QueueCheckofficial waits, shared datesCRA tax refund processing time
2 weeks
The latest official timing. Reader reports below are separate and do not change it.
Last checked August 13, 2026.
Unchanged at every check since July 21, 2026.
None yet
Checked reports appear here once shared.
Current wait at a glance
Official information beside reader reports, kept clearly separate.
Official wait
2 weeks
This is the current official timing. Reader reports are shown separately.
Updated Aug 13
The official figure is the only timing on this page so far. Reader comparisons appear here once people share their dates below.
Official updates over time
Official history chart
How the official wait has changed over time. When the official figure is a range, the chart plots its midpoint.
CRA tax refund: the service standard is a notice of assessment within about 2 weeks for returns filed online, while paper returns take up to 12 weeks
Updated Aug 13, 2026, 4:33 PM
2 weeks
CRA tax refund: the service standard is a notice of assessment within about 2 weeks for returns filed online, while paper returns take up to 12 weeks
Updated Jul 21, 2026, 7:12 AM
2 weeks
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Reading the CRA tax refund figure
The notice of assessment comes first
A Canadian tax refund follows assessment of a return by the Canada Revenue Agency. The result of that assessment is a notice of assessment, and the refund follows it rather than preceding it, which is why the notice is the thing worth watching.
Electronic and paper are described separately
The published service standard describes returns filed electronically, and paper returns are described separately and take substantially longer. The standard assumes the return needs no review and that direct deposit is set up.
Review, set-off, and slips that arrive late
Returns selected for review are removed from the standard timeline until the review concludes, and selection is not an accusation. Amounts owed to other government programmes are set off against a refund before it is paid, which can turn an expected payment into a reduced one. A return filed before all slips have been issued frequently generates a reassessment later.
Complete timeline guide
CRA tax refund timeline: 2 weeks online, and what slows the rest
How long a CRA refund takes in 2026: the 2-week online service standard, up to 12 weeks for paper, direct deposit, reviews, and how to track your assessment.
Read the full stage-by-stage guide