Yes. Pension income is a recognized source under Appendix FM Home Office guidance and can be used to meet the UK Spouse Visa financial requirements. State, occupational, and private pensions all qualify — including overseas pensions — so Canadian CPP, OAS, or private pension income can all count toward the threshold.

Two conditions apply. The pension must already be in payment at the date of application and must have been received for at least 28 days before that date. You will also need to provide official documentation confirming the pension entitlement and amount — from the pension provider or relevant government agency — along with at least one personal bank statement from the past 12 months showing the deposits into your spouse’s account.

If pension income alone does not reach £29,000, it can be combined with other qualifying sources such as employment income, rental income, or cash savings. The savings top-up formula is: £16,000 plus 2.5 times the shortfall. For example, if pension income is £20,000, you would need £16,000 + (£9,000 × 2.5) = £38,500 in qualifying savings, held for at least six months.

Canadian pension income will be converted to GBP using the OANDA closing spot exchange rate on the date of application. If your income is close to the threshold, it is worth checking the conversion carefully before submitting.

Get more information and legal help

For tailored advice, please get in touch with Sterling Immigration Ltd.

								
You now have 3 options:
								

									
More answers about UK & Europe Travel and Immigration
									
Master List: 2,500 Legal Answers
																													
																		
Government Links