An MRE who has lived and worked in Canada and contributed in Morocco can combine federal Old Age Security (OAS/SV), the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) or the Quebec Pension Plan (QPP/RRQ), and the Moroccan CNSS, CMR or CIMR pension. The Canada-Morocco Social Security Agreement, signed in Ottawa on 1 July 1998 and effective 1 March 2010, allows period totalization for entitlement in either country. Quebec has a separate agreement with Morocco covering the QPP. The tax convention signed on 22 December 1975 prevents double taxation. This guide details the full procedure for an MRE to claim both pensions.
Costs & fees
| CPP or QPP contribution record | Free | Via My Service Canada Account or My Account Retraite Quebec |
| CNSS Morocco contribution statement | Free | Via cnss.ma online portal |
| CPP or QPP voluntary contributions | Not available after permanent departure | CPP QPP requires Canadian residency and activity |
| Specialist expat retirement advisor (optional) | CAD 150-400 | Full OAS + CPP QPP + Morocco audit |
| Cross-border pension transfer fees | CAD 0-20 per transfer | Service Canada pays in CAD or local currency |
Timeline
Get your OAS, CPP or QPP statements and the CNSS record
Start by downloading your Canadian statements. For CPP, use My Service Canada Account (canada.ca) with GCKey or bank sign-in partner. The CPP Statement of Contributions lists every year worked in Canada outside Quebec. For QPP, use retraitequebec.gouv.qc.ca with clicSEQUR. OAS residence record also appears in My Service Canada Account (years of Canadian residence after age 18). In Morocco, cnss.ma shows your contribution history. Save the statements in PDF.
💡 Tip — If you have worked in Quebec AND outside Quebec, you will have two separate records (CPP + QPP), which can be totalized together. Check both files.
⚠️ Warning — OAS is based on Canadian residence after 18, not on contributions. A year spent outside Canada does not count, except in specific cases (student abroad, work for the Canadian government).
Confirm OAS + CPP or QPP entitlement via the 2010 Agreement
The Canada-Morocco Social Security Agreement, signed in 1998 and effective 1 March 2010, allows period totalization to open entitlement. For OAS, the minimum is 10 years of Canadian residence after 18 to receive OAS in Canada, or 20 years to export the pension abroad. Totalization with Moroccan periods helps meet these thresholds. For CPP, only one year of contribution is enough to open entitlement, but the pension remains proportional to the contribution years. Same for QPP: the pension is proportional to Quebec contribution years.
💡 Tip — Tick the box I have lived or worked in another country on the OAS or CPP claim form. List your Moroccan periods.
⚠️ Warning — If you leave Canada with fewer than 20 years of residence after 18, OAS is payable only inside Canada (not exportable to Morocco). The 2010 Agreement does not change this exportability rule.
Understand OAS and the OAS recovery tax
Old Age Security (OAS) is a federal pension paid from age 65, funded by general taxation, not contributions. The maximum 2026 OAS is around CAD 720 per month for 40 years of Canadian residence after 18 (quarterly revaluation). Fewer than 40 years gives a partial pension. An OAS recovery tax applies if your income exceeds an annual threshold (around CAD 90,997 for 2025). The Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) is restricted to Canadian residents and is not exportable.
💡 Tip — Deferring OAS until 70 increases the pension by 0.6% per month, up to 36% after 5 years. Worthwhile depending on life expectancy.
⚠️ Warning — GIS is not exportable abroad. If you leave Canada permanently you lose GIS, even if you keep base OAS.
Understand CPP or QPP based on the contribution province
The Canada Pension Plan (CPP) covers all provinces except Quebec. The Quebec Pension Plan (QPP/RRQ) is run separately by Retraite Quebec. Both work on wage contributions (employer + employee) and pay a pension proportional to years of contribution and earnings. Maximum CPP 2026 around CAD 1,433 per month if claimed at 65 with a full career at ceiling. MREs can receive CPP and QPP in Morocco without restriction (contributory scheme). Deferring to 70 increases the pension by 0.7% per month (up to 42%).
💡 Tip — You can claim CPP or QPP from 60 with a reduction of 0.6% per advance month (up to 36% at 60). At 60 the pension is about 64% of the amount at 65.
⚠️ Warning — The CPP QPP calculation includes a contributory period (from 18), a drop-out provision (excluding lowest-earning years) and an averaging step. A precise simulation is essential before deciding on the retirement age.
Claim the Moroccan CNSS pension in parallel
The Moroccan CNSS pension opens from age 60, before the Canadian OAS legal age of 65. You can claim CNSS at 60 while waiting for OAS at 65 (or 70 for the deferral bonus). The CNSS claim is filed at any office in Morocco or online at cnss.ma, 4 to 6 months before the target date. For MREs with few Moroccan contributions (under 3,240 days), the 2010 Agreement allows totalization with Canadian periods. List your Canadian periods on the claim and attach your Canadian statements as evidence.
💡 Tip — If you are near the 1,320-day CNSS minimum (effective 1 May 2025), Canada-Morocco totalization can be enough to open the reduced CNSS pension.
⚠️ Warning — The CNSS uses your 8 best salary years. If you are still in Canada at 60, delaying the CNSS claim may improve the Moroccan calculation.
Allocate tax on each pension under the 1975 convention
The Canada-Morocco tax convention signed on 22 December 1975 (effective 1979) splits pension taxation. General rule: private pensions (OAS, private sector CPP, QPP, CNSS, CIMR) are taxable in the country of residence. Civil service pensions (Canadian federal government pensions for former civil servants, Moroccan CMR for former civil servants) remain taxable in the paying country. An MRE settled in Morocco therefore declares OAS and CPP or QPP only in Morocco, in his IR return. To avoid Canadian withholding at source, complete form NR5 (Application by a Non-Resident of Canada for a Reduction in the Amount of Non-Resident Tax) with the Canada Revenue Agency.
💡 Tip — Form NR5 must be filed before 1 October to reduce withholding for the following year. Otherwise the default 25% federal withholding applies to payments.
⚠️ Warning — Without NR5, OAS and CPP QPP are subject to 25% withholding at source in Canada. Regularisation is done via NR4 filing and refund, which can take 12-18 months.
In depth
Canada hosts around 100,000 people of Moroccan origin, mostly settled in Quebec (Greater Montreal) and Ontario. The Canada-Morocco Social Security Agreement signed on 1 July 1998 in Ottawa came into force on 1 March 2010 and applies to the three Canadian pillars: OAS (federal), CPP (federal outside Quebec) and QPP (Quebec). It is one of Morocco's most recent bilateral agreements, simplifying interpretation. The Canadian system combines a universal base pension (OAS), a mandatory contributory scheme (CPP or QPP), and complementary individual schemes (RRSP, RRIF, group RRSP). For an MRE who lived 25 years in Canada and contributed at the ceiling, the typical order is around CAD 450 of partial OAS (25/40), CAD 850 of CPP QPP, totalling around CAD 1,300 per month gross, with possible RRSP withdrawals on top. MREs returning to Morocco after retirement should think about timing: starting OAS before permanent departure secures its export and avoids losing GIS.
❌ Common mistakes to avoid
- ✕Assuming OAS is paid even with a short Canadian residence: at least 10 years after 18 are needed for OAS in Canada, 20 years to export to Morocco.
- ✕Overlooking the CPP QPP distinction: a worker who contributed in Quebec AND outside must file two separate claims for totalization.
- ✕Forgetting that GIS is not exportable, losing this benefit on permanent departure.
- ✕Failing to file form NR5 before 1 October and suffering 25% withholding at source on OAS and CPP QPP.
- ✕Ignoring CPP QPP drop-out provisions (low-earning years excluded) that can significantly improve the pension.
🔗 Official links and resources
Service Canada - OAS and CPP
Canadian federal scheme, OAS and CPP claims
Retraite Quebec - QPP
Quebec scheme, QPP claims
Canada Revenue Agency - NR5
Canadian tax agency, non-resident forms
CNSS Morocco - Member portal
CNSS statement and pension claim in Morocco
Cleiss - Canadian social security regime
Reference summary on the Canadian regime and the bilateral agreement
❓ Frequently asked questions
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