What is the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS)?

✓ Verified answer Written from official pages, with checked citations and a verification date.

General information, not financial advice. The Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) is a non-taxable monthly payment you may get if you are 65 or older. It is offered to low-income people who receive the Old Age Security (OAS) pension: to qualify, you must also be eligible for OAS. The amount depends on your marital status and your previous year's income (or the couple's combined income). In most cases, Service Canada enrols you automatically; otherwise, you may have to apply.

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Key facts

Definition: Non-taxable monthly payment for people aged 65 or older who receive the OAS pension and have a low income.
Conditions: 65 or older, OAS pension, living in Canada, no sponsorship agreement, annual income below the threshold for your situation.
How you receive it: Automatic enrolment in most cases (letter from Service Canada), otherwise apply online (My Service Canada Account) or by mail. Paid every month with the OAS pension, by direct deposit or cheque.
Review: Every year based on your federal tax return, to be filed before April 30.
Amounts and thresholds: Indexed in January, April, July and October: see the official page (not reproduced here).
Spouse aged 60 to 64: If you qualify for the GIS, your spouse or common-law partner may receive the Allowance if they are aged 60 to 64 and meet the other conditions.

Your procedure, step by step

Start the official procedure Official page: Guaranteed Income Supplement (Service Canada) (opens in a new tab)https://www.canada.ca/fr/services/prestations/pensionspubliques/securite-vieillesse/supplement-revenu-garanti.html

Check the basic GIS conditions: be 65 or older, receive the OAS pension, live in Canada, have no sponsorship agreement and have an annual income below the threshold that matches your situation (thresholds are on the official page).
If you are sponsored (sponsorship agreement), know that you cannot receive the GIS for the whole length of the agreement; the official page provides a few exceptions (for example if your sponsor has died).
Wait for your enrolment letter. If Service Canada has enough information, you receive a letter shortly after your 64th birthday confirming your OAS enrolment and saying that it will try to enrol you automatically in the GIS. If you are not enrolled automatically, a letter invites you to apply.
If more than a month has passed since your 64th birthday and you have not received a letter, contact Service Canada to find out whether you need to apply. You must also apply if you applied for OAS but never for the GIS.
To apply: online with your My Service Canada Account, or by mail with the OAS and GIS application form (or the GIS-only form if you already receive OAS).
Once enrolled, your GIS is added to your OAS pension in a single monthly payment. It is reviewed every year using your federal tax return: file it before April 30 to avoid an interruption in payments.
Contact Service Canada if your situation changes (address, marriage, common-law union, separation, death, income) or if you leave Canada for more than 6 months, to avoid an overpayment.
For the current maximum amounts and income thresholds, see the official page: they are reviewed every quarter for the cost of living.

Your progress is kept on this device only: nothing is sent to Demande au Québec. Some steps only apply in certain situations: skip the ones that do not concern you.

General information drawn from official sources. It does not replace legal, medical or financial advice. For your situation, contact the organization concerned or a professional.

Sources

Supplément de revenu garanti (Service Canada (Emploi et Développement social Canada))
Supplément de revenu garanti : Êtes-vous admissible (Service Canada (Emploi et Développement social Canada))
Supplément de revenu garanti : Présenter une demande (Service Canada (Emploi et Développement social Canada))
Supplément de revenu garanti : Combien vous pourriez recevoir (Service Canada (Emploi et Développement social Canada))
Supplément de revenu garanti : Recevoir votre prestation (Service Canada (Emploi et Développement social Canada))

Checked on October 6, 2026. Rules, deadlines and fees can change: always confirm on the official page above. Demande au Québec is an independent website, not a government site.

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