Figure 14 illustrates the incidence of OAS benefits for the elderly population in tax year 2000.
Long-term elderly did not report OAS benefits until the 16-year mark.31 At the 16-year mark the
incidence of OAS was 15 percent and at the 20-year mark it was 45 percent. Short-term elders do
not report OAS benefits until 6 years after landing, the point at which the eldest of this group
have reached age 65. Incidence remained at 10 percent or less until the 10-year mark when it
increased sharply to 35 percent. It continued to increase before stabilizing near 95 percent at the
15-yer mark. Immediate elders showed a similar pattern of incidence of OAS benefits.
Immediate elders had low incidence of OAS in the initial years since landing. This changed with
the sharp increase to 75 percent at the 10-year mark. After the 10-year mark incidence increased
by another 20 percent and remained above 95 percent from the 14-year mark and on.
Average OAS benefits were almost identical for all three elderly groups.32 The dollar amount
received by all elderly immigrants was fairly constant around $2 000 with a very modest increase
across years since landing. A small dip in the average amount of benefits occurred at the 10-year.