, and if they have resided in Canada for at least 10 years since the age of 18. Employment history does not determine eligibility for OAS. Seniors can still receive the subsidy if they have never worked, or if they are still working.

Unlike the Canada Pension Plan, the money seniors get from OAS is not drawn from contributions they have historically made to the program. In other words, they have not 'pre-paid' for the benefits they receive. Instead, OAS is funded out of general government tax revenues, and is paid for by today’s taxpayers.

Under Canada’s current tax system, all Canadian seniors are also automatically eligible for the Pension Income Credit, and those with incomes up to $92,000 are also eligible for the Age Credit. These credits do not benefit the lowest income seniors.