Contributions to the Québec Pension Plan
A person aged 18 or over who works and whose employment earnings are greater than the basic exemption of $3500 must contribute to the Québec Pension Plan. One year of contributions is recorded for each year during which the worker pays contributions on employment earnings over the basic exemption.
The amount of the basic exemption is reduced where he or she was not entitled to contribute to the Plan during the entire year in question.
That is the case if, during the year, he or she:
- turned 18;
- received a disability pension without receiving a retirement pension;
- died.
If your employment earnings exceed $3500, you contribute to the basic plan under the QPP at a rate of 5.4% and to the additional plan at a rate of 1%. If you are a salaried worker, your employer contributes as much as you. If you have earnings as a self-employed worker, you pay both portions of the contribution, therefore you contribute at a rate of 12.80%. You contribute at these rates up to the maximum pensionable earnings (MPE), which is $71 300 in 2025.
If you earn more than $71 300 in 2025, you contribute to the additional plan under the QPP at a rate of 4% on your earnings between $71 300 and $81 200. Your employer contributes as much as you. If you have earnings as a self-employed worker, you pay both portions of the contribution, therefore you contribute at a rate of 8%. A worker no longer contributes on his or her earnings over $81 200, that is, the maximum allowed by law in 2025.
Examples of annual contributions in 2025
Employment income for 2025
$ | Employee's contribution deducted at source
$ | Self-employed worker's contributions $ |
|---|
| 5000 | 96 | 192 |
|---|
| 10 000 | 416 | 832 |
|---|
| 15 000 | 736 | 1472 |
|---|
| 20 000 | 1056 | 2112 |
|---|
| 25 000 | 1376 | 2752 |
|---|
| 30 000 | 1696 | 3392 |
|---|
| 35 000 | 2016 | 4032 |
|---|
| 40 000 | 2336 | 4672 |
|---|
| 45 000 | 2656 | 5312 |
|---|
| 50 000 | 2976 | 5952 |
|---|
| 55 000 | 3296 | 6592 |
|---|
| 60 000 | 3616 | 7232 |
|---|
| 65 000 | 3936 | 7872 |
|---|
| 71 300 | 4339 | 8678 |
|---|
| 81 200 and over | 4735 | 9470 |
|---|
You can consult your Statement of Participation in My Account to find out the state of your contributions to the Québec Pension Plan. It is important to make sure that all the employment earnings on which you contributed to the Québec Pension Plan are correctly recorded. If there are any errors, Retraite Québec must be notified by completing the Request for Corrections to Pensionable Employment Earnings (Québec Pension Plan) form.
Workers who are receiving a disability pension under the Plan are no longer contributing to it.
If a person who works is receiving a retirement pension, whether or not he or she is receiving a disability pension, he or she must contribute to the Plan as soon as his or her earnings exceed $3500. His or her contributions will entitle him or her to an increase in his or her pension: the retirement pension supplement. As of age 65, if he or she refuses for his or her pension to increase because of the supplement, he or she may choose to stop contributing.
You will automatically stop contributing to the QPP as of 1 January following your 72nd birthday.
Other useful information