OMERS AVCs are available to the following members of the OMERS Plan and there are restrictions that begin at age 70:
Working members, including members on a disability contribution waiver and on leave
Retired members
Members who left their OMERS employer but kept their pension in the Plan (deferred members)
Additionally, OMERS AVCs are only available to members who reside in Canada.
Your OMERS pension and AVCs are separate benefits. While they are both invested in the OMERS Fund, how they work and the benefits you receive from them are different.
Your OMERS lifetime pension is based on your years of credited service in the Plan and your "best five" earnings, which is paid to you after you retire for as long as you live.
The value of your AVC account is based on how much and for how long you contribute to AVCs and the applicable annual OMERS Fund net rate of return and applicable fees. When and how much you would like to withdraw or transfer are subject to the Terms of Participation.
AVCs offer another option to build additional retirement savings. However, it is voluntary and may not be right for everyone’s retirement savings plans or life stage. What is most important is that you know your options and decide what is best for you.
AVCs are likely most suitable for members with:
An interest in investing in a balanced, diversified global fund
A mid-to-long-term investment horizon (e.g., five to 15 years)
A moderate risk tolerance, including the potential for a negative return (loss) in any given year
The ability to maintain automatic contributions for the long term once they are started
An understanding of, and comfort with, restrictions on accessing AVC funds
Learn more about AVCs and how they may fit into your financial plan for retirement. To make an informed choice, OMERS encourages you to:
Review the information in the Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVCs) Guide, Terms of Participation and AVC Fact Sheet
Explore the retirement planning tools available through myOMERS
Consult a qualified financial adviser you trust
AVC accounts are invested in the OMERS Fund. Your AVC account benefits from the opportunity to invest in an internationally diversified Fund, its expertise and its long-term strategy to generate the consistent returns needed to meet the pension promise. Contributions to an AVC account receive the same net investment returns as the Fund.
Your AVC account is subject to the management expense ratio (MER) that is used to determine the OMERS Fund annual net rate of return (see below), as well as an annual administration fee. Both are subject to changes. The annual administration fee is currently $35, and the MER changes annually. Find more information on the latest MER and annual administration fee, as well as other investment details, in the AVC Fact Sheet: OMERS Investment Details.
AVCs returned 6.0% in 2025. Your AVC account earns the OMERS Fund annual net rate of return for the year (as at December 31 for the calendar year), which is net of investment expenses (i.e., after deducting the applicable MER).
The rate of return for the OMERS Fund is established around March 1 each year – this is the rate determination date for AVC purposes.
On the rate determination date, the annual rate of return, minus the MER and the annual AVC administration fee, are applied to your AVC account.
The rate of return is applied on a prorated basis to any amounts that are held in your AVC account for part of the year.
The five-year average rate of return will only be applied to your AVC account when the entire account balance is withdrawn.
For more details and definitions for the annual rate of return, five-year average rate of return and rate determination date, see the Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVCs) Guide and the Terms of Participation.
The following examples show how the applicable rate of return for the OMERS Fund is applied to an AVC account in different scenarios.
Note: All figures are for illustrative purposes only and do not reflect past or future returns or expenses. Results are rounded to the nearest dollar for illustrative purposes.
Depending on whether you are a working member, deferred member or retired member, contributions to your AVC account can be made automatically, as a fund transfer or a combination of both.
Fund transfers can only be made during the annual Transfer-in Window between January 1 and June 30.
Working members can also contribute regularly via pre-authorized debit or payroll deduction (if your employer offers the AVC payroll deduction option). However, your ability to make automatic contributions is subject to Income Tax Act limits, which take into consideration your contributory earnings and credited service. Please note that you cannot use your accumulated RRSP room to make AVC contributions. See automatic contribution limits for the current limits by contributory earnings.
Withdrawals from your AVC account can typically only be made during the annual Withdrawal Window between March 1 and April 30.
You can fully withdraw your AVC account when you leave employment with your OMERS employer, either to start your pension, keep your pension with OMERS as a deferred pension or transfer the commuted value of your pension out of OMERS.
Different withdrawal options apply to working members of the Plan and based on whether your funds are locked-in or non-locked-in.
Contributions and transfers-in to your AVC account are not permitted after age 70, although the AVC Income Option permits you to keep your non-locked-in funds with OMERS past age 71.
Explore the different options for contributing funds to your AVC account.
Explore the different options for withdrawing funds from your AVC account.
If you return from a leave, you may be able to purchase that leave to add to your OMERS credited service.