Payback time feels good
After filing your taxes, you want to know when to expect your tax refund cheque in the mail. The Canada Revenue Agency usually aims to send your tax refund within 2 weeks, when you file online or 8 weeks when you file a paper return.
These timelines are only for returns that the CRA receives on or before their due date. If you use direct deposit, you could get your refund faster.
Refunds may take up to 16 weeks if you live outside Canada and file a non-resident personal income tax return.
The CRA may take longer to process your return if your return is selected for a more detailed review.
Why haven’t you received your refund?
The CRA may keep all or part of your refund if you:
- owe or are about to owe an amount
- have a garnishment order under the Family Orders and Agreements Enforcement Assistance Act
- 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 or partnership
- have a refund of $2 or less
Interest on tax refund
The CRA will pay you compound daily interest on your 2022 tax refund. The calculation will start on the latest of the following three dates:
- May 30, 2023
- the 30th day after you file your return
- the day after you overpaid your taxes
