Retraite Québec 
     
     
     
 

  Home > Life events > Starting to work


You previously worked for an employer from the public or parapublic sector, but did not participate in a pension plan at that time

Plans concerned: The RREGOP and the PPMP


Here are answers to questions often asked by people who previously worked for an employer in the public or parapublic sector, but were not participating in a pension plan at the time.

Click on the topic of your choice:

 

Membership in Your Public-Sector Pension Plan

Is membership in the pension plan offered by my new employer mandatory?

Yes. Membership in the pension plan is an integral part of your working conditions.

Do I have to fill out a form to become a member of the pension plan?

No. Your employer will provide us with all the information regarding your membership in the plan. Your employer will also collect your contributions to the pension plan on our behalf.

Do I have to contribute to my pension plan throughout my entire working career?

Yes. You will contribute to your pension plan until you have accumulated the maximum service (40 years as at 31 December 2018), without taking into account the years during which you acquired a pension credit or a paid‑up annuity.

Note that, even if you did not accumulate the maximum service, you can no longer contribute to your pension plan after 30 December of the year in which you turn 69 if you participate in the RREGOP, or 71 if you participate in the PPMP.

Where can I find details on my pension plan membership?

For more information on your membership under your public-sector pension plan, consult your personalized Statement of Participation with My Account. This simple tool helps you plan your retirement.

Your statement summarizes your public-sector pension plan participation using the most recent participation data provided by your employer. The data provided is for the period until 31 December of the year indicated on your Statement. In addition, it shows you the benefits to which you could be entitled when you retire or your employment ends.

Your statement also informs you of your rights and benefits regarding your participation in a public-sector pension plan, such as the days of absence that you can buy back. That information makes it possible for you to assess how a buy-back of your days of absence will affect your pension and when you retire using the Buy-Back Cost Estimator tool.

You will need your statement:

  • for an overview of your retirement income under your public-sector pension plan;
  • to plan your retirement;
  • to use our Buy-Back Cost Estimator tool to assess how a buy back of your days of absence will affect your pension and when you retire;
  • to use our Pension Estimator tool to obtain other retirement scenarios;
  • for when you meet with your financial planner.

How can I obtain the participation data for all the years during which I contribute to my pension plan?

The Statement of Contributions contains the history of your participation data. You need to request it by filling out the form Application for a Statement of Contributions This link will open in a new window. (008A).

 

Buying back service accrued as a casual employee

Will my pension plan credit the periods of service accrued as a casual employee in a public-sector organization when I was not contributing to a pension plan?

Yes. Your following periods of service can be credited through a buy-back, depending on your work sector as a casual employee:

  • periods of service accrued between 30 June 1973 and 1 January 1987, as a casual employee on a recall list in the health and social services sector;
  • periods of service accrued between 30 June 1973 and 1 January 1988, as a casual employee in the public-service sector, the education sector and the health and social services sector who was not on a recall list.

What do I have to do to buy back years of service?

You must send the form entitled Application for a buy-back of one or more periods of work This link will open in a new window. (RSP-727A-WRK) to Retraite Québec, along with the required supporting documents, if any, while you are still a member of your pension plan.

If you have questions regarding your situation, you can contact:

  • the pension plan administrator in your human resources department
  • your union, or your professional or managers’ association
  • Retraite Québec’s Centre des relations avec la clientèle.

Once Retraite Québec receives your buy-back application, we will contact your current employer and the employer or employers concerned by the periods to be bought back in order to obtain all the information required to process your application.

If the study of your file shows that the periods can indeed be bought back, we will send you a buy-back proposal, which you are free to accept, in whole or in part, or reject. The proposal will indicate the cost and the payment terms of the buy-back, and will be valid for 60 days.

Please note that if we do not receive your acceptance of buy-back proposal within 60 days from the date of the proposal, your buy-back application will be considered to never have been made.

Is it to my advantage to buy back years of service?

Yes. Your retirement pension is calculated on the basis of the number of years of service credited to your account at the time of your retirement. Therefore, if you are entitled to buy back certain periods of service, you could have them credited to your pension plan. This would increase the amount of your pension. It is important for you to know that only the buy-back of certain periods of service can allow you to retire earlier.

Are the years I have bought back considered years of membership in my pension plan?

Yes. In the case of a buy-back of service accrued as a casual employee, the years that you bought back are used both to determine your eligibility for benefits and calculate the amount of those benefits.

How much does a buy-back cost?

The cost of a buy-back is determined on the basis of your annual pensionable salary as a casual employee on the date we receive the fully completed buy-back application. A percentage that varies according to your age, the period being bought back and the pension plan of which you are a member at the time we receive your application is applied to the salary.

You can quickly and easily obtain the approximate cost of the buy-back you are considering using the following tool:

 

 

Calculator

Use the following tool to estimate the cost of the buy-back you are considering:

 

Useful form

To apply for a buy-back, send us the form entitled Application for a buy-back of one or more periods
of work This link will open in a new window.
 (RSP-727A-WRK)

 

Useful Link

 

To Learn More About Your Public-Sector Pension Plan