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Leaving Canada after your PGWP ends: what happens to your CPP contributions

Canada • Post-Graduation Work Permit • work 0 views
By VisaBuddies Communityvia community — compiled from public visa forums

Step-by-Step

A worker whose PGWP was not extended (the hoped-for 2024 extension didn't materialize for them) planned to leave Canada rather than pay for an LMIA, and asked two questions: can you get your ~5 years of CPP contributions back, and does withdrawing anything hurt a future Express Entry application? The thread's answers:

  1. There is no CPP refund. Canada Pension Plan contributions cannot be withdrawn or refunded when you emigrate. The money stays in the system until you're eligible to draw a pension (early retirement from age 60), regardless of where you live then — you can receive CPP payments abroad.

  2. The real option: pension totalization. The most useful reply: if your home country has a social security agreement with Canada, your CPP contribution periods can in some circumstances be credited toward your home country's pension arrangement. Contact Service Canada before leaving to ask how your contributions interact with your home country's system.

  3. Closing your tax file doesn't release CPP. Telling CRA you're a departing resident settles your tax affairs; it has no effect on pension contributions.

  4. No Express Entry consequence. Since no withdrawal is possible, the worry about a future EE application being tainted by 'taking CPP money' is moot — there is nothing to withdraw, and having contributed to CPP is not a negative factor.


The 2024 PGWP-extension context is historical, but the CPP mechanics are standing policy.

Dos, Don'ts & Tips

  • Don't: Don't plan your exit finances around recovering CPP contributions — they are not refundable at any age before pension eligibility.
  • Do: Ask Service Canada before leaving whether a social security agreement lets your CPP periods count toward your home country's pension.
  • Tip: You can draw CPP from abroad at retirement age — keep your contribution records and Service Canada account details.

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