Social Security taxes paid and CPP

Hi all,

I paid for about 2 years Social Security taxes while working in the US. At that time, I was neither a US nor a Canadian national. I am now a Canadian national.

1. Can I inform SSA so that my paid benefits can be linked to my CPP I paid I Canada ? Otherwise, I would lose this since I do not have any permanent residence at this time in the US so would not be eligible to receive it.

2. As for Medicare, I think it is non refundable as per a couple of posts on this site.

I find it very unfair that most of the non US/Canadian nationals working in the US on a temporary visa e.g. H1B etc. have a hard time getting the money back if there is no treaty between US and their country of citizenship. I guess things have changed now and they get all the amount paid back to them.

thanks

Yes you can, there is a totalization agreement. Look it up at www.ssa.gov

Medicare is not covered by the agreement.

As long as you have contributed to 6 quarters or more, your SS contributions in US are counted. So if a person has 8 years contribution to CPP and 3 years to SS, then combining it helps since either contributions in individual countries would not cover for benefits