QPP Payment Dates & Eligibility in 2026

As with CPP, to receive QPP, you must make contributions. The base plan allows you to make contributions through your employer at a rate of 10.8%, split equally between the employer and you, the employee. Besides the base plan, there’s an additional plan with an 8% contribution rate, which is also split. 

QPP Payment Amounts

With the Quebec Pension Plan, how much you receive in your bank account through direct deposit is based on how much your annual employment income was throughout your working life and when you choose to start receiving QPP. Essentially, the employment earnings you have that are filed under QPP from your working years will affect your amount. The more you’ve earned, the more you’ll receive.

If you file for QPP at 65, you’ll receive 100% of the amount you’re entitled to. For any retirement age higher than 65, it will be more than this amount and will cap at age 72. The amount you should expect to receive as of the standard age of 65 is about 25% of your average earnings. However, if you added the additional plan, then the income replacement rate increases to 33%. Your individual rate is calculated based on several factors.

Let’s take a look at the maximum monthly amounts based on age. That said, the average amounts are different than the maximum amount. Let’s look at both. 

It’s important to keep in mind that when you begin receiving your pension at 65, the amount increases by 0.7% for each month that has passed since your birthday. This adjustment factor could mean that the amount you receive is slightly higher or lower.

QPP Eligibility

There isn’t much you need to be eligible for QPP; however, you do need to have sufficient earnings to meet the contribution requirements. Contributions are made after you turn 18 years of age and after you’ve earned $3,500 annually. Since it is a public pension, these are the only requirements. However, you do have to apply once you decide which age you want to start claiming. 

QPP Payment Dates for 2026

Since QPP is paid monthly, each payment will be received once per month. These are different from the CPP payment dates because they’re a different program administered by Revenu Québec. Here are the dates for 2026:

Other Types of QPP Benefits

When it comes to QPP, there are benefits beyond the standard pension. There are also disability, survivor, and death benefits, just like with CPP benefits. Let’s take a look at how these work. 

QPP Disability

When it comes to the QPP disability pension, there are a few different eligibility requirements that you must meet before you can get approved. These include:

• Being under the age of 65
• Having sufficiently contributed to QPP
• Not receiving a CPP payment
• Being deemed to have a severe and permanent disability ( by Retraite Quebec’s medical advisors)
• Not being eligible for an unreduced income replacement indemnity from Commissions des normes, de l’equite, de la sante et de la securite du travail.

Under the QPP disability benefits, it’s also important to consider that there are other types of benefits. There’s the standard disability benefit, but there’s also the pension for a disabled contributor’s child. This pension is paid to a disabled person’s child under 18 or dependent children who are living with a disabled person for at least a year. 

QPP Survivor Benefits

Just like CPP, QPP also offers survivors’ benefits. These benefits are offered to the families of someone deceased who contributed to QPP. Under these benefits, there are three different financial assistance options. Here’s how they work. 

Death Benefit

This benefit is meant to be paid to whoever paid the funeral costs of the deceased or the heirs. It’s a lump-sum payment of $2,500 to be paid after the application has been completed. This benefit is also only available if the deceased made sufficient contributions to QPP. 

Surviving Spouse’s Pension

If the deceased made sufficient contributions to QPP, then the surviving spouse could start receiving a basic income from QPP. However, regarding who is deemed the spouse, there are some stipulations. 

If the deceased was considered married or in a civil union and there’s no legal separation, they will receive the pension. That said, some rules change when death occurs within the first year of marriage. If they weren’t married or in a civil union, the pension is then paid to the person who is considered to be a common-law partner. 

Orphans Pension

If the deceased made sufficient contributions and had a child under 18 who is now in someone else’s care, that person could receive an orphans’ pension until the child turns 18. However, for the child to be considered their child, they would have to be their biological or adopted child. They’d also have to be living with the child for at least one year.

For this pension, the maximum monthly amount is $301.77 per child. This is considered to be a taxable income and must be claimed under the child’s income. These payments are then made on the last working day of every month, the same as QPP payments. 

Working While on QPP

In short, you can work while receiving QPP. However, you do still have to contribute to it while you are working. That is, until you are 72. After the age of 72, no more contributions will be made to QPP, and you’ll have reached your maximum pension amount. This is known as the retirement pension supplement and allows you to earn more money on your public pension. 

Contributing to QPP While Self-Employed

Unlike CPP contributions, self-employed workers in Quebec still have to make contributions to the Quebec Parental Insurance Plan and the Quebec Pension Plan. How much you pay for both of these is based on your income in the year. Due to this, you can either make these payments as part of your tax burden when you file your annual income tax return or with installment payments. 

How QPP is Different From CPP Overall

When it comes to QPP Vs. The major difference is that the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) covers all of Canada except for Quebec, and the Quebec Pension Plan (QPP) just covers Quebec. Besides that, there are minor differences, including:

• Maximum retirement pension amounts, One-time death benefit amounts
• Contribution rates
• The amount self-employed workers pay
• Your maximum pensionable earnings
• Post Retirement Benefit Vs. Retirement Pension Supplement

Splitting QPP Credits After Divorce

When it comes to getting divorced in Quebec, your earnings are automatically divided. This means that they’re added together, and your contributions are split 50/50. This is known as pension credit splitting in divorce. This will influence the maximum monthly payments and your QPP taxable income on your federal income tax return. 

Is QPP Retirement Income Taxable?

During the QPP application process, when applying for QPP, it’s important to note that your QPP retirement income is taxable. Suppose you live in other parts of Canada and receive CPP retirement payments from the Canada Revenue Agency. Once you start collecting CPP or QPP, your payments will start automatically, and the exact amount you receive will be after taxes. 

What if You Moved Between Quebec and Canada?

When you’re moving between provinces, as long as you’re a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, pension payments will stay the same. This means that if you have a Service Canada Account and move to Quebec, you’ll continue to receive CPP benefits. To qualify, all you need to do is make at least one contribution, and additional contributions will just increase your earnings history and your credits received. If you work abroad, 

The Penalty for Early QPP at 60

For new recipients, whether they fill out a paper application or an online Retraite Quebec application, you’re going to have to wait a few business days or longer to get a response. If you apply at the age of 60, then you’re going to notice that your payments are permanently reduced, on top of your tax considerations. This is known as an early-retirement penalty under QPP flexible retirement. 

Final Thoughts

In Canada, there are a few public pensions, including CPP/QPP, Old Age Security and even the Guaranteed Income Supplement. Each of these pension plans is meant to supplement your retirement income, not be your whole retirement income. They can be paid along with any retirement savings, personal savings, and employment pensions that you have. 

Throughout Canada, you can qualify for the Canada Pension Plan. However, in Quebec, the public pension is separate and known as the Quebec Pension Plan. This pension plan offers retirement income that can start at age 60 or as late as age 72 for both employed and self-employed people. You can choose to collect this at any time; however, your payments will be affected based on age. No matter when you choose to claim, though, you’ll still receive some payment as long as you meet the requirements.