Your own contributions are always yours
Any contributions you've made from your own paycheque are 100% yours from day one; they can never be forfeited. When you leave your employer, your personal contributions stay in your account regardless of vesting.
Employer contributions and vesting
If you are also in a DPSP plan, whether you keep your employer's matched contributions depends on your plan's vesting schedule. 'Immediate vesting' means you own them right away. 'Cliff vesting' means you own 0% until you reach a threshold (e.g. 2 years), then 100%. Check your plan documents or ask LINK support if you're unsure.
What happens to your LINK account
Your Group RRSP with LINK converts to an individual RRSP. It stays invested in the same portfolio and continues growing tax-sheltered. You keep access to your LINK member portal. The main change is that new payroll contributions stop when you leave your employer.
Your options when you leave
You can leave the money with LINK (no action required; it will keep growing in a loyalty RRSP plan), transfer it to your new employer's group plan if they accept transfers, or transfer it to an individual RRSP at another institution. Transfers to other registered accounts have no tax implications.
If you need the money
You can withdraw from an RRSP at any time, but the withdrawal is added to your taxable income in that year. The plan administrator withholds tax at source (10% on withdrawals under $5,000, 20% on $5,000–$15,000, 30% on amounts over $15,000 in most provinces). Unless you're in a low-income year or genuinely need the funds, a common approach is to keep RRSP savings invested until retirement.