A refund shown in tax software is an estimate from the prepared return. To find your Canadian tax refund, sign in to your CRA account, open My Account and check the Progress tracker on the Overview page. Match the status to the next step below before chasing the deposit.
Confirm that CRA received the return
Keep the electronic filing acceptance or paper-filing record. A saved or printed return is not proof of successful transmission. If the first filing was rejected, resolve that rejection; if it was accepted, investigate its existing status. Do not submit another original return simply to restart the clock.
Match the status to your next step
| What you see | What to do next |
|---|---|
| Received | CRA has the return but has not assessed it. Keep the acceptance record and check the target completion date. |
| In progress | The return is under review. Check your CRA correspondence for a request before sending more documents. |
| Information requested | Open the request, follow its submission instructions and deadline, and keep proof of your response. |
| Assessed or Completed | Read the notice of assessment, then compare the refund amount and payment details. Finished processing does not itself confirm a bank deposit. |
| Target completion date update | Use the revised date for the processing check. It is an expected completion date, not a guaranteed payment date. |
These are CRA's Progress tracker statuses. The tracker shows active files and files completed within the past 30 days; an older completed return may no longer appear there. Check its assessment separately.
How long should a refund take?
CRA's refund guidance, checked October 27, 2026, lists processing within 2 weeks for electronic returns and 16 weeks for non-resident or international filers. Those times apply to returns received by the filing deadline. A detailed review or request for documents can take longer.
For a paper T1 return, use Check CRA processing times: choose Tax returns, claims, clearance certificates, then Tax returns, T1 income tax and benefit return, and paper. The current refund page directs paper filers to that tool rather than giving one fixed wait for every paper return.
If the applicable processing time has passed, check the account status and correspondence. When you contact CRA, have the tax year, filing date, acceptance record and any notice ready, plus the identity documents listed on the official refund page. A request for documents needs a response by its own deadline, even while the return is processing.
Compare the assessment and the payment
Read the notice of assessment to see the assessed refund and any changes from your calculation. Then check whether some or all of it was applied to another government debt. A smaller deposit does not necessarily mean the tax calculation changed.
For direct deposit, CRA uses the banking information on file when you sent the return. A later banking update is for future payments; do not assume it redirects a refund already in motion. For a cheque, check the address CRA holds. If payment is shown as sent but is missing, use the payment options and replacement-cheque link on CRA's refund page.
No legitimate refund requires accepting an unexpected text-message transfer. Sign in by navigating independently to the official site.
Checked October 27, 2026. For a request holding up the review, see responding to a CRA letter. Corrections after assessment use the adjustment process.
