Old Age Security for October 2025 goes out soon and payments are getting a boost
It's the second increase of the year! 💸
Canada's OAS payments for October 2025 go out soon, and payments have increased for the second time this year.
Heads up, Canada! October brings another round of financial support for Canadian seniors, with boosted Old Age Security payments scheduled to arrive in bank accounts across the country next week.
Administered by Service Canada, these government payments are a cornerstone of Canada's retirement income system, providing monthly assistance to seniors aged 65 and older. The OAS payment dates maintain a predictable schedule throughout the year, typically arriving during the final week of each month for millions of eligible recipients.
Beyond the base pension, the Old Age Security program encompasses additional benefits including the Guaranteed Income Supplement and special allowances for qualifying individuals.
And good news — the current payment rates reflect an adjustment this month, with OAS benefits increasing by 0.7% for the October to December 2025 quarter. This marks a 1.7% increase over the past year, helping benefits keep pace with the rising cost of living.
Whether you're already expecting an Old Age Security October 2025 payment or approaching eligibility, here's what to know about the OAS rate increases for October, payment dates and eligibility requirements to help you plan your retirement finances effectively.
What is Old Age Security in Canada?
Old Age Security is Canada's largest federal pension program, delivering monthly payments to qualifying seniors regardless of their employment history or retirement savings. OAS operates independently from the Canada Pension Plan, and unlike that program, there's no contribution requirement from recipients during their working years.
Service Canada typically enrols eligible individuals automatically, sending notification letters before their first OAS payment begins.
The program also extends beyond the basic pension to include supplementary benefits for lower-income retirees. Eligible Canadians may receive additional monthly amounts through the Guaranteed Income Supplement or specialized allowances, all delivered together with regular OAS deposits.
Who is eligible for Old Age Security in Canada?
Old Age Security eligibility centres on age, residency and legal status rather than employment contributions. To qualify for government payments through OAS, you must be 65 or older, hold Canadian citizenship or legal resident status and meet specific residence requirements.
The current benefit year bases payments on your income from 2024. To receive an OAS payment in October 2025, you must:
- Be 65 or older
- Be a Canadian citizen or legal resident when approved
- Have a minimum of 10 years of Canadian residence after age 18
- Have a 2024 net world income below $148,451 (ages 65-74) or $154,196 (age 75+)
Canadians residing abroad can still receive OAS payments if they were citizens or legal residents when leaving Canada and accumulated at least 20 years of adult Canadian residence before departure.
Who is eligible for GIS or an Allowance?
The Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) provides extra monthly support for OAS recipients with lower incomes. Additional programs like the Allowance and Allowance for the Survivor help bridge the gap for younger spouses and widowed Canadians before they reach OAS eligibility age. If you're eligible for multiple OAS-linked programs, Service Canada wraps the payments together into one single deposit.
Income thresholds for these add-ons have been increased as of the October 2025 adjustment, so you could be newly eligible or receive a larger payment this month, even if your situation hasn't changed.
The Guaranteed Income Supplement supports OAS recipients living in Canada with low annual incomes. Eligibility depends on your marital status and household income — and Old Age Security payments are excluded from the income calculation.
Here are the latest GIS income thresholds, as of October 2025:
- Single, widowed or divorced: under $22,440
- Spouse/partner also receives full OAS: combined income under $29,616
- Spouse/partner receives the Allowance: combined income under $41,472
- Spouse/partner doesn't receive OAS or Allowance: combined income under $53,808
The Allowance assists individuals aged 60 to 64 whose spouse or common-law partner receives GIS. You must be a Canadian citizen or legal resident, currently live in Canada, have 10+ years of Canadian residence since age 18, and have a combined household income below $41,472.
The Allowance for the Survivor supports widowed individuals aged 60 to 64 who haven't remarried or entered new common-law relationships. Personal income must now fall below $30,216, with the same Canadian residency requirements as the regular Allowance.
More about GIS, the Allowance and the Allowance for the Survivor
How to apply for Old Age Security
Service Canada streamlines OAS enrolment through automatic registration for many eligible Canadians. After turning 64, qualifying individuals typically receive a letter confirming their eligibility and asking when they'd like payments to begin. The same automatic process applies for the Guaranteed Income Supplement, when applicable.
OAS payments can start the month after your 65th birthday, or you can defer them up to age 70. Delaying your start date increases your monthly benefit permanently, with each month of deferral adding 0.6% to your eventual payment amount (or 7.2% per year).
For the Allowance or Allowance for the Survivor, applications require manual submission since these benefits aren't automatically assigned. You can submit your application up to 11 months before turning 60, or anytime between ages 60 and 64.
If you aren't enrolled automatically or you need to apply manually, you have two main options:
- Online: Complete the application through your My Service Canada Account. Make sure you have all your information and documents ready as progress can't be saved.
- By mail or in person: Download the forms for OAS and GIS or the Allowance. Submit certified document copies by mail or in person at a Service Canada office.
How much is OAS in Canada?
Old Age Security October 2025 payment amounts vary based on age, income and living situation. The program reviews rates four times a year — in January, April, July and October — to help benefits keep up with inflation. While payments don't necessarily increase every time they're reviewed, rates did just go up by 0.7% in the October review.
Here are the new maximum monthly OAS payment amounts as of October 2025:
- OAS pension: Up to $740.09 for ages 65-74. Seniors 75 and older get $814.10 thanks to an automatic 10% boost that kicks in the month after turning 75.
- Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS): Maximum $1,105.43 for single seniors or those whose partner doesn't get OAS or the Allowance. If your partner receives OAS or the Allowance, the maximum is $665.41.
- Allowance: Up to $1,405.50 each month.
- Allowance for the Survivor: Up to $1,675.45 monthly.
Keep in mind these are the maximum amounts — what you actually get depends on your income and other factors. You need 40 years of Canadian residence after age 18 for the full amount. If you've lived here between 10 and 39 years, you'll get a partial payment.
To figure out what you might get, Service Canada offers an online OAS calculator covering all program components.
Is Old Age Security taxable?
OAS payments constitute taxable income in Canada, requiring inclusion on your annual tax return. However, Service Canada doesn't automatically withhold income tax from monthly deposits unless you specifically request it.
Without voluntary tax withholding, OAS payments arrive in full, potentially creating tax obligations at filing time. To avoid surprises, you can arrange tax deductions through your My Service Canada Account or by submitting a paper request form.
Higher-income seniors face additional considerations through the OAS recovery tax, commonly called the clawback. For 2025, this affects recipients with net annual incomes above $90,997. The Canada Revenue Agency may require quarterly tax payments if your income triggers significant clawback amounts.
Service Canada should send you tax forms annually — as T4A(OAS) slips for Canadian residents or NR4 slips for those living abroad — detailing your OAS payments and any tax withheld during the year.
OAS payment dates 2025
The next OAS payment arrives on Thursday, October 29, maintaining the program's consistent schedule of distributing government payments during the final week of each month.
If you're signed up for direct deposit, your payment should land straight into your bank account — no extra steps required. If you're getting cheques instead, you might see it arrive in the mail ahead of time, but make sure you check the date before bringing it to the bank as OAS cheques typically arrive post-dated.
Following October's deposit, the remaining OAS payment dates for 2025 are:
- Wednesday, November 26
- Monday, December 22
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