Members of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) and the Social Security System (SSS) enjoy benefits granted to them under the RP-Canada and RP-Quebec Social Security Agreement and Supplementary Agreement.
The Philippines and Canada signed a principal agreement in 1994 allowing individuals to qualify for certain benefits and pensions based on contributions to the SSS and the Canada Pension Plan, and on periods of residence in Canada under the Canada Old Age Security Act. For SSS members, the agreement took effect on 01 March 1997.
A supplementary agreement was signed on 22 October 1999 for the inclusion of GSIS members. GSIS members enjoyed the same privileges as their SSS counterparts on 01 July 2001.
Similar agreements have been signed with the Government of Quebec.
The principal and supplementary agreements aim to ease the restrictions on the payment of social security benefits abroad and assist migrants in qualifying for certain benefits based on the periods they have lived and worked in the Philippines and Canada. The agreements also eliminate the situation in which a worker may have to contribute to the social security programs of the Philippines and Canada for the same work.
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) is the designated agency that implements the agreement for Canada and the Regie des rentes du Quebec (since 03 Febuary 2003) for Quebec.
Information and assistance in applying for benefits under the agreement may be obtained from the website of HRSDC (http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/en/isp/ibfa/countries/overview/philippines.shtml) or following liaison agencies:
In Canada:
International Operations, Income Security Programs Branch,
Human Resources Development Canada
Place Vanier, 333 River Road, Tower “A”, 10th Floor, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1A 0L1
Tel. (1-613) 957-1954; Fax (1-613) 952-8901; E-mail:
Toll free numbers:
1-800-277-9914 (English); 1-800-277-9915 (French);
1-800-255-4786 (TTY/ teletypewriter users only)
In Quebec:
Service des prestations 3
Bureau des ententes de securite sociale
Regie des rentes du Quebec
1055, boulevard Rene-Levesque Est, 13e etage
Montreal, Quebec H2L 4S5
Telephone:
Montreal: (1-514) 866-7332
Toll Free in Quebec: 1-800-565-7878
Fax (1-514) 873-1811
In the Philippines:
International Affairs and Branch Expansion Division, Social Security System
East Avenue, Quezon City, Philippines
Tel. (632) 435-9878; (632) 924-7822; Fax (632) 922-3173;
E-mail:
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