Written by Simon Huften, QROPS Specialist – Strata QROPS
QROPS Advisor Ontario - UK Pension Transfer to Canada
Ontario is home to the largest concentration of British expats in Canada. If you have moved from the UK and still hold an employer pension – Defined Benefit or Defined Contribution – that pension is sitting in a different currency, under different rules, and from April 2027, potentially exposed to UK Inheritance Tax for the first time.
Simon Huften is a QROPS specialist licensed in Ontario who has spent over a decade helping British expats across the GTA, Ottawa, Hamilton, and beyond transfer their UK pensions to Canadian RRSPs. The process is free to you, and a 15-minute consultation will tell you exactly where you stand.
Strata Wealth & Risk Management INC
Book Your Free Consultation
A free, no-obligation 20-minute consultation with Simon Huften. No charge, no sales pressure.
British Expats in Ontario - Why This Province Matters
Ontario is home to the largest British-born population of any Canadian province. The Greater Toronto Area alone has one of the most significant concentrations of UK expats in North America, with established communities across Mississauga, Oakville, Burlington, and the western GTA corridor.
Many of these residents hold UK employer pensions from careers with British companies, NHS trusts, local government, or private sector employers – pensions accumulated before emigration that now sit in a UK system not designed with a Canadian retirement in mind. The QROPS transfer framework exists precisely to consolidate these pensions into Canadian RRSPs where they can be managed alongside Canadian assets, in Canadian dollars, under Canadian rules.
Cities We Serve Across Ontario
Simon Huften works with British expats across Ontario. Consultations are conducted by phone or video – there is no requirement to travel. Whether you are in a major metropolitan centre or a smaller community, distance is never a barrier. Consultations are available evenings and weekends to accommodate clients across every part of the province.
- Toronto
Greater Toronto Area
- Mississauga
Greater Toronto Area
- Oakville
Greater Toronto Area
- Burlington
Greater Toronto Area / Hamilton Region
- Hamilton
Hamilton–Wentworth
- Ottawa
National Capital Region
- London
Southwestern Ontario
- Kingston
Eastern Ontario
QROPS Services Available in Ontario
Every UK employer pension transfer Simon handles follows the same rigorous process – regardless of where in Ontario you are based. What changes is the regulatory context: Simon is licensed to advise in Ontario and understands the provincial considerations that apply to your transfer.
Defined Benefit (DB) Pension Transfer
CETV assessment, FCA advice coordination, 12–16 week transfer via active CETV management
Defined Contribution (DC) Pension Transfer
6–10 week transfer timeline. Para 60(j) rollover into RRSP – no RRSP contribution room required
RRSP Provider: iA Clarington
Confirmed on HMRC ROPS list. Simon verifies status at opening and close of every transfer.
RRSP Provider: Industrial Alliance (IAG)
Confirmed on HMRC ROPS list. Simon verifies status at opening and close of every transfer.
IHT Pre-2027 Transfer Planning
Assess and action transfers before April 2027 UK IHT change
Free Initial Consultation
Phone or video. No fees to client. No obligation. Evenings and weekends available.
No-Fee Model
Compensated by provider only on completed transfer. Zero client charge.
April 2027 UK IHT Deadline - Why Ontario Residents Need to Act Now
APRIL 2027 UK INHERITANCE TAX DEADLINE
From April 2027, UK pension death benefits will be included in your estate for UK Inheritance Tax – taxed at up to 40%. On a £500,000 pension, that is a potential £200,000 liability paid from your estate before anything passes to your family. A QROPS transfer to a Canadian RRSP removes your pension from the UK IHT regime entirely – the RRSP is a Canadian domestic account that sits outside UK IHT structurally, not because of a QROPS-specific exemption. The DB transfer process takes 12–16 weeks. To complete before April 2027, the practical window to begin is Q1 2027 at the latest – and ideally before the end of 2026.
How the April 2027 IHT change affects your UK pension →
Why British Expats in Ontario Choose Strata QROPS
Simon Huften has spent over a decade specialising exclusively in UK employer pension transfers to Canada. No other service, no other niche – just this. That singular focus translates directly into faster, smoother transfers for clients in Ontario.
QROPS-only specialist
10+ years exclusively in UK-to-Canada pension transfers. Not a general financial planning firm that handles QROPS as a sideline.
$250M+ in completed transfers
AUM reflects real-world experience at scale. Completed transfers in 2025 and 2026.
Licensed in Ontario
Simon Huften holds a licence to advise in Ontario under [REGULATOR NAME - CONFIRM]. Your transfer is handled by a registered adviser in your province.
No fees to you
Strata QROPS is compensated by the Canadian investment provider only after your transfer completes. Nothing is charged to you at any stage.
Both DB and DC transfers
Simon handles both pension types. Most competitors handle one or the other, or treat QROPS as a small part of a broader practice.
Active CETV management (DB)
Simon monitors CETV windows and coordinates the FCA advice requirement to prevent expiry. A DB transfer that lapses at the CETV stage must restart entirely.
Phone and video consultations
No travel required. Evenings and weekends available. Clients across Ontario consult on their schedule - not bankers' hours.
HMRC ROPS list verification
Simon verifies that the receiving RRSP scheme holds current HMRC ROPS status at the start and close of every transfer. ROPS listings can and do change.
QROPS Eligibility for British Expats in Ontario
You qualify to transfer your UK employer pension to a Canadian RRSP via QROPS if you meet all three of the following conditions:
01
You hold a UK employer pension
Defined Benefit (final salary or career average) or Defined Contribution (money purchase). Both qualify. UK State Pension is not transferable via QROPS.
02
You are permanently resident in Canada
You must be tax-resident in Canada – specifically in Ontario or another Canadian province. The receiving RRSP must be in the same country as the member to avoid the 25% Overseas Transfer Charge
03
You are aged 55 to 70
The transfer window opens at age 55. The practical upper age limit is 70 – Canadian RRSP accounts must convert to RRIF by December 31 of the year you turn 71, so transfers must complete before that point.
⚠ PLANNING NOTE – AGED 55 OR 56?
The UK pension access age rises from 55 to 57 in April 2028 under the Finance Act 2022. If you are currently 55 or 56, your transfer window is open now. After April 2028, new transfers will require you to be 57. If you are approaching 55 and want to transfer shortly after becoming eligible, start the conversation now – the process takes up to 16 weeks for Defined Benefit pensions.
Full eligibility criteria →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Simon Huften licensed to advise on pension transfers in Ontario?
Yes. Simon Huften is licensed to advise in Ontario and works with British expats across the province. He is compensated by the Canadian investment provider (iA Clarington or Industrial Alliance) – not by you. There is no client fee for the transfer at any stage.
I live in the GTA - can I meet Simon in person, or does everything happen remotely?
All consultations and transfer coordination are handled by phone or video. This is by design – the QROPS transfer process is entirely document-driven and does not require in-person meetings at any stage. Simon offers evening and weekend appointments to accommodate clients across Ontario, wherever you are in the province.
What is the minimum pension size for a QROPS transfer in Ontario?
There is no regulatory minimum. In practice, Strata QROPS works most effectively with UK employer pensions of £100,000 or above, where the financial and estate planning benefits of transferring clearly outweigh any transaction considerations. Simon will give you an honest assessment during the initial consultation.
How does the UK–Canada Double Taxation Agreement affect my pension in Ontario?
Under the UK–Canada Double Taxation Agreement (DTA), your pension income is taxable only in Canada – your country of residence – once transferred to a Canadian RRSP. UK income tax is not withheld on RRSP withdrawals. For pensions still in the UK, an NT (nil-tax) code from HMRC can achieve the same result for ongoing payments, but the pension remains in GBP, under UK rules, and subject to UK Inheritance Tax from April 2027.
How long does a QROPS transfer take for Ontario residents?
Defined Contribution (DC) pension transfers typically complete in 6–10 weeks. Defined Benefit (DB) transfers take 12–16 weeks, primarily because UK FCA regulations require independent financial advice for DB pensions with a Cash Equivalent Transfer Value above £30,000 – a step Simon coordinates as part of the process. Simon actively manages the CETV window to prevent expiry, which would require the process to restart from the beginning.
Book a Free QROPS Consultation - Ontario
If you hold a UK employer pension and are permanently settled in Ontario, a free 15-minute consultation with Simon Huften will tell you whether a QROPS transfer makes sense for your situation.
No fees. No obligation. Consultations by phone or video – evenings and weekends available. Serving British expats across Ontario and all of Canada.
Check your eligibility first
- 1-888-298-2906
- Tap to call - Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm ET