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Agreement on Social Security between Canada and the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis [1994] CATSer 2 (1 January 1994)

E102202 - CTS 1994 No. 9

AGREEMENT ON SOCIAL SECURITY BETWEEN CANADA AND THE FEDERATION OF ST. KITTS AND NEVIS

THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA AND THE GOVERNMENT OF ST. KITTS AND NEVIS,

RESOLVED to co-operate in the field of social security,

HAVE decided to conclude an agreement for this purpose, and

HAVE agreed as follows:

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

ARTICLE I

Definitions

1. For the purposes of this Agreement:

“benefit” means, as regards a Party, any cash benefit, pension or allowance for which provision is made in the legislation of that Party and includes any supplements or increases applicable to such a cash benefit, pension or allowance;

“competent authority” means, as regards Canada, the Minister or Ministers responsible for the application of the legislation of Canada; and, as regards St. Kitts and Nevis, the Minister responsible for Social Security;

“competent institution” means, as regards Canada, the competent authority; and, as regards St. Kitts and Nevis, the Social Security Board;

“creditable period” means, as regards a Party, a period of contributions, whether paid or credited, or a period of residence used to acquire the right to a benefit under the legislation of that Party; as regards Canada, it also means a period during which a disability pension is payable under the Canada Pension Plan;

“Government of Canada” means the Government in its capacity as representative of Her Majesty the Queen in right of Canada and represented by the Minister of National Health and Welfare;

“Government of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis” means the Government of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis as represented by the Minister responsible for Social Security;

“legislation” means, as regards a Party, the laws and regulations specified in Article II, paragraph 1 with respect to that Party.

2. Any term not defined in this Article has the meaning assigned to it in the applicable legislation.

ARTICLE II

Legislation to Which the Agreement Applies

1. This Agreement shall apply to the following legislation:

(a) with respect to Canada:

(i) the Old Age Security Act and the regulations made thereunder, and

(ii) the Canada Pension Plan and the regulations made thereunder;

(b) with respect to St. Kitts and Nevis:

the Social Security Act #13 of 1977, and the subsidiary legislation made thereunder, as they relate to:

(i) age (contributory) pension,

(ii) invalidity pension,

(iii) survivor’s pension, and

(iv) funeral grant.

2. With regard to Part II only, this Agreement shall apply to all aspects of the legislation of St. Kitts and Nevis referred to in subparagraph 1(b).

3. Subject to paragraph 4, this Agreement shall also apply to laws and regulations which amend, supplement, consolidate or supersede the legislation specified in paragraph 1.

4. This Agreement shall apply to laws and regulations which extend the legislation of a Party to new categories of beneficiaries or to new benefits unless an objection on the part of that Party has been communicated to the other Party not later than 3 months following the entry into force of such laws and regulations.

ARTICLE III

Persons to Whom the Agreement Applies

This Agreement shall apply to any person who is or who has been subject to the legislation of Canada or St. Kitts and Nevis, and to the dependants and survivors of such a person within the meaning of the applicable legislation of either Party.

ARTICLE IV

Equality of Treatment

Any person who is or who has been subject to the legislation of a Party, and the dependants and survivors of such a person, shall be subject to the obligations of the legislation of the other Party and shall be eligible for the benefits of that legislation under the same conditions as citizens of the latter Party.

ARTICLE V

Export of Benefits

1. Unless otherwise provided in this Agreement, benefits payable under the legislation of a Party to any person described in Article III, including benefits acquired by virtue of this Agreement, shall not be subject to any reduction, modification, suspension, cancellation or confiscation by reason only of the fact that the person resides in the territory of the other Party, and they shall be paid in the territory of the other Party.

2. Benefits payable under this Agreement to a person who is or who has been subject to the legislation of both Parties, or to the dependants or survivors of such a person, shall be paid in the territory of a third State.

PART II

PROVISIONS CONCERNING THE APPLICABLE LEGISLATION

ARTICLE VI

Rules Regarding Coverage

1. Subject to the following provisions of this Article:

(a) an employed person who works in the territory of a Party shall, in respect of that work, be subject only to the legislation of that Party; and

(b) a self-employed person who ordinarily resides in the territory of a Party and who works for his or her own account in the territory of the other Party or in the territories of both Parties shall, in respect of that work, be subject only to the legislation of the first Party.

2. An employed person who is subject to the legislation of a Party and who performs services in the territory of the other Party for the same employer shall, in respect of those services, be subject only to the legislation of the first Party as though those services were performed in its territory. In the case of an assignment, this coverage may not be maintained for more than 60 months without the prior consent of the competent authorities of both Parties.

3. A person who, but for this Agreement, would be subject to the legislation of both Parties in respect of employment as a member of the crew of a ship, vessel or aircraft shall, in respect of that employment, be subject only to the legislation of Canada if he or she ordinarily resides in the territory of Canada and only to the legislation of St. Kitts and Nevis in any other case.

4. An employed person shall, in respect of the duties of a government employment performed in the territory of the other Party, be subject to the legislation of the latter Party only if he or she is a citizen thereof or ordinarily resides in its territory. In the latter case, that person may, however, elect to be subject only to the legislation of the first Party if he or she is a citizen thereof.

5. The competent authorities of the Parties may, by common agreement, modify the application of the provisions of this Article with respect to any person or categories of persons.

ARTICLE VII

Definition of Certain Periods of Residence with Respect to the Legislation of Canada

1. For the purpose of calculating the amount of benefits under the Old Age Security Act:

(a) if a person is subject to the Canada Pension Plan or to the comprehensive pension plan of a province of Canada during any period of residence in the territory of St. Kitts and Nevis, that period shall be considered as a period of residence in Canada for that person as well as for that person’s spouse and dependants who reside with him or her and who are not subject to the legislation of St. Kitts and Nevis by reason of employment;

(b) if a person is subject to the legislation of St. Kitts and Nevis during any period of residence in the territory of Canada, that period shall not be considered as a period of residence in Canada for that person and for that person’s spouse and dependants who reside with him or her and who are not subject to the Canada Pension Plan or to the comprehensive pension plan of a province of Canada by reason of employment;

(c) if a person who is ordinarily resident in the territory of St. Kitts and Nevis is present and employed in the territory of Canada and, in respect of that employment, is subject to the Canada Pension Plan or to the comprehensive pension plan of a province of Canada, the period of presence and employment in Canada shall be considered as a period of residence in Canada only for purposes of this Agreement.

2. Subparagraph 1(c) shall apply only in respect of periods after the date of entry into force of this Agreement.

PART III

PROVISIONS CONCERNING BENEFITS

CHAPTER 1

TOTALIZING

ARTICLE VIII

Periods under the Legislation of Canada and St. Kitts and Nevis

1. If a person is not entitled to a benefit because he or she has not accumulated sufficient creditable periods under the legislation of a Party, the entitlement of that person to the payment of that benefit shall be determined by totalizing these periods and those specified in paragraphs 2 and 3, provided that the periods do not overlap.

2. (a) For purposes of determining entitlement to the payment of a benefit under the Old Age Security Act of Canada, a creditable period under the legislation of St. Kitts and Nevis, or a period of residence in the territory of St. Kitts and Nevis after the age at which periods of residence in Canada are creditable for purposes of that Act and after February 1, 1978, shall be considered as a period of residence in the territory of Canada.

(b) For purposes of determining entitlement to the payment of a benefit under the Canada Pension Plan, a calendar year including at least 13 weeks (3 months) of contributions under the legislation of St. Kitts and Nevis shall be considered as a year for which contributions have been made under the Canada Pension Plan.

3. For purposes of determining entitlement to the payment of a benefit under the legislation of St. Kitts and Nevis:

(a) when the calendar year 1978 is a creditable period under the Canada Pension Plan, it shall be considered as 47 weeks for which contributions have been paid under the legislation of St. Kitts and Nevis;

(b) a calendar year commencing after February 1, 1978 which is a creditable period under the Canada Pension Plan shall be considered as 52 contribution weeks under the legislation of St. Kitts and Nevis;

(c) a week commencing on or after February 1, 1978 which is a creditable period under the Old Age Security Act of Canada and which is not part of a creditable period under the Canada Pension Plan shall be considered as a contribution week under the legislation of St. Kitts and Nevis.

ARTICLE IX

Periods under the Legislation of a Third State

If a person is not entitled to a benefit on the basis of the creditable periods under the legislation of the Parties, totalized as provided in Article VIII, the entitlement of that person to the payment of that benefit shall be determined by totalizing these periods and creditable periods under the legislation of a third State with which both Parties are bound by social security instruments which provide for totalizing periods.

ARTICLE X

Minimum Period to be Totalized

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if the total duration of the creditable periods accumulated by a person under the legislation of a Party is less than one year (52 weeks or 12 months) and if, taking into account only those periods, no right to a benefit exists under that legislation, the competent institution of that Party shall not be required to award benefits to that person in respect of those periods by virtue of this Agreement.

CHAPTER 2

BENEFITS UNDER THE LEGISLATION OF CANADA

ARTICLE XI

Benefits under the Old Age Security Act

1. If a person is entitled to the payment of a pension or a spouse’s allowance solely through the application of the totalizing provisions of Chapter 1, the competent institution of Canada shall calculate the amount of the pension or spouse’s allowance payable to that person in conformity with the provisions of the Old Age Security Act governing the payment of a partial pension or a spouse’s allowance, exclusively on the basis of the periods of residence in Canada which may be considered under that Act.

2. Paragraph 1 shall also apply to a person who is entitled to the payment of a pension in Canada but who has not resided in Canada for the minimum period required by the Old Age Security Act for entitlement to the payment of a pension outside Canada.

3. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement:

(a) an Old Age Security pension shall be paid to a person who is outside Canada only if that person’s periods of residence, when totalized as provided in Chapter 1, are at least equal to the minimum period of residence in Canada required by the Old Age Security Act for entitlement to the payment of a pension outside Canada; and

(b) a spouse’s allowance and a guaranteed income supplement shall be paid to a person who is outside Canada only to the extent permitted by the Old Age Security Act.

ARTICLE XII

Benefits under the Canada Pension Plan

If a person is entitled to the payment of a benefit solely through the application of the totalizing provisions of Chapter 1, the competent institution of Canada shall calculate the amount of benefit payable to that person in the following manner:

(a) the earnings-related portion of the benefit shall be determined in conformity with the provisions of the Canada Pension Plan, exclusively on the basis of the pensionable earnings under that Plan; and

(b) the flat-rate portion of the benefit shall be determined by multiplying:

(i) the amount of the flat-rate portion of the benefit determined in conformity with the provisions of the Canada Pension Plan

by

(ii) the fraction which represents the ratio of the periods of contributions to the Canada Pension Plan in relation to the minimum qualifying period required under that Plan to establish entitlement to that benefit, but in no case shall that fraction exceed the value of one.

CHAPTER 3

BENEFITS UNDER THE LEGISLATION OF ST. KITTS AND NEVIS

ARTICLE XIII

Calculating the Amount of Benefit Payable

1. If a person is not entitled to an invalidity pension or age contributory pension solely on the basis of periods creditable under the legislation of St. Kitts and Nevis, but would satisfy the minimum contribution conditions for a pension through the application of the totalizing of creditable periods as provided in Chapter 1, the competent institution of St. Kitts and Nevis shall count periods creditable under the legislation of Canada only to the extent necessary to establish entitlement to the pension.

2. The average annual wages used in computing such pension shall be computed exclusively on the basis of the wages on which contributions under the legislation of St. Kitts and Nevis were based.

3. The amount of pension payable in the event of totalizing of creditable periods as provided in Chapter 1 shall be determined by reference to the ratio that the number of contributions under the legislation of St. Kitts and Nevis bears to the minimum number of contributions required under that legislation for entitlement to the relevant pension.

4. Where, under the legislation of St. Kitts and Nevis, a grant other than a funeral grant was paid in respect of an event which happened before the date of entry into force of this Agreement, and where subsequent entitlement to a corresponding pension is established through the application of Chapter 1 and this Article, the competent institution of St. Kitts and Nevis shall deduct from any benefit payable in the form of a pension, any amount previously paid in the form of a grant.

PART IV

ADMINISTRATIVE AND MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

ARTICLE XIV

Administrative Arrangement

1. The competent authorities of the Parties shall establish, by means of an administrative arrangement, the measures necessary for the application of this Agreement.

2. The liaison agencies of the Parties shall be designated in that arrangement.

ARTICLE XV

Exchange of Information and Mutual Assistance

1. The competent authorities and institutions responsible for the application of this Agreement:

(a) shall, to the extent permitted by the legislation which they administer, communicate to each other any information necessary for the application of this Agreement;

(b) shall lend their good offices and furnish assistance to one another with regard to the determination or payment of any benefit under this Agreement, or the legislation to which this Agreement applies, as if the matter involved the application of their own legislation; and

(c) shall communicate to each other, as soon as possible, all information about the measures taken by them for the application of this Agreement or about changes in their respective legislation insofar as these changes affect the application of this Agreement.

2. The assistance referred to in subparagraph 1(b) shall be provided free of charge, subject to any provision contained in an administrative arrangement concluded pursuant to Article XIV for the reimbursement of certain types of expenses.

3. Unless disclosure is required under the laws of the Parties, any information about a person which is transmitted in accordance with this Agreement to that Party by the other Party is confidential and shall be used only for purposes of implementing this Agreement and the legislation to which this Agreement applies.

ARTICLE XVI

Exemption or Reduction of Taxes, Dues, Fees or Charges

1. Any exemption from or reduction of taxes, legal dues, consular fees or administrative charges for which provision is made in the legislation of a Party in connection with the issuing of any certificate or document required to be produced for the application of that legislation shall be extended to certificates or documents required to be produced for the application of the legislation of the other Party.

2. Any documents of an official nature required to be produced for the application of this Agreement shall be exempt from any authentication by diplomatic or consular authorities and similar formality.

ARTICLE XVII

Language of Communication

For the application of this Agreement, the competent authorities and institutions of the Parties may communicate directly with one another in any official language of either Party.

ARTICLE XVIII

Submitting Claims, Notices or Appeals

1. Any claim, notice or appeal concerning the determination or payment of a benefit under the legislation of a Party which should, for the purposes of that legislation, have been presented within a prescribed period to a competent authority or institution of that Party, but which is presented within the same period to an authority or institution of the other Party, shall be treated as if it had been presented to the competent authority or institution of the first Party.

2. Subject to the second sentence of this paragraph, a claim for a benefit under the legislation of a Party made after the date of entry into force of this Agreement shall be deemed to be a claim for the corresponding benefit under the legislation of the other Party, provided that the applicant:

(a) requests that it be considered an application under the legislation of the other Party, or

(b) provides information at the time of application indicating that creditable periods have been completed under the legislation of the other Party.

The foregoing sentence, however, shall not apply if the applicant requests that his or her claim to the benefit of the other Party be delayed.

3. In any case to which paragraph 1 or 2 applies, the authority or institution to which the claim, notice or appeal has been submitted shall transmit it without delay to the authority or institution of the other Party.

ARTICLE XIX

Payment of Benefits

1. (a) The competent institution of Canada shall discharge its obligations under this Agreement in the currency of Canada.

(b) The competent institution of St. Kitts and Nevis shall discharge its obligations under this Agreement:

(i) in respect of a beneficiary resident in St. Kitts and Nevis, in the currency of St. Kitts and Nevis;

(ii) in respect of a beneficiary resident in Canada, in the currency of Canada; and

(iii) in respect of a beneficiary resident in a third State, in any currency freely convertible in that State.

2. In the application of subparagraphs 1(b)(ii) and (iii), the conversion rate shall be the rate of exchange in effect on the day when the payment is made.

3. Benefits shall be paid to beneficiaries free from any deduction for administrative expenses that may be incurred in paying the benefits.

ARTICLE XX

Resolution of Difficulties

The competent authorities of the Parties shall resolve, to the extent possible, any difficulties which arise in interpreting or applying this Agreement according to its spirit and fundamental principles.

ARTICLE XXI

Understandings with a Province of Canada

The relevant authority of St. Kitts and Nevis and a province of Canada may conclude understandings concerning any social security matter within provincial jurisdiction in Canada insofar as those understandings are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement.

PART V

TRANSITIONAL AND FINAL PROVISIONS

ARTICLE XXII

Transitional Provisions

1. Any creditable period completed before the date of entry into force of this Agreement shall be taken into account for the purpose of determining the right to a benefit under the Agreement.

2. No provision of this Agreement shall confer any right to receive payment of a benefit for a period before the date of entry into force of the Agreement.

3. Subject to paragraph 2, a benefit, other than a lump sum payment, shall be paid under this Agreement in respect of events which happened before the date of entry into force of the Agreement.

ARTICLE XXIII

Entry into Force and Termination

1. This Agreement shall enter into force on the first day of the fourth month following the month in which each Party shall have received from the other Party written notification that it has complied with all statutory requirements for the entry into force of this Agreement.

2. This Agreement shall remain in force without any limitation on its duration. It may be denounced at any time by either Party giving 12 months’ notice in writing to the other Party.

3. In the event of the termination of this Agreement, any right acquired by a person in accordance with its provisions shall be maintained and negotiations shall take place for the settlement of any rights then in course of acquisition by virtue of those provisions.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, being duly authorized thereto by their respective Governments, have signed this Agreement.

DONE in two copies at Ottawa, this 17th day of August, 1992, in the English and French languages, each text being equally authentic.

Benoît Bouchard

FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA

Constance V. Mitcham

FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE FEDERATION OF ST. KITTS AND NEVIS