When are Canada Workers Benefit payments in 2026?

Advance CWB (ACWB) payments are made quarterly on the same dates as the GST/HST credit: January 5, April 5, July 5, and October 5, 2026. If you claim CWB on your tax return instead, the full amount comes with your refund.

How much is the Canada Workers Benefit in 2026?

For the 2025 tax year (paid in 2026), the maximum basic CWB is $1,633 for singles and $2,813 for families. A disability supplement of up to $843 is also available.

What is the difference between CWB and ACWB?

CWB is the full amount claimed on your tax return. ACWB provides advance quarterly payments equal to 50% of your estimated CWB, so you get the money throughout the year instead of waiting for your refund.

Who qualifies for the Canada Workers Benefit?

Canadian residents aged 19+ with working income over $3,000 and net income below $37,740 (single) or $49,389 (family). Full-time students without dependents do not qualify.

Canada Workers Benefit Payment Dates 2026 | CWB & ACWB Schedule

Canada Workers Benefit Payment Dates 2026

Advance CWB (ACWB) Quarterly Payments

If you applied for advance payments, ACWB is paid on the same dates as the GST/HST credit:

Quarter	Payment Date	Notes
Q1	January 5, 2026	Monday
Q2	April 5, 2026	Sunday — paid April 3
Q3	July 5, 2026	Sunday — paid July 3
Q4	October 5, 2026	Monday

If a date falls on a weekend or holiday, payment is made on the last business day before.

CWB on Tax Return

If you don’t apply for advance payments, you receive the full CWB amount when you file your tax return. For the 2025 tax year, this would be in your 2026 tax refund (typically April-June 2026).

CWB vs. ACWB: Which to choose?

Option	Timing	Amount
ACWB (Advance)	4 quarterly payments throughout 2026	50% of estimated CWB
CWB (Tax return)	Lump sum with tax refund	Full amount
Both	Advance payments + remaining balance with refund	ACWB during year + remainder at tax time

Tip: If you need cash flow help throughout the year, apply for ACWB. You’ll receive 50% as quarterly payments and the remaining 50% when you file your return.

2026 CWB Amounts (2025 Tax Year)

Basic CWB

Situation	Maximum Amount	Phase-in Starts	Phase-out Starts	Phase-out Ends
Single	$1,633	$3,000	$26,855	~$37,740
Family	$2,813	$3,000	$30,639	~$49,389

Disability Supplement

Situation	Maximum Amount
Single or Family	$843

Total Maximum CWB

Situation	Basic + Disability
Single with disability	$2,476
Family with disability	$3,656

How CWB is calculated

Phase-in: CWB increases at 27% of working income above $3,000 until it reaches the maximum.

Phase-out: CWB decreases at 15% of income above the phase-out threshold until it reaches $0.

Example: Single person earning $20,000

Working income: $20,000
Phase-in amount: ($20,000 − $3,000) × 27% = $4,590 → capped at $1,633
Phase-out: $0 (income below $26,855)
CWB: $1,633

Example: Single person earning $30,000

Maximum CWB: $1,633
Phase-out reduction: ($30,000 − $26,855) × 15% = $471.75
CWB: $1,161.25

How to apply for ACWB

File your tax return and claim CWB on Schedule 6
Check the box to apply for advance payments
CRA will calculate your ACWB and begin quarterly deposits
You must reapply each year through your tax return

Secondary earner exemption

In 2023, CRA introduced a secondary earner exemption to the CWB phase-out calculation. For families where both spouses have working income, the lower-earning spouse can exempt up to $14,750 of their working income from the CWB phase-out calculation.

How it works: the spouse with lower working income designates up to $14,750 as exempt. This exemption is entered on Schedule 6. The effect is that the family CWB phase-out is calculated on a lower family net income, meaning the family can retain more of their CWB even as combined income rises.

Who benefits: dual-income families where both partners work part-time or one partner has seasonal income. This exemption was designed to encourage workforce participation by low-income second earners.

CWB disability supplement

Workers with an approved Disability Tax Credit (DTC) certificate can claim an additional disability supplement on top of the basic CWB:

CWB component	2025 tax year maximum
Basic CWB (single)	$1,633
Disability supplement	$843
Total (single with DTC)	$2,476
Basic CWB (family)	$2,813
Disability supplement	$843
Total (family, one DTC holder)	$3,656

The DTC must be approved by CRA before you can claim the disability supplement. If you think you qualify for the DTC but have not applied, file Form T2201 with a medical practitioner’s certification — the CWB disability supplement is one of several benefits the DTC unlocks.

Provincial top-ups

Several provinces have their own workers benefit or refundable credit that operates alongside the federal CWB:

Province	Provincial working income supplement	Notes
BC	BC Affordability Credit / Working Family Benefit	Income-tested, administered with federal tax return
Alberta	Alberta Seniors Benefit (different target group)	Separate program for low-income seniors
Ontario	Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB)	Not specifically for workers but has income-tested components
Quebec	Work Premium (Prime au travail)	Separate Quebec refundable credit for low-income workers

Who does NOT qualify for CWB

Disqualifying factor	Reason
Full-time student without dependants	Considered to have deferred income
Income earned in prison	Excluded from working income definition
Net income over phase-out threshold	CWB reduces to $0 above ~$37,740 (single) or ~$49,389 (family)
Not a resident of Canada	Must be Canadian resident throughout the year
Claimed as a dependant by someone else	Cannot claim if you are a dependant