National Pension Service

Main Contents of the Understanding on Social Security Agreement Between Korea and Quebec

History of the Agreement with Quebec

• Nov. 2015 : Signed the Agreement
• Nov. 2016 : Provided written notification to Quebec that Korea has complied with all requirements for entry into force of this Agreement
• Jun. 2017 : Received written notification to Korea that Quebec has complied with all requirements for entry into force of this Agreement
• Sep. 2017 : Entry into force of the Agreement

Applicable Legislation

• In relation to Korea,

  • the legislation concerning the National Pension

• In relation to Quebec,

  • the legislation concerning Quebec Pension Plan

Personal Scope of this Agreement

This Agreement shall apply to persons who are or have been subject to the legislation of one or both Parties and to the dependants and survivors of such persons within the meaning of the applicable legislation of that Contracting Party.

※ For more information, you may refer to the section Agreement.

Exemption from Dual Coverage

• In general, an employed person who works in the territory of one Contracting Party shall, with respect to that work, be subject only to the legislation of that Contracting Party.
• A detached person is exempt from being subject to the legislation of the party which he/she is sent to for no more than 5 years if he/she is covered under the legislation of his/her home country.

  ⇒ Based on the mutual agreement between the two countries, those periods can be extended.

※ For more information, you may refer to the section Agreement or Guide for Exemption Application

[ Applicable legislation under the Agreement ]

Benefits under this Agreement

Even though your periods of coverage in one country are not sufficient to qualify for pension benefits, you may be eligible for benefits after this Agreement has entered into force. This is possible due to totalizing the coverage of both countries.

• Korean National Pension Benefits under the Social Security Agreement

  • If you do not have enough periods of coverage to qualify for pension benefits under the Korean national pension program, you may be able to qualify for Korean national pension benefits by totalizing periods of coverage under the Korean and Quebec pension systems. However, these periods creditable under the Quebec pension system, must not coincide with those under the legislation of Korea.
  • Your benefit is calculated by dividing the Korean periods of coverage by the total periods of coverage and then multiplying by the benefits amount (theoretical benefit). The benefits amount (theoretical benefit) is calculated based on the total periods in both countries.

• Quebec Pension Benefits under the Social Security Agreement

  • If you do not have enough periods of coverage to qualify for pension benefits under the Quebec pension system, you may be able to qualify for Quebec pension benefits by totalizing periods of coverage under the Korean and Quebec pension systems. However, these periods creditable under the Korean national pension program, must not coincide with those under the legislation of Quebec.
• A person who resides in the territory of a Contracting Party shall receive equal treatment with nationals of that Contracting Party in the application of its legislation regarding entitlement to or payment of benefits.
• Korean lump-sum refunds are granted to Quebecers(Canadian nationals) based on the Agreement.

※ For more information, you may refer to the section either Agreement or Guide for Benefits Application.

Agencies of this Agreement

• Korea

  • National Pension Service (NPS)

• Quebec

  • Retraite Quebec : www.retraitequebec.gouv.qc.ca

Guide for Exemption Application under the Agreement between Korea and Quebec

How to be exempted from Quebec Pension Contributions

If you are mandatorily covered by the Korean legislation and detached to Quebec for temporary work, you can be exempt from Quebec pension contributions, provided that you obtain "a Certificate of Coverage under the Understanding on Social Security" from the National Pension Service of Korea.

1. A request for a Korean Certificate of Coverage

   If you are an employee, your employer in Korea must request a Korean Certificate of Coverage.

   If you are self-employed, you yourself must request a Korean Certificate of Coverage.

   • Who requires a Korean Certificate of Coverage?

     • An employee who is sent to work in Quebec for a certain period of time (no more than 5 years) by an employer in Korea.
     • An employee specified in ① who is granted an extension of the detached period on condition of mutual agreement between the two countries.
     • A person who is self-employed in Quebec or in both Contracting Parties residing in Korea.
     • A person who is employed in one Contracting Party and self-employed in the other Contracting Party residing in Korea.

   • How to request a Korean Certificate of Coverage?

     The employer must request a Korean Certificate of Coverage by visiting the National Pension Service of Korea with the required documents or sending the required documents to the National Pension Service of Korea by mail, fax or EDI.

     • National Pension Service, Center for International Affairs, 6th Floor, Kukmin-Yeonkum Building, 180, Giji-ro, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju-si, Jeonbuk-do, 54870, Korea
     • Fax (063)900-3404

   • Required Documents

     • When you request the Certificate, you must submit an "Application for Certificate of Coverage under the Understanding on Social Security between Korea and Quebec" and documents to confirm the employee's detachment such as a detachment order and coverage of the unemployment insurance.
     • An"Application for Certificate of Coverage under the Understanding on Social Security between Korea and Quebec" form is available on our web-site -> Social Security Agreement -> Forms. You can also obtain this document by contacting NPS' Center for International Affairs and regional offices.

2. Submission of the Certificate of Coverage to Quebec pension agency

   An employer who is responsible for paying pension contributions is exempt from paying pension contributions for the period specified on a Korean Certificate of Coverage under the Understanding on Social Security by submitting the certificate to the Retraite Quebec.

   If a contributor has already paid contributions for the previous exemption period, within a certain period, he/she is able to request a refund according to the internal procedure. However, in some cases, there could be limitations on the period regarding retroactive exemptions, so we recommend that you request the exemption in time.

How to be exempted from Korean National Pension Scheme

If you are mandatorily covered by the Quebec social security system and temporarily work in Korea, you can be exempted from the Korean National Pension Scheme, provided that you get "a Certificate of Coverage under the Understanding on Social Security" from the Retraite Quebec and submit it to the Korean National Pension Service.

1. A Request for a Certificate of Coverage of Quebec

   If you are an employee, your employer in Quebec must request a Certificate of Coverage of Quebec.

   • Who requires a Certificate of Coverage of Quebec?

     • An employee who is sent to work in Korea for a certain period of time (no more than 5 years) by an employer in Quebec.
     • An employee specified in ① who is granted an extension of the detached period on condition of mutual agreement between the two countries.
     • A person who is self-employed in Korea or in both Contracting Parties residing in Quebec.
     • A person who is employed in one Contracting Party and self-employed in the other Contracting Party residing in Quebec.

   • How to request a Certificate of Coverage of Quebec?

     You must request a Certificate of Coverage from the Retraite Quebec with the required documents according to its internal regulations.

   • Issuing competent institution of a Certificate of Coverage of Quebec

     • Retraite Quebec (www.retraitequebec.gouv.qc.ca)

2. Submission of the Certificate of Coverage to the Korean National Pension Service

   • The following must be submitted by your employer if you are an employee or by you personally if you are self-employed; an "application of exemption" as well as an original copy of "Certificate of Coverage of Quebec under the Understanding on Social Security", and a copy of your identification to the Center for International Affairs or the regional office by visiting or by sending a registered letter (Because an original copy must be submitted, a facsimile will not be accepted).
   • If you submit a "Certificate of Coverage of Quebec under the Understanding on Social Security", you are exempt from Coverage under the Korean legislation for the period shown on the same certificate. If you have already paid contributions before you submit your certificate, the amount of the contributions already paid can be transferred to your due contributions or refunded. However, in accordance with the regulations of the Korean National Pension Act, the right to request a refund of mistaken payments of contributions is valid only up to 5 years from the day following the processing of a qualification change.

※ Information here on our web-site is a general guide. You can get more information about the exemption of coverage from the Center for International Affairs of the NPS or from any regional office of the NPS.

Application for Korean Benefits under the Agreement

If you have periods of coverage in Korea and Quebec but don't have enough periods of coverage under the Korean pension system to qualify for Korean old-age pension benefits (pensionable age), you may be able to qualify for Korean benefits by totalizing Korean and Quebec periods of coverage.

Old-age Pension

1. Eligible Persons

   If you meet the following conditions for the benefits by totaling Korean national pension periods of coverage and Quebec periods of coverage, you may be able to apply for the Korean old-age pension under the Social Security Agreement.

   Old-age Pension

   Type	Totalized period of Coverage	Pensionable age	Others
   Old-age Pension	10 years or more	Between age 61-65 (depending on the year of birth)	Between eligible age and 5 years, income should be less than certain amount. * If income is more than certain amount, payment will be reduced.
   Early Old-age Pension	10 years or more	Between age 56-60 (depending on the year of birth)	Between eligible age and 5 years, income should be less than certain amount. * If income is more than certain amount, payment will be suspended.

   ※ The Korean national pension is gradually rising to age 65 by 2034

2. Filling out the Application Form and Required Documents

   If you want to apply for an old-age pension, you must fill out A (General information), B (Application for an Old-age Pension), G (Method of Payment of Benefit), I (To be signed by the applicant) on the "Application for Korean Benefits" under the Understanding on Social Security and submit it with the following required documents.

   Required documents

   • Your ID, such as an Alien Registration Card, together with your passport or your Resident Registration Card

   • A copy of your Korean bank account information

     ※ If you prefer an overseas remittance, you must fill out the Overseas Remittance section G (Method of Payment of Benefit) and submit a copy of your foreign bank account information.

   • If you have any dependents supported by you,

     • Documents to confirm your family relations: a family relations certificate (a copy of Household Resident Register), Certificate of Marital Relations, a copy of the registration of Korean National Residing Abroad, Verification of Residence, etc.
     • Documents to confirm special reasons for living separately : a remittance payment of the financial institution
     • Documents to confirm your disability: a medical report of disability under the Agreement (a Quebec medical report is acceptable)

Divided Pension

1. Eligible Persons

   If you had lived with your ex-spouse for 5 years or more while your spouse was paying contributions, and your spouse is a beneficiary of old-age pension under the Agreement, you may apply for a divided pension if you meet all of the following conditions for the benefits.

   Required Conditions for Divided Pension

   • If you had lived with your ex-spouse for 5 years or more while your spouse was paying contributions;
   • When you divorce an old-age pensioner;
   • When your ex-spouse acquires old-age pension entitlement; and
   • When you reach eligible age for pension.

2. Filling out the Application Form and Required Documents

   If you want to apply for a divided pension, you must fill out A (General information), C (Application for a Divided Pension), G (Method of Payment of Benefit), I (To be signed by the applicant) on the "Application for Korean Benefits" under the Agreement and submit it with the following required documents.

   Required documents

   • Your ID, such as an Alien Registration Card, together with your passport or your Resident Registration Card
   • A copy of your Korean bank account information

     ※ If you prefer an overseas remittance, you must fill out the Overseas Remittance section G (Method of Payment of Benefit) and submit a copy of your foreign bank account information.

   • If you are a Korean national: documents to confirm your divorce such as a Family Relations Certificate (Certificate of Marital Relations), etc.
   • If you are a foreign national or a Korean national living overseas: documents to confirm the periods of marriage and occurrence of divorce such as a certificate of marriage, a certificate of residence report of overseas Korean nationals, or a confirmation of residence.

Disability Pension

1. Eligible Persons

   If you have periods of coverage in Korea and become disabled physically or mentally, you may apply for the Korean disability pension under the Agreement on condition of the first medical examination date and payment of contributions below.

   Required Conditions for Divided Pension

   • (Condition of the first medical examination date)

     The first medical examination date should fall on between the 18th birthday and the day before eligible date for old-age pension.

     • If the first medical examination happens while emigrating, losing Korean nationality, or foreigners staying outside Korea, they will not be eligible.
     • Periods for coverage of Government Employee Pension, Military Pension, Teachers Pension, Special Post Office Pension will be excluded.
     • Periods after eligible date for early old-age pension will be excluded.
   • (Condition of payment of contributions)

     The totalized periods between Korea and Quebec should meet one of the following conditions.

     • The insured period is over 1/3 of the insurable period.

       ※ Insurable period means the period between the following month of the 18th birthday and the preceding month of the first medical examination date.

     • The insured period is over 3 years of the period, from 5 years prior to the first medical examination date to the preceding month of the first medical examination date.

       ※ If unpaid period is over 3 years among insured period, the period will be excluded.

     • Insured period is over 10 years.

2. Filling out the Application Form and Required Documents

   If you wish to apply for a disability pension, you must fill out A (General information), D (Application for a Disability Pension), G (Method of Payment of Benefit), I (To be signed by the applicant) on the "Application for Korean Benefits" and submit it with the following required documents.

   Required documents

   • Your ID, such as an Alien Registration Card, together with your passport or your Resident Registration Card

   • If you have any dependents supported by you,

     • Documents to confirm your family relations: a Family Relations Certificate (a copy of Household Resident Register), a copy of the Registration of Korean National Residing Abroad, verification of residence, verification of de facto marriage status, etc.
     • Documents to confirm special reasons for living separately : a remittance payment of the financial institution
     • Documents to confirm your disability: a medical report of disability under the Agreement (a Quebec medical report is acceptable)

   • Documents to verify your history of disability

     • Documents sent by the Quebec institution in relation to your disability (Medical report of disability, X-ray, CT or MRI film, etc.)
     • A Medical report that verifies disability (This form was established under the social security agreement between Korea and Quebec.)

   • If the accident occurred while you were working

     • documents to confirm whether you are eligible for compensation under the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act, the Labor Standard Act or the Seamen Law

   • If you receive compensation from a person who caused you harm

     • the decision of the court or a copy of the settlement reached with the person who caused your disability.

   • A copy of your Korean bank account information

     • If you prefer an overseas remittance, you must fill out the Overseas Remittance section D (Method of Payment of Benefit) and submit a copy of your foreign bank account information.

Survivor Pension

1. Eligible Persons

   A surviving dependent of the person who meets the following conditions on the day of death can apply for a survivor pension.

   Required Conditions for Survivor Pension

   • When a person with insured periods of 10 years or more dies.
   • When a person who is a beneficiary of the old-age pension or the disability pension with 1st or 2nd degree of disability under the Agreement dies.
   • When a person who meets the conditions of ① and ② dies.
     • (Condition of payment of contributions)

       The totalized periods on the date of death between Korea and Quebec should meet one of the following conditions.

       • The insured period is over 1/3 of the insurable period.

         ※ Insurable period means the period between the following month of the 18th birthday and the preceding month of the first medical examination date.

       • Insured period is over 3 years during 5 years from the date of death.

         ※ If the unpaid period is over 3 years among insured period, the person will not be eligible.

     • (Condition of the date of death)

       The person who meets the condition of ① and does not correspond with either of the following conditions

       • The insured period is over 1/3 of the insurable period.

         If the death happens while emigrating, losing Korean nationality, or to foreigners staying outside Korea; or

       • Insured period is over 3 years during 5 years from the date of death.

         If the death happens during the coverage of Government Employee Pension, Military Pension, Teachers Pension, Special Post Office Pension.

2. Filling out the Application Form and Required Documents

   If a person wants to apply for a Survivor Pension, he/she must fill out A (General information), E (Application for a Survivor Pension), G (Method of Payment of Benefit), I (To be signed by the applicant) on the "Application for Korean Benefits" under the Social Security Agreement and submit it with the following required documents.

   Required documents

   • Your ID, such as an Alien Registration Card, together with your passport or your Resident Registration Card

   • Documents to confirm the beneficiary's death

     • a Family Census Register, a medical report of death, a confirmation of the corpse, a certificate of death
   • Documents to verify your family relations: a Family Relations Certificate, a Certificate of Marital Relations, a copy of the Registration of Korean National Residing Abroad, Verification of Residence, Verification of de facto marriage status, etc.
   • Documents to confirm disability: a medical report of disability under the Agreement (a Quebec medical report is acceptable)

   • If the accident occurred while working

     • documents which verify whether you are eligible for compensation under the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act, the Labor Standard Act or the Seamen Law

   • If you receive compensation from a person who caused you harm

     • the decision of the court or a copy of the settlement reached with the person who caused your disability.

   • A copy of your Korean bank account information

     ※ If you prefer an overseas remittance, you must fill out the Overseas Remittance section G (Method of Payment of Benefit) and submit a copy of your foreign bank account information.

Lump-sum refund

1. Eligible Persons

   If you are a Quebecers(Canadian nationals) and meet the following conditions, you may apply for a Lump-sum refund under the Agreement. However, once you have received a Lump-sum refund, your concerned insured periods are not totalized for the Korean National Pension system or the Quebec pension system. Therefore it may be advantageous for you to apply for a Pension instead of the Lump-sum refund.

   following persons are entitled to the payment of benefits

   • A Quebecers(Canadian nationals) with less than 10 years of totalized insured periods under the Quebec and Korean pension systems who reaches 60 years of age (only when this person is not entitled to the Old-age Pension)
   • A Quebecers(Canadian nationals) who loses his/her Insured status under the Korean National Pension and returns or plans to return to Quebec
   • A surviving dependent of the Quebec insurer who died with totalized insured periods less than 10 years under the Quebec and Korean pension systems (only when this surviving dependent is not entitled to the Survivor Pension)
   • A surviving dependent of the Quebec insurer who died with more than 10 years of insured periods under the Quebec and Korean pension systems, but only when this person is not eligible for the Survivor Pension due to the non-payment of contributions.

2. Filling out the Application Form and Required Documents

   If you wants to apply for a Lump-sum refund, you must fill out Part A (General Information), Part F (Application for a Lump-sum refund), Part I (To be signed by the applicant) on the "Application for Korean Benefits" and submit it with the following required documents.

   Required documents

   • Your ID, such as an Alien Registration Card, together with your passport or your Resident Registration Card

   • A copy of your Korean bank account information

     ※ If you want overseas remittance, you must fill out the Overseas Remittance section Part G (Method of Payment of Benefit) and submit a certificate of your foreign bank account information.

   • When you apply because you are leaving Korea
     • before leaving Korea: a copy of air ticket
     • after leaving Korea: a copy of your passport (the part which shows the immigration exit stamp dated after you discontinued your Korean insured status)

   • When a survivor applies because of death

     • Documents to verify your family relations: a copy of your family register, a copy of the Registration of Korean Nationals Residing Abroad, a Verification for Residence, a Verification for the marriage in effect, etc.
     • Documents to confirm your dependence status: a Certificate of Studentship, a Certificate of Holding Office, a Certificate of Medical Care, a copy of Certificate of Business Registration, a copy of Building Registration Certificate, documents to confirm special reasons for living separately, a remittance statement of the financial institution (communications and portal services), etc.
     • Documents to confirm disability: a medical report for disability (including a Hungarian medical report)

Application for Quebec Benefits under the Agreement

1. Eligible Persons

   If you are eligible for the Quebec pension by totalizing the periods of coverage under the Korean and the Quebec pension systems, you are able to apply for Quebec benefits. (However, conditions of benefits vary depending on the type of benefits.)

2. Filling out and Submitting the Application Form

   A claimant can apply for Quebec pension benefits by contacting the Korean National Pension Service or through the following competent institution of Quebec.

   • Retraite Quebec (www.retraitequebec.gouv.qc.ca)

※ Information on our web-site is a general guide. You can obtain detailed information from the relevant competent institutions in Quebec.