Ottawa seems to believe that Canadians living in Taiwan are not entitled to the same benefits available to Canadians in 60 other nations. Among the 60,000 Canadians in Taiwan, those hitting retirement find out that Canada has not signed a social security agreement (SSA) with Taiwan.
Canadians in SSA partner nations can typically qualify for Old Age Security (OAS). The monthly OAS payout for Canadians aged 60 or older can reach NT$26,000 — providing a safety net and enhancing quality of life.
To be eligible for OAS, people in Canada need 10 years beyond age 18 as Canadian citizens, while the requirement rises to 20 years for those outside of Canada.
People in most SSA partner nations who have less than 20 years as Canadian citizens can count local residency as “Canada time” to fulfill the 20-year requirement and qualify for OAS.
A Filipino who has, for example, 11 years in Canada beyond age 18 as a citizen and returns to the Philippines — an SSA partner nation — could fulfill the 20-year “Canada time” requirement by counting nine years of residency there.
However, this option is unavailable to Canadians living in Taiwan. If a Canadian has, for example, 19 years of residency beyond age 18 in Canada, they are simply out of luck in qualifying for OAS if they imigrate to Taiwan.
If Taiwan and Canada signed an SSA, retirees who emigrated from Taiwan to Canada could also qualify for OAS, as they could count residency in Taiwan toward the 10-year “Canada time” requirement there.
Ask Ottawa — as I have been doing since 2008 — why it cannot make Taiwan an SSA partner nation, and it will likely say that its “one China” policy prevents it from entering into legally binding accords with Taiwan.
However, Dominique La Salle, who was director general of Seniors and Pensions Policy in Employment and Social Development Canada from 2007 to 2014, while acknowledging this situation, said that Canada could enter into “non-binding, strictly administrative arrangements or memoranda of understanding to help guide unofficial cooperation.”
“This approach has been utilized in a wide variety of areas, including air and postal services, science and technology research, financial supervision and youth mobility,” he wrote. “Any such arrangement would be entered into between the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Canada and the Canadian Trade Office in Taipei.”
“Other countries may also, and frequently do, approach Canada regarding negotiating social security agreements,” La Salle added.
It is shocking that Taiwan’s Canada desk at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had no idea that there was such a thing as a bilateral SSA. Taiwan should look at how other countries are addressing social security for their overseas citizens and prioritize signing an agreement with Canada — perhaps a standing committee could be set up to focus on achieving this.
Taiwan should take La Salle’s advice and approach Canada regarding a bilateral agreement. Taiwan should take the initiative and propose negotiating an SSA. A collaborative effort of Taiwan’s representative offices across Canada, academics, politicians and friendship groups could smooth out the “complexities” to persuade Canada that what is good for Taiwanese is also good for Canadians.
Canadians in Taiwan wishing to check the status of their OAS and Canada Pension Plan can call 1-613-957-1954 anytime. Callers should have their social insurance number handy and be forewarned that wait times can stretch to almost an hour.
Happy Dominion of Canada Day.
Curtis Smith is founder of the Union of TAITRA Workers.
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