How do I qualify?

You can qualify for CPP disability benefits if:

• you’re 64 years old or younger,
• you have a severe and prolonged disability, and
• you made enough pension contributions.

Severe means that your disability usually or always stops you from working or lets you earn only a small amount.

Your disability can be physical, mental, or both. It does not have to be caused by your job.

Prolonged means that your disability is likely to:

• last for a long time and you do not know how long, or
• cause your death some time in the future.

Pension contributions are what you and any of your employers paid into the CPP. The government keeps a record of all these contributions.

Rules about pension contributions

Not all CPP contributions count as contributions for CPP disability benefits. Every year, you must earn more than a minimum amount for your contributions to count.

For 2025, the minimum amount you must earn is $7,100.

To qualify for CPP disability benefits, you must have made more than the minimum amount and have contributed for:

• 4 of the last 6 years, or
• 3 of the last 6 years if you contributed for at least 25 years.

If you waited too long to apply and do not fit within the contribution years listed above, you may still be able to get benefits. You may qualify if:

• you would have qualified for CPP disability benefits when you first got your disability, and
• your disability has been prolonged and severe from then until now.

Special rules

There are some special rules that may help you get CPP disability benefits if you’ve not made enough pension contributions.

For example, there are special rules if you:

• are divorced or separated,
• worked in another country, or
• made fewer CPP contributions because you were taking care of your children when they were 6 years old or younger.

---

February 2025 Previous page Next page