How to File Your Taxes in Canada (CRA Return)
Most residents file a T1 income tax return each spring. The T1 is Canada's personal income tax return. The deadline is April 30. For self-employed people, it is June 15. File even if you have no income. The Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB), the Canada Child Benefit, and other payments only start once you file. NETFILENETFILE — CRA's service for filing your own tax return online using certified software.Click for official info ↗-certified software walks you through the return. It sends the return straight to the CRACanada Revenue Agency — Canada's tax agency. It administers income tax, benefits like the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (formerly the GST/HST credit), and CRA My Account.Click for official info ↗. First-year residents file a part-year return for the time they were resident.
At a glance
- Cost:
- Free (CRA-certified software) or $0–$40 for paid tiers; $100+ with an accountant
- Total time:
- 1–3 hours with software
- Steps:
- 9 steps
- Where to apply:
- canada.ca
Last reviewed November 2026 against official sources. Re-checked every 6 months · next review due May 2027.
The Steps
Follow these in order
Each card shows the phase, expected time, and any cost. Data checked against official CAN sources(November 2026).
0 of 9 steps
- Before You Go 15 min
Know whether you must (or should) file
You MUST file if you owe tax, if you are self-employed, or if you received capital gains. You SHOULD file anyway if you had no income. Benefits like the CGEB and the Canada Child Benefit need a return. The Canada Carbon Rebate ended with a final payment in April 2025. It is no longer paid. For newcomers, filing also builds a "staircase" of residency part-year filings. The filing deadline is April 30. For self-employed people it is June 15. But interest on a balance still starts on May 1.
Click to mark as done
- Go 20 min + 1–2 week code by mail
Register for CRA My Account
My Account lets you use Auto-fill My Return. The software pulls in every slip the CRA already has. This includes T4s, T5s, and RRSP data. Register with your SINSocial Insurance Number — Your 9-digit Canadian work and tax number. You need it to work, open accounts, and receive benefits.Click for official info ↗ and a CRA-accepted ID. Or wait 1–2 weeks for a security code by mail. The code gives you full access. Do this in January or February, so your account is ready for filing season.
Click to mark as done
- Fill / Prepare 30 min
Collect slips and choose NETFILE software
Employers send T4s by the end of February. Pick any CRA-certified software, like Wealthsimple Tax, TurboTax, H&R Block, GenuTax, or StudioTax. Most have a free tier for simple returns. NETFILE sends your return straight to the CRA. You need the access code from your last Notice of Assessment only if you did not use My Account.
Click to mark as done
- Before You Go 15 min
Know the T1 basics
The T1 is Canada's personal income tax return. Deductions reduce your taxable income. They include RRSP contributions (until March 1 for the prior year), childcare, moving expenses, and union dues. Credits reduce the tax you owe. They include the basic personal amount ($16,129 for 2025, if your net income is $177,882 or less). They include tuition (T2202), medical costs over 3% of net income, donations, and the Canada Workers Benefit.
Click to mark as done
- Fill / Prepare 1–3 hours
Complete the return
Enter your slips, or use Auto-fill. Then claim your deductions: RRSP contributions, union or professional dues, childcare, medical costs, donations, and home-office expenses where you qualify. First-year residents file a part-year return. Report world income only for the time you were a resident. Report the date you established residential ties. Watch for provincial credits, like Ontario Trillium. (BC's climate action tax credit was cancelled; its final payment was April 2025.) These depend on your rent or property tax.
Click to mark as done
- Fill / Prepare 20 min
Newcomers: file a part-year return
You become a tax resident of Canada from your landing date. Report Canadian-source income from your landing date. Report world income only where the form asks. It affects certain credits. Foreign income from before you landed is generally not taxed by Canada. Answer the question "Did you become a resident of Canada this year?" in your software. This sets your part-year status and your start date. Make sure the software claims the CGEB (Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit). Make sure it registers you for the CCB, if you have children. Note: new residents may need to apply separately for their first year, using CRA Form RC151. CGEB payments are not automatic from filing in year one. The first CGEB payments start in the quarter after your return is assessed.
Click to mark as done
- Submit & Pay 10 min
NETFILE the return
Send your return electronically. Keep the confirmation number. You get a Notice of Assessment in My Account right away, usually within 2 weeks. It shows your refund or your balance. Do you owe money? Pay online through My Account, through online banking, or at the bank. Payments after April 30 build up interest every day.
Click to mark as done
- Wait 2 weeks
Get your refund (if any)
Refunds by direct deposit arrive in about 2 weeks. Cheques take about 8 weeks. The CRA pays interest on late refunds. Did the CRA change your return, or ask for receipts? This is called a "request for information". Reply by the deadline to keep your credits.
Click to mark as done
- Follow Up —
Keep records for 6 years
Keep your returns, slips, and receipts for 6 years. The CRA can audit any return in that time. Your Notice of Assessment is also what you need for a citizenship application (3 years of filings). Download each year's PDF. Store it with your immigration papers.
Click to mark as done
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
I arrived mid-year. Do I report foreign income?
Only report income you received AFTER you became a tax resident. That means after you established residential ties, like a home, a spouse, or dependants in Canada. Foreign income from before that is not taxed. But you still show it on the "world income" line. The CRA uses it to work out your benefits. Report foreign income you got after you arrived, even if the money never came to Canada.
I have no income. Do I still file?
Yes. Filing gets you the CGEB, the Canada Child Benefit, and other refundable credits.
What happens if I file late?
You pay a 5% penalty on the balance owing, plus 1% per full month late (max 12 months). Interest also builds up daily on unpaid amounts. If you cannot pay, file anyway. The penalty for late filing is much worse than the interest on late payment. Payment plans are available.
Can I file without CRA My Account?
Yes. You can enter your slips by hand, from paper copies. But My Account is worth setting up. Auto-fill my return lives there. So do your express NOA, your online change requests, and your benefit letters. Registration takes one session, with your SIN and your documents.
I landed in November and had no Canadian income. Do I still file?
Yes. File a "nil" return for the part year. It starts your CRA record. It is required for the CGEB. And it is the basis for the CCB, if you have children. There is no penalty for filing with zero income. It takes 20 minutes.
Do I report income I earned abroad before landing?
No, not for Canadian tax. Employment income you earned before you became a tax resident is not taxed. But the return asks for your world income for the year. This is to work out certain credits correctly. Answer the newcomer questions in the software honestly. The software handles the split.
How do I file a T1 in 2026?
In 2026, you file your 2025 return. It is due April 30, 2026. Self-employed people file by June 15, but any balance is still due April 30. Use CRA-certified NETFILE software. Use Auto-fill my return to pull your slips. The 2025 federal basic personal amount is $16,129, if your net income is $177,882 or less. For the 2026 tax year (filed in 2027), the lowest federal rate drops to 14%. The maximum basic personal amount rises to $16,452.
What changes for the 2026 tax year, filed in 2027?
Two things. The lowest federal rate is 14% for the whole 2026 tax year, on the first $58,523 of taxable income. And the maximum federal basic personal amount is $16,452, up from $16,129 in 2025. The amount shrinks for higher incomes, down to $14,829. These are the CRA figures for 2026. Provincial rates are separate, so check your province too.
What about free clinics?
Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP) clinics file simple returns for free. They help people with a modest income and a simple tax situation. That means no rental income and no capital gains. Find a clinic near you on the CRA website, or through 211.
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