Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) 2026: how much you get, the income limits and the payment dates
The GIS is the biggest benefit many low-income seniors get, and it is easy to leave money on the table by not filing a return or missing a letter. Here are the official October 2026 amounts and limits, who qualifies, the payment dates, how enrolment works, and a checker that shows the ceiling for your situation.
On this page
GIS income limit checker
Are you under the GIS income limit for your situation?
Uses Service Canada's October to December 2026 maximums and income limits. GIS goes down as income goes up, so most people get less than the maximum; this tool shows the ceiling, not your exact amount. For your own figure, use Service Canada's OAS Benefits Estimator linked in the sources. Assumes a full OAS pension (40 years in Canada after 18); a partial pension changes the totals.
What the GIS is and who qualifies
The Guaranteed Income Supplement is a monthly, tax-free payment for seniors with low income who already get the Old Age Security (OAS) pension. It is paid on top of OAS, in the same deposit. Service Canada lists five conditions. You must:
- Be 65 or older
- Receive the OAS pension
- Live in Canada
- Not be under a sponsorship agreement
- Have an annual income below the limit for your situation
On sponsorship: since October 1, 2025, a person under a sponsorship agreement cannot get the GIS, the Allowance or the Allowance for the Survivor for the whole length of the agreement, and parent and grandparent sponsorships were extended from 10 to 20 years in every province except Quebec. There are exceptions if the sponsor dies, is imprisoned for more than 6 months, is convicted of an offence against you, or declares personal bankruptcy. Immigrants who were not sponsored can get the GIS if they qualify for OAS.
GIS amounts and income limits for October to December 2026
Amounts rise with the cost of living each January, April, July and October, and they never go down if prices fall. For October to December 2026, benefits went up 1.4% (3.0% over the past year). Here is Service Canada's table:
| Your situation | Annual income must be less than | Maximum GIS a month |
|---|---|---|
| Single, divorced or widowed | $23,112 | $1,138.90 |
| Spouse or partner gets the full OAS pension | $30,528 (couple combined) | $685.56 |
| Spouse or partner gets the Allowance | $42,768 (couple combined) | $685.56 |
| Spouse or partner gets no OAS or Allowance | $55,392 (couple combined) | $1,138.90 |
For comparison, the full OAS pension is up to $762.50 a month at 65 to 74 and up to $838.75 at 75 and older (the 10% increase at 75 has been permanent since July 2022). The maximums are ceilings. Your real amount depends on your income, so two neighbours in the same situation can get very different payments.
If your spouse or partner is 60 to 64 and you get the GIS, they may qualify for the Allowance (up to $1,448.06 a month, combined income under $42,768). A widowed person aged 60 to 64 with income under $31,152 may get the Allowance for the Survivor, up to $1,726.18 a month.
GIS payment dates for the rest of 2026
The GIS arrives with your OAS payment. Service Canada's remaining 2026 dates are:
| Month | Payment date |
|---|---|
| October | October 28, 2026 |
| November | November 26, 2026 |
| December | December 22, 2026 |
The October 28 payment is the first one at the new, higher rates. Payments by cheque are mailed in the last 3 business days of the month, so direct deposit is faster. Our 2026 benefit payment dates page lists the CRA payments too.
Worked example
Margaret is 70, widowed, gets the full OAS pension, and had a small amount of income last year, well under the $23,112 limit.
| Step | Arithmetic | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Full OAS at 65 to 74 | Service Canada maximum | $762.50 a month |
| Maximum GIS, single | Service Canada maximum | $1,138.90 a month |
| Most she could get a month | $762.50 + $1,138.90 | $1,901.40 |
| Over October to December | $1,901.40 × 3 | $5,704.20 |
Those are ceilings. Because Margaret has some income, her GIS will be lower, and the OAS Benefits Estimator gives her exact figure. Now take a couple, Raj and Anita, both 68 and both on the full OAS pension, with combined income under $30,528. Each can get up to $685.56 of GIS, so up to $685.56 × 2 = $1,371.12 a month of GIS for the household, on top of two OAS pensions.
How to get it: automatic enrolment or apply
If Service Canada has enough information, you get a letter shortly after your 64th birthday saying you are enrolled for OAS and that it will try to enrol you for the GIS automatically. If it cannot, it sends a letter inviting you to apply. If a month has passed since your 64th birthday and no letter has arrived, contact Service Canada.
You need to act if the letter has wrong information, if it asks you to apply, or if you applied for OAS but never applied for the GIS. You can apply online through My Service Canada Account once you are at least one month past your 64th birthday, or by mail with form ISP-3025 (GIS only) or ISP-3550 (OAS and GIS together). Have your SIN, your spouse's SIN and date of birth, where you have lived since 18, any drop in work or pension income in the last two years, and your banking details for direct deposit.
Your first GIS payment arrives the month after you turn 65, or on the date in your decision letter.
Keeping it: taxes, income changes and travel
- File your taxes by April 30 every year. The GIS is not taxable, but Service Canada reviews it each year using your federal return. Not filing can interrupt your payments. In July you get a letter saying whether your benefit is renewed, stopped or changed. If you are owed money from past years, our guide on filing taxes on a low income explains why the return matters even when you owe nothing.
- Tell Service Canada if your income drops. If you or your spouse retire or a pension is cut, Service Canada can estimate your income for the current year instead of using last year's, which can raise your GIS sooner.
- Living apart for reasons beyond your control, such as long-term care, may qualify you for a higher amount. The form is ISP-3040.
- Outside Canada for more than 6 months? You cannot collect the GIS. Tell Service Canada before you leave to avoid an overpayment, and again when you return to restart payments.
- Changed your mind? You can cancel the GIS in writing within 6 months of your first payment.
Where the money goes once it lands
A fixed income makes small leaks expensive. A $16.95 monthly bank fee is $203.40 a year, about 18% of one month's maximum GIS. Some options people compare:
| Option | What it does | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Low-cost or no-cost account | Banks that signed the federal commitment offer no-cost accounts to GIS recipients | Ask for it by name; it is not applied automatically |
| Direct deposit | Money arrives on the payment date, not days later by mail | Update it with Service Canada if you change banks |
| Review pre-authorized debits | Stops old subscriptions draining a fixed income | Cancel in writing with the company and the bank |
Our low-cost bank account guide explains the no-cost account rules for GIS recipients, and cancelling a pre-authorized debit covers your rights. More calculators are on the tools page.
How to get and keep the Guaranteed Income Supplement
- Check your mail shortly after your 64th birthday for the OAS and GIS enrolment letter.
- If the letter asks you to apply, or none arrives within a month, apply in My Service Canada Account or with form ISP-3025.
- Have your SIN, your spouse's SIN and date of birth, your residence history since 18 and your banking details ready.
- Set up direct deposit so payments arrive on the payment date.
- File your tax return by April 30 every year, even with little or no income.
- Tell Service Canada about income drops, a change in marital status, or trips outside Canada longer than 6 months.
Questions people ask
How much is the GIS in 2026?
From October to December 2026, the maximum GIS is $1,138.90 a month if you are single, divorced or widowed, or if your spouse gets no OAS or Allowance. It is $685.56 a month each if your spouse gets the full OAS pension or the Allowance. Your real amount depends on your income.
What is the income limit for the GIS?
Less than $23,112 if you are single, divorced or widowed. For couples, combined income must be under $30,528 if your spouse gets the full OAS pension, $42,768 if your spouse gets the Allowance, and $55,392 if your spouse gets no OAS or Allowance.
When is the next GIS payment?
The GIS is paid with OAS. The remaining 2026 dates are October 28, November 26 and December 22, 2026.
Is the GIS taxable?
No. Service Canada says you do not pay tax on GIS payments, but you must file your taxes by April 30 every year so your benefit can be reviewed and paid without interruption.
Do I have to apply for the GIS?
Maybe not. If Service Canada has enough information, it tries to enrol you automatically and writes to you shortly after your 64th birthday. If it asks you to apply, or you applied for OAS but not the GIS, apply online in My Service Canada Account or with form ISP-3025.
Can I get the GIS if I live outside Canada?
No. You cannot collect the GIS if you are outside Canada for more than 6 months. Tell Service Canada before you leave and again when you return.
Can sponsored immigrants get the GIS?
Not while the sponsorship agreement lasts, with exceptions such as the sponsor's death or bankruptcy. Since October 1, 2025, parent and grandparent sponsorships last 20 years in all provinces except Quebec.
Why did my GIS change in July?
Service Canada recalculates the GIS each July using your income from the previous year's tax return. Payments can go up, down or stop as your income changes.
Looni reads your statements and flags bank fees, forgotten subscriptions and charges you might be paying without noticing. Read-only, no advice.
Sources
Employment and Social Development Canada, GIS: Do you qualify (five conditions, income limits, sponsorship rules effective October 1, 2025), GIS: How much you could receive (modified October 13, 2026), OAS payment amounts, October to December 2026 (OAS, GIS, Allowance and Allowance for the Survivor maximums, 1.4% increase), GIS: Apply (automatic enrolment, ISP-3025, ISP-3550), GIS: Receiving your benefit (not taxable, April 30 filing, July review, 6 months outside Canada, cancelling) and Benefits payment dates (October 28, November 26, December 22, 2026); Service Canada OAS Benefits Estimator. The examples are illustrative; the arithmetic is ours.