CPP and OAS are paid on the same day each month, in the last week, and the date moves around because it is counted backward from month end rather than fixed to a number. Here is the 2027 schedule.
CPP and OAS Payment Dates 2027
- January 27 — Wednesday
- February 24 — Wednesday
- March 29 — Monday
- April 28 — Wednesday
- May 27 — Thursday
- June 28 — Monday
- July 28 — Wednesday
- August 27 — Friday
- September 27 — Monday
- October 27 — Wednesday
- November 26 — Friday
- December 29 — Wednesday
The rule: payments are issued in the final business days of the month, which in practice means the third-to-last banking day. That is why the date lands anywhere between the 24th and the 29th depending on how weekends and holidays fall.
The same date covers CPP retirement, CPP disability, CPP survivor benefits, Old Age Security, the Guaranteed Income Supplement, and the Allowance. If you receive more than one, they arrive together.
Newcomers: The Residence Requirement Nobody Explains Clearly
CPP and OAS work on completely different logic, and confusing them causes real planning mistakes.
CPP is contributory. You get out what you paid in. If you started working in Canada at 45, you have fewer contribution years than someone who started at 20, and your CPP reflects that. Nothing about residence matters — only contributions.
OAS is residence-based. You need at least 10 years of residence in Canada after age 18 to receive it at all, and 40 years to receive the full amount. Fewer than 40 years produces a proportional payment: 20 years of residence gives roughly half the full OAS.
For someone who immigrated in their forties or later, this is the number that matters. It is also why Canada’s social security agreements with other countries can be decisive — those agreements may let you count periods of residence or contribution abroad toward Canadian eligibility.
Taking CPP Early or Late
The standard age is 65, but the choice runs from 60 to 70:
- Taking it at 60 reduces the monthly amount permanently
- Taking it at 65 gives the calculated standard amount
- Deferring past 65 increases it permanently, up to age 70
The increase for waiting is meaningful, and for people still working past 65 it is often the better arithmetic. OAS can also be deferred to 70 for a higher monthly amount.
The OAS Clawback
Above an annual income threshold, OAS is partially recovered through the OAS recovery tax, and above an upper threshold it is recovered entirely. GIS is separate and income-tested each year based on your filed return.
This is another reason to file every year even in retirement — GIS is not automatic if the CRA has no current income information for you.
If a Payment Is Late
Direct deposit generally lands the same day. For cheques, allow mailing time. If nothing arrives, confirm your address and banking details with Service Canada — not the CRA, which handles benefits but not pensions.
