The Canada Workers Benefit (CWB) is a refundable tax credit for people who work and earn a low income. You claim it on your tax return, and the CRA pays up to half of it early, in three advance payments a year. For the 2026 tax year, a single person can get up to $1,665 and a family up to $2,869, plus up to $860 more for a person with a disability.
How much you can get in 2026
The CWB has two parts: a basic amount and a disability supplement. These are the 2026 figures for everyone except residents of Quebec, Alberta and Nunavut, where the basic amount is different.
| Single | Family | |
|---|---|---|
| Basic amount, maximum | $1,665 | $2,869 |
| Basic amount starts to go down when income is over | $27,392 | $31,251 |
| Basic amount reaches $0 at about | $38,490 | $50,380 |
| Disability supplement, maximum | $860 | $860 |
| Disability supplement starts to go down when income is over | $38,495 | $50,377 |
“Family” means you have an eligible spouse or partner, or an eligible child under 19 living with you. Income here means adjusted net income (for a family, both of you combined).
How it’s worked out:
- The basic amount builds up at 27% of your working income over $3,000, until you reach the maximum. A single person reaches the full $1,665 at about $9,170 of working income.
- Once your income is over the threshold, the basic amount goes down by 15% of the income over it.
- The disability supplement builds up at 27% of working income over $1,150 and goes down by 15% of income over its own threshold (7.5% if both spouses have the Disability Tax Credit).
Some examples for 2026:
- A single person earning $12,000 gets the full $1,665.
- A single person earning $32,000 gets $1,665 minus 15% of $4,608, or about $973.80.
- A couple with a family net income of $40,000 gets $2,869 minus 15% of $8,749, or about $1,556.65.
These are our calculations using the CRA’s published amounts and rates. Your tax software works out your exact amount.
Who qualifies
- You lived in Canada all year.
- You earned working income, such as wages or self-employment income.
- You were 19 or older on December 31, or you lived with your spouse or partner or your child.
- Your net income is under the limit for your province or territory.
- You were not a full-time student for more than 13 weeks of the year, unless you had an eligible dependant on December 31.
- You were not in prison for 90 days or more in the year.
- For the disability supplement, you have an approved Form T2201, Disability Tax Credit Certificate, on file with the CRA.
How to get it: file your taxes
There’s no separate application. You get the CWB by filing your income tax return.
- File your 2026 tax return in spring 2027. If you file online, your tax software asks the questions and fills in the claim for you.
- On paper, fill out Schedule 6, Canada Workers Benefit, and enter the result on line 45300.
- If you have a spouse or partner, only one of you claims the basic amount. If you both have a disability, each of you claims the disability supplement on your own Schedule 6.
- If you got advance payments, the CRA sends you an RC210 slip. Report the amount on line 41500. Tax software does this when you enter the slip.
Advance payments (ACWB)
The Advanced Canada Workers Benefit (ACWB) pays up to 50% of your CWB early, in three payments: July, October and January. If you qualify for the disability supplement, 50% of it is included too. The exact dates are in the calendar at the top of this page.
- You don’t apply. If your tax return shows you’re entitled to the CWB, the CRA sends the advances automatically.
- The advances from July 2026 to January 2027 are based on your 2025 tax return. The rest of your CWB comes when you file your 2026 return.
- The CRA must get your tax return before November 1 of the benefit period (which runs July to June) for you to get advances in that period.
- You must be a resident of Canada on the first day of the payment period.
What changed in 2026
- All CWB amounts and income thresholds went up by 2.0% for inflation. The single maximum rose from $1,633 to $1,665, and the family maximum from $2,813 to $2,869.
- The disability supplement rose from $843 to $860.
- The GST/HST credit, which many CWB workers also get, is now called the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit.
Amounts for 2027 haven’t been announced yet.
Payment late, missing or different?
Wait 10 business days after an advance payment date. Then check your payment status in CRA My Account. If it still hasn’t arrived, call the CRA at 1-800-387-1193.
Common reasons:
- Your tax return wasn’t filed, or reached the CRA after October 31.
- Your address or bank account changed and the CRA wasn’t told.
- Your income went up, so your 2025 return no longer shows a CWB.
- You moved out of Canada.
Watch for scams. The CRA never sends refunds or benefit payments by e-transfer or text message, and never asks for payment by gift card, prepaid card or cryptocurrency. It doesn’t ask for personal or financial information by email or voicemail. Don’t click links in messages about your “workers benefit”. Sign in to CRA My Account yourself instead.
Other help you might be missing
- Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit: a quarterly payment for people with low or modest incomes. File your taxes to get it.
- Canada Child Benefit: a tax-free monthly payment if you’re raising children under 18.
- Canada Disability Benefit: a monthly payment for adults 18 to 64 with the Disability Tax Credit. Some working income isn’t counted.
- Ontario Trillium Benefit: help with energy, rent or property tax, and sales tax for Ontario residents with lower incomes.
- Employment Insurance: if you lose your job or can’t work for a while.
Common questions
When is the next Canada Workers Benefit payment?
Advance payments come in July, October and January. The calendar at the top of this page shows the next date and a countdown.
Do I need to apply for the Canada Workers Benefit advance payments?
No. The CRA sends them automatically if your tax return shows you’re entitled to the CWB and it arrives before November 1.
Can I get the CWB if I don’t owe any tax?
Yes. It’s a refundable tax credit, so you can get it even if you owe no tax. File a return to claim it.
Can I get the CWB if I’m a student?
Not if you were a full-time student for more than 13 weeks in the year, unless you had an eligible child living with you on December 31.
Why is my CWB different in Quebec or Alberta?
Quebec, Alberta and Nunavut have their own basic CWB amounts. Use the Schedule 6 for your province or territory, or let your tax software work it out.
