Reciprocal Agreement
St. Kitts-Nevis Social Security Agreement With Canada
Over the years, a number of St. Kitts and Nevis nationals have migrated to Canada. Many of these emigrants had contributed to the St. Christopher and Nevis Social Security Fund, but because of former restrictions, they were unable to receive benefits in Canada from the St. Christopher and Nevis Social Security Fund. In addition, persons may not have qualified for benefits because they may not have lived or worked long enough in Canada to qualify. It was in an effort to solve such problems that the Social Security Agreement was signed between the Federation and Canada.
Under the agreement, the periods for which the person worked in the Federation (St. Kitts-Nevis) and in Canada, will be totalized in order to assist the individual and his family to qualify for benefits under the Canada Old Age Security Program and the Canada Pension Plan. Similarly, totalisation of periods may enable a person to qualify for Age and Invalidity Pensions and Survivors Pension and Funeral Grant from the St. Christopher and Nevis Social Security Fund.
For further information or assistance, please do not hesitate to contact your local Social Security Office.
St. Kitts-Nevis Social Security Agreement With CARICOM
National Insurance and Social Security Systems require all employed persons to register and pay their contributions. Migrant and traveling workers are usually at a disadvantage when they have to leave a particular country before they have contributed sufficiently to qualify for benefits.
The purpose of the Social Security Agreement between CARICOM countries is to protect your entitlement to benefits and give you quality of treatment when moving from one country to another. The Agreement covers the following branches of Social Security:
• Invalidity Pension
• Disablement Pension
• Old Age or Retirement Pension
• Survivors Pension
• Death Benefits in the form of Pensions
Under the Agreement provisions are made for the pooling of insurance periods served in various countries and for the payment of benefits by one or more Social Security Funds once you have qualified.
If you are going to another CARICOM country to work or you are in receipt of a benefit under the Social Security Fund where you are resident, it is important that you inform the Director of that National Insurance/Social Security program of your departure and your overseas address. It would also help if you would inform him/her of any subsequent change of address. When you return to your usual place of residence, it is essential that you let the Director know as soon as possible after you have returned.
For further information or assistance, please do not hesitate to contact your local Social Security or National Insurance office.
The CARICOM countries are:
Anguilla
Antigua and Barbuda
Barbados
Belize
Dominica
Grenada
Guyana
Jamaica
Monsterrat
St. Kitts and Nevis
St. Lucia
St.Vincent and the Grenadines
Trinidad and Tobago