Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Qualifying Candítions
Old'agepe¡s¡on
Age pension(socialinsu¡arce,)jAge 65 (men)or age60
(women)for employeesandtheurbanself-employed; age60
(men)o¡ age55 (rvomen)for theruralself-employed,
2003
Americas,
50 . SSPTW:The
Brazil
Theminimumbenefitis 100%oftheminimumwage(240reaisin Sourceof Funds
June2003).
Insured person: Seesourceoffunds underOld Age,
allowance:25% of the disabilitypension.
Constant-attendance Disability,andSurvivors,above.
Scheduleofpayments:lhifleen paymentsa year. Employeri Seesou¡ceof fundsunderOld Age, Disability.and
Benefitadjustment:Benefitsarc adjustedannuallyaccording Survivors,above.
to changesin retail prices. Government: Thc oostofmedical benefits.
Disab¡l¡tyass¡stance{moans-tésled): The averagepension
is equalto themininum wage, Qualifying Conditions
Benefitadjusünent:Pensionsare indexedto changesin the
The insuredcontributeddurjng the last 12 months.Thereis no
minimumsalaryfor thefollowingmonth.
minimun qualifring pe¡jodfor cashmatemitybenefits.
2003I 51
SSPTW:TheAmericas,
Brazil
Americas,
52 r SSPTW:The 2003
Brazil
UnemploymentBenefits
UnemploymentbeÍefit {means-test€d}; 50% of average
eamingsin the last3 monthsofemploymcnt,up to threetimes
theminimumwage. The berefit is payableaftera60-day
\.vaitingperiodfo¡4 monthsin any 16-monthperiod,
Thr:minimumbcncfitis l00yooftheminimumwase.
Family Allowances
Regulatory Framework
First law: 1941(largefamilies).
Currentlaw: 1999.
Typc of program: Employment-rclated
system.
Coverage
Low-incomeemployeesrvith oneormore children(excludes
employees).
domestic
Sourceof Funds
Inguredperson:None.
Employer: None. (Benetitsarepaiddirectlyby the employer,)
Governme¡t: Totalcost. (Reimbursesemployersfor the total
costofbenefitspaid to enployees.)
Qualifying Conditions
Familyallowances: Employeeswith incomeup to 560,81¡sais
(June2003). The child mustbe underage 14 or disabledand
attendingschool. The parentmust be cuffently in inswed
employment,a pensioner,or receivingsicknessbenefit.'Ih€
allowanceis payableto bothparentsifboth are insured,
SSPTW;The Americas,2003 . 53
Canada
Qualifying Condítions
Old.agepens¡on
Un¡versalpens¡on:Age 65 and l0 yearsof residencein
Canadaafterage 18. Retirementis not necessary.The pension
is payableabroadifthe beneliciaryr.csidcdin Ca¡adalbr
20 yearsafierage I 8.
Old Age, Disability,and Survivors
Earnings-related ret¡rementpens¡on:Age 60 with at least
Regulatory Framework I yea¡ of contributions. Ifthe persion is alvardedbefore
age65, the insurcdpersonmust hav€fully or substantially
Fi rs t laws :1927( o l d -a ga es s i s ra n c el 9r.3 7 1 b l i n rs
d si srancet. ceasedemployment.Ifthe pensionis award€dat ageó5 or
and1955(disability assistance). older,retirementis not necessary.The pensionis payable
Currentlaws: l95l and1952(universal pension), 1965and abroad.
I 966(earnings-r'clatcd pcnsion).and 19ó6andl9ó7 (incc¡rnc-
testedsupplement). D¡sab¡lity pens¡on
Earnings-related d¡sabilítypension: Severeand prolonged
Typeof programil)ual unive¡sal
pensionandsocial
insurancesystem. incapacityfor anygainl-ulactivity \.vithcontributionsin 4 ofthe
last6 years.(The QuebecPensionPlannornrallyrequires
contributionsin halflhe yearsin which contributionscould
Coverage havebcenmade;thc minimunl contributionperiodis 2 ofthe
Univers¿lpension{old-agesecurily): All residcnts, last3 years.)The pensionis payableabroad.
pension(CanadaPensionplan/Quebec
Earnings-related Surv¡vorpensign
PensionPlan):All employees rvorkingin Canadaandall sell- Universalpension: Income-tested
benefitis availableto
enployedpersonsresidingin Canada. widowsandrvidowe¡saged60 to 64. The survivormustbe a
'lhosein casualenployment(annualearnings
Dxclusions: less resident
ofCanadaandhaveresidedin Ca¡adatbr l0 years
thanC$3.500)or in seasonal
agficulturalemployment. alterage18. The unive¡sal
sun,ivorpensionis feplaced by the
A provincemay opt out ofthe f¡deral earnings-related
Canada universal
old-agepensjonat age65.
Pe¡sionPlanifit establishes
a conrparable program.Thjs is Eam¡ngs-related penslon; The insuredhad made
the casewilh the QuebecPensionPlan; benefitsarepoflable co¡tributionsduringthe lesserof l0 yearso¡.one-thi¡doflhe
bctwecnthe two plans. ycarsin lvhich costributionscould havebccn made;the
mininlumcontribution periodis 3 years.Thepensionis
Sourceof Funds pa;"ableabroad.
Spousa
andwidolv(cr)includclcgallymarriedpersons and
Universatpension
commo¡-lawpartners(inch¡dingsam€-sex
partnells).
/nsuredperson.None.
Employer: None. Old-Age Berefifs
Government:'Ibtal cost,includingthe {otalcostofincome-
Old-agepe¡sion
testedbenellts.
Un¡versalpension:The nraximummonfhlypensionis
pension
Earn¡ngs"related C$461.55.t'hepension is calculated
asl/40thofthemaximunr
lnsurcdperson:4.95%ofealnilgs (employees)or 9.97oof pensionfor eachyearofresidencein Canadaafterage 18. Ttle
earnings(self-employed). pension ofhigh-inconeearnelsis subjectto recovery(1570of
annualincomeoverC$57,879).
Employet:4.95yoof empio¡,ee's
earnings.
lncome-tostodsupplcmcnt:Thc supplcmcnti¡creasesthe
Goyefimer¡f:None. naximumuniversal pension for a singleperson
to C$1,010.08 or
The minimumannualeamingsfbr benefitandcontribution to C$1,637.7{}
for a couple.
purposesareC$3,500. Income-fested allo\,vance:
Up to a maximumofC$818.85a
'I hemaximumannualearDingsfo¡ benefitandcolfibution mc¡nthfor a pensioner'sspousebetwecnagcs60 ¿ndó4.
purposes
areC$39,900. Ean¡ngs-rclatedretirementpens¡on:25o/oof avcragc
Earningslimit adjustmest:Adiustedannuallyaccordingto adjustedyearlycoveredearnings. I 5% of the yearswith the
increasesin the averageindustlial$'age. lowestincomeare disregardedi yea¡sin which the insuredrvas
carirg for a child undcragc 7 ma¡.'alsobc disregardcdif it is in
the i¡sured'sfavor.
56 | SSPTW:fheAmericas,2003
Canada
The pensionis reducedby 0.5% a montb ifalvardedat any age Orphan'spension:C$ I 86.71a monthfor eachchild below
alier 60 butbefo¡e65. age l8; age25 ifa sfudent.(eueb€cpensionplan: C$59_2g for
'I'hepensionis increasedby 0.5% a rnonth eachchild belowage l8 only.)
ifarvardedafler
age65 but betbreage70. Dcathbenefit: Síx months'earnings-related
retirementpcnsion.
Themaximummonthlypensionis C$801.25. uptoa ma\imumofC$2,500.
Pensioncreditsaccumulated by spousesor common-law Benelitadjustment:Automatr'cannualadjustmentof earnings-
pa¡tl1ers
(includingsame-sexpartners)duringmaniag€or relatedpensionsfor changesin the consumerpric€ index.
cohabitationmay be dividedequallyin caseofdivorce or
separatron. Adm ¡n istrative Organ ization
Recordedeamingsare adjustedfo¡ changesin national
Departmentof HumanResources Developmsnt,through
ave¡ag€wages.
dist ct and local offices,administersthe universaland
Benefitadjustment:Automaticadjustmentsfor changesin the eamings-related pensionsand income-tested supplements.
consumerpriceitdex a¡eimplementedquaterly for the
CanadaCustomsandRevenueAgency is responsiblefor
univcrsalpcnsionand annuallyfor the earnings-related
collcclingcontr¡butjons for Lhecarnings-relaied
pensions.
pe¡sron.
QuebecDepartmentofRevenueandeuebecpensionBoard
administerthe eamings-related pensionplan in euebec.
Permanent Di sabi I¡ty Ben ef,ts
Earn¡ngs.relateddisabililypens¡or: A basicmonthly
pcnsionofC$370.32,plus75yoofthe eamings-rclatad
retirementpeosion.
Regulatory Framework
Thema\imummonthlypension
is C$971.26.
Cash benefits
Rec0rdedeamingsare adjustedfor changesin national
F¡rstand currcntlaw: 1996(employmentinsurance).
avcfagc wages.
Child'ssuppl€mont:C$186.71a monthfor eachchildbslow Physicianand hospllalseryices
age l8; age25 ifa student.(Quebecpeffion plan: C$59.2gfor Fist law: 1965.
eachchild belowage l8 only.)
Currentlaw: 1984(healrh).
Benefitadjustment:Automaticannualadiustmentofall
benefitsfor changesin the consumerprice index. Type of progÍam: Socialinsurance(cashben€fits)and
unive¡salsystem(physicianand hospitalse¡v-ices).
Survivor Benefits
Coverage
Survivor pensio¡
Cash benefits: All wageandsalaryeamcrs,includingfedcral
Un¡versalpens¡on(¡ncome-tested):
For a widow(er)aged60 governmentemployees;also,self:employedfisbermen.
to 64.
'Ihe maximummonlhlypensionis C$904.03. Provincialgovemmentemployeesmay be coveredwith the
consentof prcvincialgovemmenl.
The survivorpensionis replacedby the universalold-agc
Exclusions:Self-employedpersonsothe¡thanfishermen.
pensionat age65.
Physic¡anand hospital services: All residentssatislying
Ean¡ngs-relatedpens¡or: A surviving spouseaged65 o¡
federalandprovincialcriteriafor eligibility andinsuredstaius.
olderreceives607oofthe insured'seamings-related retirement (Virtually the total populationis covered.)Coverageis
pension,upto am¿ximumofc$480.75amonth. (euebec
portableliom provinceto provinceandfor emergencycarc
PensionPIan: The provisionis the samefor a surviving
anywherein the world. In the lattercase,payme¡tis limited to
spouseaged65 or o¡d€r.)
theralepayablein Lheperson's homeprovince.
A survivingspouseyoungerthan age65 receives37.520ofithe
Specialprovisionsfbr certaingroups,includingmembersofthe
¡rsurcd'scamings-related rctirementpensionplus CS144.49,up a¡medforces.
to a maximumofC$444.96a month. (Quebecpensionplan: A
survivingspouseaged55 to 64 receivesup to amaximumof
C$700.06amonth;aged45 to 54,up to a ma.xhumofc$670.76 Source of Funds
a nonth, For a suF/ivingspousewho is undefage45 and InsuÍedpergon
disabled,themaximumis C$670.76amonth;ifnot disabledbut
Cashbenef¡ts:SeesourceoflfundsunderUnemployment,
caringfor a dependentchild,up to a maximumofC$644.28;if
below.
not disabledand$,ith no dependentchildren,üp to a maximum
ofC$395.31.) Physic¡anand hosp¡ta/beneffs..premiumsa¡epaid in Alberta
¿ndBritish Columbia. Ontariohasa,,fair sharchealthcare
SSPTW:The Amer¡cas,2003 . 57
Canada
2003
58 . SSPTW:fheAme.¡cas,
Canada
SSPTW:The Amer¡cas,2003 r 59
claimant'semploymenthistoryandregionalunemployment
Íates.
'I hemaximumweeklybenefitis C$413.
Family Allowances
RegulatoryFramework
Firstlawi 1944.
Currentlawi 1998.
Type of program: Socialassistance
system.
Coverage
All residents.
.Sourceof Funds
person:
Insured None.
EmployeriNone.
Governmgnti Total cost.
Qualifying Conditions
A child mustbe underage l8 anda residentof Canadafor
lnoometax purposes.
Americas,
60 . SSPTW:The 2003
Mex¡co
2003. 109
SSPTW:TheAmer¡cas,
Mexico
Unemployment
Regulatory Framework
Labor law requiresemploycrsto pay dismissedemployeesa
lump sumequalto 3 months'pay plus 20 days'pay for each
yearofservice,
Socialsecurilypaysan unemploymentbenefitofbetween75%
and 95% ofthe old-agepensionfor unemployedpersons
aged60 to 64 (thebenefitis paid underOldAge, Disability,and
Sun ivors).
Family Allowances
RegulatoryFramework
F ¡ r s llaw: 1973 .
Currentlaw: 1995,implemented
ir 1997.
Typ€ of programi Socialinsumncesystem.
2003. 111
SSPTW:TheAmericas,