Canada Workers Benefit: Who Qualifies, How Much You Can Get and How to Claim It
Many people who work for modest pay never claim this credit because it does not arrive on its own: it comes through your tax return. Below is what the CRA says about who qualifies, how much you can get, how the advance payments work and how to claim it. Every number here is from the CRA's line 45300 pages for the 2025 tax year, and the examples are labelled as ours.
On this page
What the CWB is
The CRA calls the Canada workers benefit a refundable tax credit for working individuals and families with low income. Refundable means it can be paid to you even if you owe no income tax. It is claimed on line 45300 of the federal return and has two parts:
- a basic amount for people with working income below a set level
- a disability supplement for people who qualify for the disability tax credit
The amount depends on your income and your province or territory of residence. The CRA also uses your marital status, your earned working income, your adjusted family net income, any eligible dependants and your disability tax credit eligibility to work out the result. The pages we used describe the 2025 tax year; earlier years are listed separately on the CRA site, so check the year before you rely on a figure.
The CWB is different from the Canada child benefit and from the quarterly Canada groceries and essentials benefit. If you are comparing what you might receive in a year, see our guides to the Canada child benefit and the Canada groceries and essentials benefit, and our benefit payment dates page.
Who qualifies
For the basic amount, the CRA says you must meet all of these:
- You have working income, and your net income is below the threshold for your province or territory.
- You are a resident of Canada throughout the year.
- You are 19 or older on December 31, or you live with a spouse, common-law partner or child.
You are not eligible if any of these apply:
- You were a full-time student at a designated educational institution for more than 13 weeks in the year, unless you had an eligible dependant on December 31.
- You were confined to a prison or similar institution for at least 90 days in the year.
- You were not required to pay Canadian tax as a foreign diplomat, officer or servant, or as a family member or employee of one.
The student rule catches many young workers. If that is you, our guide to the tuition tax credit covers a different credit that students do claim.
Who counts as a spouse or dependant
An eligible spouse or common-law partner lives with you on December 31 and is a resident of Canada throughout the year. The same three exclusions above apply to them. If they died after June 30, 2025, they must have been living with you at death, and you must not have been living with another person on December 31, 2025.
An eligible dependant is your child or your spouse's or common-law partner's child, including a person in your custody and control who was wholly dependent on you for support. The child must be under 19 and live with you on December 31, and must not be eligible for the CWB themselves.
How much you can get
These are the CRA's figures for the 2025 tax year. They are maximums; the benefit shrinks as income rises and is zero above the upper limit.
| Basic CWB, 2025 | Maximum | Reduced above (adjusted net income) | None above |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single individual | $1,633 | $26,855 | $37,742 |
| Family | $2,813 | $30,639 (adjusted family net income) | $49,393 |
The CRA notes that the basic and disability maximums vary for residents of Quebec, Nunavut and Alberta. The pages we read did not list those regional maximums, so if you live in one of those places, use the CRA calculator or your tax software for your exact figure.
The CRA also points to its child and family benefit calculator for estimates, based on your situation as of December 31. Because the CWB is tied to your tax return, it helps to understand what counts as working income. Our guide on what counts as earned income covers a related idea for RRSPs, though the CRA applies its own definition for the CWB, so confirm it on the CRA page. If you earn money outside a regular job, see side hustle taxes in Canada.
Income limits by region
The CRA lists the net income at which the basic amount stops. These are the 2025 thresholds.
| Region | Families | Single without children |
|---|---|---|
| Canada, excluding Alberta, Quebec and Nunavut | $49,393 | $37,742 |
| Alberta | $50,232 (also single parents) | $37,826 |
| Nunavut | $67,365 | $67,367 |
Quebec uses four categories: family with children $41,048.90, family without children $51,504.09, single with children $24,561.56 and single without children $33,230.35.
To compare your pay with these limits, our minimum wage by province page lists current rates. The CWB looks at a whole year of income, not an hourly rate, and the tools page has calculators for planning around tax-time credits.
The disability supplement
The disability supplement is added to the basic amount if you meet both of these conditions:
- You qualify for the disability tax credit, and an approved Form T2201 is on file with the CRA.
- Your net income is below the disability supplement threshold for your province or territory.
For 2025, the CRA lists a supplement of up to $843 for both singles and families.
| Disability supplement, 2025 | Reduced above | None above |
|---|---|---|
| Single individual | $37,740 | $43,360 |
| Family | $49,389 | $55,009 if one spouse qualifies for the disability tax credit; $60,629 if both do |
Regional supplement limits also differ: for example Alberta is $55,852 (families and single parents) and $43,446 for singles without children, and Nunavut is $75,165 and $75,157. Check the CRA page for Quebec's four categories.
The CRA says that if one spouse qualifies for the disability tax credit, that person claims both the basic amount and the supplement. If both qualify, only one claims the basic amount, but each claims the supplement on a separate Schedule 6.
Advance payments
Instead of waiting for a refund, you can receive up to 50% of your CWB during the year through the Advanced Canada workers benefit. If you are eligible for the disability supplement, 50% of it is paid with the basic advance payments. The CRA's key points:
- You do not apply. Payments are sent automatically, and the CRA determines eligibility from your return.
- You must be a resident of Canada on the first day of the payment period.
- The CRA lists three payments a year: July 12, October 11 and January 10. If a date falls on a weekend or federal holiday, payment is made on the previous business day.
- The CRA must receive your return before November 1 of the benefit period (July to June the following year) for you to receive advance payments.
- For couples, the basic advance goes to the spouse with the higher working income. If incomes are equal, it goes to the first filer.
- During the year, only death, incarceration (90 or more consecutive days) or emigration change advance payments. A change in marital status or a move does not, unless you request a reassessment.
How to claim it
You claim the CWB when you file your tax return:
- With tax software: use certified tax software. It works out the CWB from your answers.
- On paper: complete Schedule 6. Enter the result from "Step 2 - Basic CWB" or "Step 3 - CWB disability supplement", whichever applies, on line 45300.
- Check your marital status and dependants before you submit, because the family amounts depend on them.
- If you may qualify for the supplement, make sure the CRA has an approved Form T2201 on file before you file.
The CRA page we read gives no general filing deadline for the CWB beyond the November 1 rule for advance payments. If you have never filed, start with how to file taxes in Canada for the first time. If your income is low and you are unsure you need to file at all, read do I need to file taxes with low income: for the CWB, filing is how you claim, so a return can be worth it even when you owe nothing.
Reading the numbers: an illustration
These examples are our own and only show how to read the CRA's 2025 figures. They are not estimates of what you would receive, because the pages we read do not give the reduction rate.
| Situation (illustrative) | Where it falls in the CRA's 2025 table |
|---|---|
| Single, no children, Ontario, adjusted net income $20,000 | Below $26,855, so the reduction has not started. The maximum of up to $1,633 is the starting point, subject to the other rules. |
| Single, no children, Ontario, adjusted net income $30,000 | Between $26,855 and $37,742, so the benefit is reduced but not zero. |
| Single, no children, Ontario, adjusted net income $40,000 | Above $37,742, so no basic CWB. |
| Family, Ontario, adjusted family net income $45,000 | Between $30,639 and $49,393, so the benefit is reduced but not zero. |
Use these only to see which zone you are in. Your tax software or the CRA calculator gives the actual number.
Questions people ask
What is the Canada workers benefit?
The CRA describes the Canada workers benefit (CWB) as a refundable tax credit for working individuals and families with low income. It has a basic amount and a disability supplement, and you claim it on line 45300 when you file your return.
How much is the Canada workers benefit for 2025?
For the 2025 tax year, the CRA lists a basic amount of up to $1,633 for single individuals and up to $2,813 for families. The disability supplement is up to $843. Amounts differ for residents of Quebec, Nunavut and Alberta.
Do I have to apply for the Canada workers benefit?
You claim it by filing your tax return, either with certified tax software or on paper with Schedule 6, and entering the result on line 45300. Advance payments are sent automatically; you do not apply for them.
Can students get the Canada workers benefit?
Not if you were a full-time student at a designated institution for more than 13 weeks in the year, unless you had an eligible dependant on December 31. This is one of the exclusions the CRA lists.
How do advance Canada workers benefit payments work?
You can receive up to 50% of your CWB in advance, paid three times a year. The CRA page lists July 12, October 11 and January 10. The CRA must receive your return before November 1 of the benefit period for you to receive advance payments.
Who qualifies for the CWB disability supplement?
You must qualify for the disability tax credit with an approved Form T2201 on file with the CRA, and your net income must be below the disability supplement threshold for your province or territory.
Looni reads statements you choose to share, read-only, and flags fees and subscriptions so more of your low income stays with you. It is not a bank and it does not file your taxes.
Sources
Canada Revenue Agency, Line 45300 - Canada workers benefit (CWB) (overview for the 2025 tax year: refundable credit, basic amount and disability supplement, last modified January 20, 2026), Who is eligible (updated April 8, 2026: eligibility conditions, exclusions, spouse and dependant definitions, disability supplement conditions, 2025 income thresholds by region), How much you can get (updated April 8, 2026: 2025 maximums, reduction and cut-off thresholds, how the CWB is calculated, advance payment rules and dates) and How to claim (updated June 12, 2026: claiming with software or Schedule 6, line 45300, spouse rules, November 1 return rule for advance payments). The illustrative table is our own reading of those figures.