Who Gets the OAS April 28 Deposit and Who Doesn’t: The Complete 2026 Guide

April 28, 2026 is OAS payment day — but it’s not a universal event. There are specific eligibility rules that determine who receives the deposit, who receives a partial amount, and who might be waiting longer than expected for their first payment.

If you’re approaching 65, recently applied, or just want to confirm you’re in the right category, this is the guide to read before the end of April.

And if you’re already receiving OAS, this might also be a good time to review your banking setup — whether that’s ensuring your direct deposit is going to the right account, or exploring whether a dedicated senior-focused bank account or credit card is a better fit for managing your monthly pension income.

Many Canadian seniors are still on plans they’ve had for decades — plans that charge monthly fees that a senior account would waive entirely. It’s worth a quick look to see if you’re leaving money on the table every month.

Who Qualifies for OAS in April 2026?

The basic eligibility rules for OAS haven’t changed in 2026. To receive the April 28 deposit, you need to:

1. Be 65 years of age or older. OAS becomes available the month after your 65th birthday. If you turned 65 in March 2026, your first eligible month is April 2026.
2. Be a Canadian citizen or legal resident at the time of approval. You don’t need to be a current resident if you’ve lived in Canada for the required period, but you must have been a citizen or resident when approved.
3. Have lived in Canada for at least 10 years after age 18. This is the minimum for any OAS payment at all. For the full maximum payment, you need 40 years.
4. Have applied for OAS (unless you were enrolled automatically). Service Canada automatically enrolls some seniors based on CRA data, but not everyone. If you haven’t applied and you’re 65+, you may be missing payments.
5. Be receiving payment in Canada or a country with a social security agreement. OAS can be paid internationally in many cases, but direct deposit to a Canadian bank account is the most common setup.

💡 Pro Tip: Service Canada sends a notification letter about 3 months before your 65th birthday to let you know whether you’ll be auto-enrolled or need to apply. If you never received that letter — or can’t remember — log into MSCA or call 1-800-277-9914 to check your status.

Who Gets a Partial OAS Payment Instead of the Maximum?

Each full year of Canadian residency after age 18 adds 1/40th of the maximum to your OAS entitlement. Partial years count proportionally. If you immigrated to Canada later in life, your OAS will reflect that — but it’s not zero, and there’s a lot of misunderstanding about this.

Who Doesn’t Get the April 28 Deposit?

Several groups won’t receive the April 28 OAS deposit, for different reasons:

Those who deferred OAS voluntarily. You can delay starting your OAS up to age 70 to earn a 0.6% increase per month deferred (up to 36% more at age 70). If you deferred, you won’t receive April payments until your chosen start date.

Those under 65. OAS is not available before age 65, regardless of retirement status or health. There are no exceptions to this rule — if you’re 64, April 28 doesn’t include an OAS payment for you.

Those who haven’t applied and weren’t auto-enrolled. If you’re 65+ and haven’t received OAS yet, you may not have been auto-enrolled. In that case, you need to apply — and you can receive up to 11 months of retroactive payments.

Those who moved abroad without updating their address or banking details. If Service Canada can’t deposit to your account because the banking information is outdated, your payment will be delayed or returned.

💡 Pro Tip: If you’ve never received OAS but believe you qualify, applying now could unlock up to 11 months of backdated payments. Service Canada allows a retroactive application window — don’t leave that money unclaimed.

What About People Who Just Turned 65?

If your 65th birthday was in March 2026, you may be in the system for your first-ever OAS payment on April 28 — if you applied in time or were auto-enrolled.

Typical timelines:

1. Service Canada sends a notification letter approximately 3 months before your 65th birthday.
2. If auto-enrolled: your first payment begins the month after you turn 65, automatically.
3. If you need to apply: the application takes approximately 6–8 weeks to process.
4. If you apply late: you may receive a lump-sum retroactive payment for the months you missed (up to 11 months maximum).
5. Once approved, payments continue monthly on the last business day — for life.

Frequently Asked Questions: April 28 OAS Deposit Eligibility

Can I still receive OAS if I’m still working?

Absolutely. There’s no requirement to retire to receive OAS. If you’re 65 or older and meet the residency requirements, you’re entitled to OAS regardless of employment status. However, if you’re still working and earning over $90,997 per year, you may be subject to the OAS recovery tax, which reduces your net monthly payment. Many working seniors choose to defer OAS until 70 to avoid this and earn a higher permanent rate.

I applied for OAS but haven’t received a decision yet. Will I get April payments?

If your application is still pending, you won’t receive the April 28 deposit on schedule. However, once approved, you’ll receive retroactive payments for all months since your eligibility started (up to 11 months maximum). Contact Service Canada at 1-800-277-9914 if you applied more than 8 weeks ago and haven’t received a decision — there may be missing documentation holding up the review.

Do I get OAS if I’ve lived outside Canada for most of my life?

It depends on how many years you lived in Canada after age 18. If it’s fewer than 10 years, you generally don’t qualify for domestic OAS — but Canada has social security agreements with dozens of countries that may allow you to count foreign residence periods to meet eligibility. Contact Service Canada to discuss your specific situation if you’re an immigrant or dual-citizen senior.

What happens to OAS when someone dies in April?

OAS is paid for the month in which the recipient dies. So if someone passed away in April 2026 before the 28th, their estate is still entitled to the April payment. Service Canada should be notified of the death, and the estate will receive the final payment. The executor or administrator of the estate handles the notification process through Service Canada.

Can someone receive OAS retroactively if they were eligible years ago but never applied?

Yes, but only up to 11 months of retroactive payments. Service Canada allows a backdating window of up to 11 months from the date of application, regardless of how long you’ve been eligible. If you were eligible at 65 but are applying at 68, you’ll only receive 11 months of back payments — not three years’ worth. The earlier you apply once eligible, the better.

Is the April 28, 2026 OAS deposit date confirmed?

Yes. Service Canada publishes the full-year payment schedule in advance, and April 28 is confirmed as the April 2026 OAS payment date. This date is for Canadians receiving OAS via direct deposit. For those receiving cheques by mail, the postmark date is April 28, but delivery times vary by location — direct deposit is strongly recommended to avoid delays.

Know Where You Stand Before April 28

OAS eligibility isn’t complicated, but the details matter — especially if you’re approaching 65, recently applied, or have a non-standard residency history. The April 28 deposit is straightforward for most seniors, but catching a missed application or an eligibility gap now is far better than discovering it after a missed payment.

Log into MSCA, confirm your status, and make sure your banking details are current. That’s the whole checklist — and it takes five minutes.