Tax refunds - Canada.ca (2024)

Reminder: The Canada Revenue Agency has resumed its work to address taxpayer debt. Benefit and credit payments, and tax refunds may be applied to pay down outstanding balances. If your debt repayment causes significant financial hardship, contact theCRA directly to discuss your options even if you already have a payment plan in place. For more information about how specific benefits could be impacted, go to How payments are applied to offsetdebt.

When to expect yourrefund

How you file your return can affect when you get yourrefund.

The CRA's goal is to send you a notice of assessment, as well as any refund, within:

two weeks, when you fileonline
eight weeks, when you file a paperreturn

These timelines apply only to returns that are received on or before the duedate.

Refunds may take up to 16weeks if you live outside Canada and file an Income Tax and Benefit Return for Non-Residentsand Deemed Residents of Canada.

The CRA may take longer to process your return if your return is selected for a more detailedreview.

If you use directdeposit, you could get your refundfaster.

Why haven’t you received yourrefund?

TheCRA may keep all or part of your refund ifyou:

owe or are about to owe anamount
have a garnishment order under the Family Orders and Agreements Enforcement AssistanceAct
have certain other outstanding federal, provincial or territorial government debts, such as student loans, employment insurance(EI) and social assistance benefit overpayments, immigration loans or training allowance overpayments
have any outstanding GST/HST returns from a sole proprietorship orpartnership
have a refund of $2 orless

Interest on yourrefund

The CRA will pay you compound daily interest on your 2023 tax refund in some situations. The calculation will start on thelatestof the following three dates:

May30,2024
the 30thday after you file yourreturn
the day you overpaid yourtaxes

For more information, see Prescribed interestrates.

Check the status of yourrefund

How to check your refundstatus

If you reside in Canada, wait eightweeks before contacting the CRA for an update on your tax return and refund status. If you reside outside Canada, wait 16weeks.

Online:

My Account gives you secure online access to your tax return information.

Alternative: MyCRA mobileapp

By phone:

Check your refund status by phone

Before you call

To verify your identity, the CRA may ask for:

you social insurance number
your full name and date ofbirth
your complete address
line15000 from your most recent notice of assessment

Telephone number

1-800-959-1956

Hours

Always open (automated line)

No wait times

Understand yourrefund

If you don't understand how the CRA calculated your refund, read yournotice of assessmentor call the CRA forhelp.

By phone:

Get help understanding your tax refund

Before you call

To verify your identity, the CRA may ask for:

your social insurance number
your full name and date ofbirth
your complete address
an assessed return, notice of assessment or reassessment, other tax document, or be signed in to MyAccount

If you are calling the CRA on behalf of someone else, you must be an authorized representative

Telephone number

1-800-959-8281

Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut:
1-866-426-1527

Outside Canada and the United States (Eastern Standard Time):
613-940-8495

Hours

Table 1
Day	Hours
Monday toFriday	8am to 8pm
Saturday	9am to 5pm
Sunday	Closed

Closed on public holidays

Transfer yourrefund

Transfer your refund to an instalment account

You can ask the CRAto transfer your refund to your 2023 instalment accountby:

choosing this option when you file your tax returnelectronically
attaching a note to your paperreturn

The CRA will transfer thefull amount of your refund directly to your instalmentaccount. It will go toward any amount owing on your taxreturn. TheCRA will consider this payment received on the date yourreturn is assessed.

For more information, see Payments forindividuals.