- The CRA’s 2025-26 standard is a notice of assessment within two weeks for on-time digital returns, met 95% of the time.
- For on-time paper returns the standard is 12 weeks, met 85% of the time.
- Refunds go to the bank account on file by direct deposit; without it, the CRA mails a cheque.
- The CRA can keep part or all of a refund to pay tax owing, government debts or a support garnishment.
Checked October 2026
How long a tax refund takes
Your refund can’t be sent until the CRA assesses your return, so the wait comes down to how you filed. The CRA publishes service standards for this. They only apply to returns received on or before the filing due date.
| How you filed | CRA standard | How often met |
|---|---|---|
| Online (NETFILE, EFILE through a preparer) | Within 2 weeks | 95% of the time |
| Paper by mail | Within 12 weeks | 85% of the time |
| Non-resident or international | Within 16 weeks | Outside the standard |
Source: CRA Service Standards 2025-2026 and the CRA’s Tax refunds page. Deceased, bankruptcy and emigrant returns and returns for several years are excluded.
You’ll see older figures on some CRA pages too. One still gives a goal of 8 weeks for paper returns. The current standard and the CRA’s page on filing a paper return both say 12 weeks, so plan on that if you mail it.
Where’s my refund? How to check
- Sign in to your CRA accountMy Account shows your return’s status, the refund amount and your notice of assessment. The progress tracker sits on the Overview page.
- Or call the automated line1-800-959-8281 runs automated self-service from 6 am to 3 am ET, seven days a week, with no wait. Agents answer 8 am to 8 pm ET, Monday to Friday.
- Have your details readyThe CRA asks for your social insurance number, full name, date of birth, address and your notice of assessment.
If you live in Yukon, the Northwest Territories or Nunavut, the number is 1-866-426-1527. From outside Canada and the US, call 1-613-940-8495. Check your status online before calling. A refund only shows up once the CRA has finished assessing your return.
Direct deposit or cheque
The CRA calls direct deposit the fastest way to receive refunds and its other payments. Your refund goes to the account on file when you filed. If you hadn’t set up direct deposit before filing, you’ll get a cheque at the address on file instead.
- Sign up in My Account, through many banks’ online banking, or with the Canada Direct Deposit enrolment form by mail.
- Changing banks? Don’t close the old account until a payment lands in the new one.
- The CRA only pays by direct deposit or cheque. It doesn’t send refunds by e-transfer or bitcoin, so a message offering one isn’t from the CRA.
- A lost, stolen, damaged or missing cheque that hasn’t been cashed can be replaced on request.
Setting up direct deposit also covers benefit payments such as the GST/HST credit, now called the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit. You’ll need your transit, institution and account numbers, the same ones on a void cheque.
Why a refund gets held or reduced
Sometimes the refund on your notice is smaller than the one your software showed, or it doesn’t arrive at all. The CRA can apply all or part of it to money you owe the government.
| Reason | Examples |
|---|---|
| Tax you already owe | A balance from an earlier year |
| Support enforcement | A garnishment order under the Family Orders and Agreements Enforcement Assistance Act |
| Other federal debts | Student loans, EI or social assistance overpayments, immigration or training loans |
| Business filings | Outstanding GST/HST or payroll returns or debts from a sole proprietorship or partnership |
Processing can also stretch out if your return is picked for a detailed review, you filed several returns, or the CRA asks you for documents. Answer any request quickly, since the clock effectively stops until you do. And if your refund works out to $2 or less, the CRA generally doesn’t issue it.
Interest on a late refund
If your refund is slow, the CRA may pay you compound daily interest on it. For a 2025 refund, interest starts on the latest of three dates.
- May 30, 2026
- The 30th day after you filed your return
- The day you overpaid
So filing early doesn’t start the clock sooner. If you filed in March, interest couldn’t begin before May 30, 2026.
Your Notice of Assessment
The Notice of Assessment is the CRA’s summary of your return as assessed. Its account summary shows whether you get a refund, owe money or have a nil balance, and it explains any changes the CRA made. It also shows your RRSP deduction limit for next year.
Notices go to your online CRA account by default. If you chose letter mail, or never gave the CRA an email address, it’s mailed to you. Compare the refund on the notice with what you filed. If the CRA changed something you disagree with, the notice tells you how to respond.
What people do with a refund
A refund is usually your own money coming back: income tax withheld from your pay that turned out to be more than you owed. Common choices include paying down high-interest debt, topping up an RRSP or TFSA, or parking it in a high-interest savings account while you decide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a tax refund take in Canada?
The CRA aims to assess on-time online returns within 2 weeks and paper returns within 12 weeks. The refund follows the assessment.
Where’s my refund?
Sign in to your CRA account to see your return’s status and refund amount, or call the automated line at 1-800-959-8281, available 6 am to 3 am ET daily.
Why is my refund taking longer than 2 weeks?
Your return may be under review, filed after the due date, filed with other years, or the CRA may need documents from you. Paper returns take up to 12 weeks.
Is direct deposit faster than a cheque?
Yes. The CRA calls direct deposit the fastest way to receive refunds. Without it, a cheque is mailed to your address on file.
Does the CRA send refunds by e-transfer?
No. The CRA pays only by direct deposit or cheque, so a text or email offering a refund by e-transfer isn’t from the CRA.
Why is my refund smaller than expected?
The CRA may have changed your return, or applied part of the refund to tax owing, a support garnishment or another government debt. Your notice of assessment explains it.
Does the CRA pay interest on late refunds?
It may. For a 2025 refund, compound daily interest starts on the latest of May 30, 2026, the 30th day after you filed, or the day you overpaid.
What if my refund is only a dollar or two?
The CRA generally doesn’t issue a refund of $2 or less.
My refund cheque was lost. What can I do?
You can ask the CRA for a replacement if the cheque wasn’t cashed and was lost, stolen, damaged or missing.
How long do non-residents wait for a refund?
The CRA says non-resident and international returns are processed within 16 weeks.
Try this next
Sources, checked October 2026
- CRA: Tax refunds canada.ca
- CRA: Service Standards 2025-2026 canada.ca
- Canada.ca: Filing a paper tax return canada.ca
- Canada.ca: Notices of assessment canada.ca
- CRA: After sending us your tax return canada.ca
General information for Canadians, not financial, tax or legal advice. Rules and menus change, so confirm details with your bank, lender or the Government of Canada. See our methodology.