Can You Collect Disability Benefits While Living Abroad?

For families with disabled dependents or disabled adults seeking a lower cost of living or better healthcare systems abroad, understanding the portability of disability benefits is critical.

The harsh reality is that most government assistance programs are strictly tied to residency. Leaving the country—even temporarily—can trigger a total collapse of your safety net. Here is a breakdown of what happens to the major US and Canadian benefits if you move abroad.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) - NOT PORTABLE

SSI is a strictly needs-based welfare program for individuals living in the United States. It cannot be paid outside the US.

If you leave the US for 30 consecutive days or more, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will suspend your SSI payments. You will not be eligible to receive payments again until you have been back in the US for 30 consecutive days.

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) - PORTABLE

SSDI is one of the only truly portable disability benefits in the world. Because SSDI is funded through your payroll taxes, it is considered an earned entitlement, much like a retirement pension.

If you are a US citizen, you can generally continue to receive your SSDI checks no matter where you live, with a few exceptions (the US Treasury prohibits sending checks to countries like North Korea and Cuba).

If you are receiving Childhood Disability Benefits (CDB) based on your parent's work record, those are also generally portable, provided you meet the citizenship and residency tests.

Medicaid & Medicare - NOT PORTABLE

Medicaid and Medicare do not cross international borders.

• If you rely on Medicaid HCBS Waivers to fund group homes, respite, or day programs, you lose them the moment you establish residency outside your state.
• Medicare (which comes with SSDI) will not pay for medical care you receive in a foreign country (except in very narrow circumstances near the US border).

If you move abroad, you must secure private international health insurance or navigate the public healthcare system of your new host country.

The Public Charge Trap

Many countries will not grant a long-term residence visa (or citizenship) to an immigrant who has a severe disability, viewing them as a "public charge" or an excessive burden on their socialized medical system. Countries like Canada, Australia, and New Zealand have strict medical inadmissibility laws.

Warning

Canadian Provincial Funding - NOT PORTABLE

If you receive autism funding through Ontario's OAP, British Columbia's MCFD, or Alberta's FSCD, you must physically reside in the province.

If you move out of Canada, you lose all funding. Even if you move to a different Canadian province, you lose your current funding and must apply to the new province's system from scratch.