Continuous service improvement at the CRA
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Continuous service improvement at the CRA
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) continues to work diligently to improve our service and ensure we are ready to support you this tax season. Our focus has been on getting the fundamentals right: answering phone calls, processing requests in a timely manner, and making sure you have fast, easy, and reliable access to the information and tools you need to meet your tax obligations and get the benefits and credits you’re entitled to.
Following the 100-day Service Improvement Plan, we will continue to act on the feedback we receive and share details about the actions we are taking to improve service.
These improvements focus on key areas such as call accessibility and accuracy, self-service options, technological advancements, and processing efficiency.
On this page
Filing your taxes
- The tax-filing season officially started on February 23, 2026. Make sure you are ready to file your taxes with ease: get started by signing in to your CRA account
- Get ready to file a tax return
Self-serve
- Skip the Line - Get faster help from the CRA provides information on what to expect when contacting the CRA, and better ways to find the answers you need without calling
- Visit the Contact the CRA web page to check current wait times, find answers to frequently asked questions, and get guidance on how to resolve common issues
By the numbers – Service improvement statistics
We recognize there is an opportunity for us to enhance our service delivery to better meet your expectations.
We’re committed to transparency and will provide regular updates on this web page about service levels and actions we’re taking to address any challenges as they arise.
Answering your calls
Last year, our contact centres received over 12 million calls during tax season—approximately 200,000 calls each weekday.
This highlights the significant demand for our services and helps explain why, at peak times, call volumes across the country can exceed our capacity.
To address this, we are continually improving our self-serve options so you can get the help you need, faster and on your own time — without waiting on hold.
Unique callers answered
| Period ending | 2026-03-06 |
|---|---|
| Target | 70% |
| Unique callerstable 1 note 1 | 662,000 |
| % unique callers answered (agent answered calls / unique callers* multiplied by 100) | 73% |
Table 1 Note
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Call accuracy
When you call us, you should feel confident that the information you receive is accurate and reliable. The CRA reviewed more than 100,000 call recordings last year (2025) and found contact centre service representatives provided accurate information 92% of the time and professional service 96% of the time.
| Evaluations | Accuracy | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Account Specific Evaluations | 110,759 | 91% |
| Total Non-Account Specific Evaluations | 36,922 | 94% |
| Total Evaluations | 147,681 | 92% |
For more information on how we train contact centre service representatives, and how we evaluate and maintain call accuracy, visit Update on contact centres for the 2026 tax-filing season: Ensuring Canadians receive the support they need.
| Month | Number of new CRA account registrants |
|---|---|
| January 2026 | 125,901 |
| February 2026 | 140,343 |
| Total | 266,244 |
Processing times
We're committed to processing your requests as quickly as possible.
By providing accurate and complete information, you help us keep things moving smoothly, so you can get the support or refunds you need sooner.
Together, we can make the process faster and easier.
| Program | Current Processing Time | Service Standard | Update timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada child benefit application (CCB) Routine | 2 wks | Digital Application: 8 wks Paper Application: 11 wks |
Biweekly |
| Canada child benefit application (CCB) Complex | 9 wks | Biweekly | |
| Disability tax credit (DTC) | 5 wks | 8 wks | Biweekly |
| Objections | For more information: Processing times and complexity levels | Monthly | |
| Taxpayer relief | For more information: Cancel or waive penalties and interest at the CRA - Canada.ca | Monthly | |
| Service Feedback Program - Service Complaints | 50 business days | 30 business days | Biweekly |
| T1 Adjustment Routine | ~12 wks | 8 wks | Biweekly |
| T1 Adjustment Complex | ~45 wks | 20 wks | Biweekly |
Tax returns received by filing method
| Filing method | Number of returns | Percentage of total |
| Total electronic returns | 3,183,570 | 97% |
| Paper | 107,910 | 3% |
For more information: Individual income tax return statistics. This page is updated on a weekly basis.
Areas of service improvements
In 2026, the CRA will continue to work on service improvements to meet client expectations and address operational demands.
Our goal is to continue simplifying service interactions, leverage technology to drive productivity, and offer a wider variety of digital service options for individuals and businesses.
These activities will be reported here as new service offerings become available.
The CRA handles more than 30 million calls annually, 80 percent are related to individual accounts. The demand across the country exceeds our capacity.
We understand that this can lead to frustration and repeated calls, and we are fully committed to improving this situation.
- As of March 6, 2026, just as tax-filing season gets into full swing, we aim to fulfill our target of having 4,500 service representatives, until the beginning of May 2026.
- We noticed an 8 percent decrease in the time spent with a contact centre service representatives, for the top 5 topics in January 2026.
- From March 21 to May 2, our individual tax enquiries contact centre will have service on Saturdays from 9 am to 5 pm, Eastern standard time. From March 21 to May 2, service representatives will also be available from 9 am to 5 pm EST. Limited services will be offered during these hours, and callers may be asked to call back during regular operating hours for full service.
Expanding digital self-service options
Our digital services, including the CRA's GenAI chatbot beta and your CRA account, are designed to help you find answers and access services conveniently and independently, reducing the need for phone calls.
We are also improving our web content to make it easier to complete self-service tasks.
- As of January 20, 2026:
- It is now easier for individuals to order CRA forms and publications, including the 2025 T1 tax package on Canada.ca/Taxes. Check out these web pages for information on how to download digital versions of forms and publications to print at home, or to order printed versions.
- The CRA has improved information on Canada.ca/Taxes to help guide people who would like to file their 2025 tax return by mail or using a CRA secure Drop Box.
- The CRA has improved information related to getting a T1 income tax package on Canada.ca/Taxes. If you need a T1 income tax package, check out these web pages for information.
- Taxpayers with debts of $1,000 dollars or more, now have simplified options to pay in full, arrange payment schedules, contact a collections officer, or request a callback through secure, user friendly digital service options that encourage timely debt resolution.
- As of March 6, 2026:
- $440 million in payments in full or payment arrangements are attributed to the Manage balance service since its October 22, 2025 launch.
- Over 2.8 million taxpayers with debt $1,000 or more were presented the service.
- As of February 9, 2026, you’ll be able to find your NETFILE access code more easily in your CRA account. Sign in to your CRA account, go to My Account, and select tax returns to view your 8-character access code (letters and numbers). Use this code when filing your return electronically with tax software.
- As of February 9, 2026, the CRA introduced backup Multi-factor authentication (MFA) functionality for CRA account users. Users will be able to skip this step during tax season, but will be encouraged to do so each time they sign in to their CRA account. When setting up a backup MFA option, users can choose between a passcode grid or third-party authenticator app.
- As of February 19, 2026, non-resident tax account holders and their authorized representatives can now have digital access to their accounts by signing in to their CRA account and adding their non-resident tax account number from the Welcome page. For more information on non-resident tax filing and Part XIII tax obligations, please visit Are you meeting your non-resident tax obligations? - Canada.ca
- As of March 9, 2026, SimpleFile Digital is available to eligible individuals with or without an invitation. Individuals with a lower income and a simple tax situation can use our new eligibility questionnaire to see if they might be eligible to use this digital option to file their tax return. With SimpleFile Digital, eligible individuals can file their taxes by answering a quick series of questions and the CRA handles the rest.
Addressing the root causes of service issues
We are working to resolve the underlying factors that lead to service delays.
We have launched targeted teams to identify and implement key initiatives that improve processing times across programs where Canadians face service delays.
These initiatives will improve the overall client experience through streamlined processes and the use of advanced technologies like robotic process automation.
Accelerating service modernization
We are experimenting with new ways to leverage existing AI tools at our disposal and working with stakeholders to maximize current technology offerings while accelerating the deployment of others.
For example, our new telephony platform is scheduled for deployment in 2026 and will include features that will enhance both client and service representative experience.
- As of February 23, 2026, the CRA introduced multi-factor authentication (MFA) through its Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system, allowing taxpayers to securely authenticate themselves before speaking with a service representative. This pre-authentication helps expedite access to account-specific support once connected.
- This filing season, we’re piloting a new callback service for tax practitioners who are supporting clients with their individual tax and benefits enquiries. Instead of waiting on hold, they can request a callback through an online form and be connected with an experienced service representative when one becomes available. This pilot aims to reduce wait times and improve service for tax practitioners.
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2026-03-23