Oct. 31 deadline to get a pre-filled CRA tax return

Canadians who want a chance at a free, pre-filled tax return next spring must file their 2025 return, hold a CRA account and set their mail preference to electronic by Oct. 31, the Canada Revenue Agency said on its easier tax filing page.

The agency said it plans to start sending invitations in March 2027 to about one million people with lower incomes and simple, non-taxable situations. Those people would be asked to review a return the CRA has already filled in for 2026, correct or add anything missing, then accept and submit it. The service is free.

Being eligible does not guarantee an invitation. The CRA said the program is expected to grow to about 5.5 million people invited to file their 2028 taxes by 2029. The page does not publish a specific income cutoff, so the CRA’s own wording is the place to check whether your situation fits.

To be considered, the CRA said, a person must have filed a 2025 tax return by Oct. 31, 2026, have a CRA account, and have their correspondence preference set to electronic mail by the same date. Anyone who has not yet filed for 2025 can still do so late through options the agency lists for people with simple returns, including SimpleFile, free tax clinics and the Indigenous credit and benefit short return.

Yahoo Finance Canada reported the same conditions and timeline on Oct. 6, citing the CRA campaign page.

The deadline lands as the CRA changes how people sign in to online accounts. Canada News Media has reported on the agency’s optional extra sign-in step for online tax filing, which applies to the same CRA account that people need for this program. Readers tracking upcoming deposits can also see our October benefit payment dates.

The CRA also noted that people with no tax owing should still file, because the agency uses a return to work out eligibility for benefits and credits. The usual filing deadline for 2026 returns is April 30, 2027. Details on how to register or sign in are on the CRA’s official page.

If you find reporting like this useful, consider supporting Canada News Media, an independent Canadian newsroom with no corporate parent.