End of Membership Under a Public-Sector Pension Plan
You are entitled to a benefit when your membership under a public-sector pension plan ends.
Are you thinking about changing employers, but remaining in the public sector? It is possible that your new employer also offers membership under a public-sector pension plan, which would allow you to increase the benefit to which you are entitled.
Are you considering leaving the public sector? If so, you will stop contributing to your pension plan and become a non-active member. You will need to
decide what to do with the amounts accrued under your plan. Two options are available to you:
- leave the amounts accrued under your pension plan;
- request for the payment of the amounts accrued under your plan.
The best option depends on your situation. They have the same value.
Leave the amounts accrued under the plan
Leaving the amounts accrued under the plan means that they will continue to grow until the moment you begin receiving a pension or withdraw them from the plan.
If you leave the amounts accrued under your plan, you can request for the payment of the benefit you are entitled to, at any time. It will be paid based on your number of years of service, your age and the pension plan to which you were a member of.
To find out what you are entitled to, consult
My Account.
Receive a deferred pension
Certain plans provide for the possibility of receiving, as of age 55, payment of a
reduced deferred pension. The later you postpone payment of the pension, the lower the reduction will be. At age 65, you will receive an
unreduced deferred pension.
To apply for a pension or to find out what you are entitled to, consult
My Account.
- Your pension will never run out. It will be paid to you for life.
- Your payments could be adjusted to the cost of living.
- You will continue to accrue a pension if you work for another employer in the public sector.
- If you leave the public sector, but return to it later, the recognized years of service under your new employer's plan will be added to the years you had already accrued.
- Your plan offers a surviving spouse's pension. This pension can help protect your loved ones, whether you die before or after you retire.
- Your retirement income is predictable. You will know the exact amount you will receive each month, as it is determined using a formula that takes into account your salary and years of service. Therefore, your security in retirement does not depend on investment returns.
Request for the payment of the amounts accrued under your plan
Based on your number of years of service, your age and the pension plan that you are a member of, the following options are available to you.
To find out what you are entitled to, consult
My Account.
To learn about your benefits, consult the
documents that will help you better understand the main provisions of your pension plan.
Transfer the amounts accrued under your plan into a locked-in retirement account (LIRA) or a life income fund (LIF)
You can transfer the amounts accrued into an
LIRA or
LIF to set them aside for your retirement. You must wait at least 210 days after you stop working in the public-sector to request a transfer. At the end of that period, you can complete the
Application for a retirement pension under a public-sector pension plan.
For more information on
LIRAs and
LIFs, consult the
LIRAs and
LIFs web page.
Transfer the amounts accrued under your plan into your new employer's plan
You can transfer the amounts accrued under your plan into your new employer's plan. As a result, they will be added to the amounts you will accrue by contributing to your new employer's plan.
Retraite Québec also has transfer agreements with certain agencies, such as the federal government, certain provincial governments, municipalities, universities, and public and private organizations. You can ask your new employer to find out whether they have a transfer agreement with Retraite Québec. You can also consult the
List of organizations and plans affected by a transfer agreement.
To find out the eligibility requirements for a transfer and how to apply for one, consult the
Transfer of a pension plan to a new employer web page.
Receive a refund of your contributions
If you contributed for less than two years to the plan, you could receive a refund of the contributions you accrued. You must wait at least 210 days after you stop working in the public-sector to request a transfer. At the end of that period, you can complete the
Application for a retirement pension under a public-sector pension plan.
Other useful information