Eligible Canadians set to receive newly enhanced Canada Workers Benefit on July 28

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Eligible Canadians will receive their first automatic advance payments from the Canada Revenue Agency as part of the newly enhanced Canada Workers Benefit on July 28.

Those who received the Canada Workers Benefit in 2022 will automatically receive the funds as a top-up to their income, no application required.

“The Canada Workers Benefit tops-up the income of up to 4.2 million hardworking Canadians—because no one working full-time should be struggling to put food on the table or to pay their rent,” said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Chrystia Freeland, in a news release.

In 2021, the enhanced Canada's Workers Benefit expanded eligibility for a million more workers to receive the benefit.

Eligible single workers will receive up to $1,518, and eligible families will receive up to $2,616.

The payments are being given out right now in advance as a result of Bill C-47, which implements some of the commitments from the 2023 federal budget. Previously, recipients would’ve had to wait until they’ve filed their taxes next year to receive the benefit.

In order to be eligible for the benefit, recipients must earn a working income below the net income level set for their province, be a Canadian resident through the year, and be age 19 or older on December 3 or live with a spouse, common-law partner, or child. The net income level ranges between $33,015 to $58,932, depending on the province or territory the applicant resides in, how many children the applicant has, as well as whether the applicant is single.

The funds will be split between three advance payments, in July 2023, October 2023, and January 2024, and a final payment following the filing of the workers’ 2023 tax return.

For example, a worker who earned a yearly income of $25,000 received $1,200 through the Canada Workers Benefit for 2022. Now, with the advance payments, the worker will receive three quarterly payments of $200, and a final payment of $600 after filing their 2023 taxes in early 2024.

The new advance comes along with other benefits and measures aimed at relieving inflation, including the reduced child care costs, the Canada Child Benefit, the Canada Dental Benefit, the Grocery Rebate, the Pollution Pricing Rebate, and tax relief from the increased Basic Personal Amount.

The deposited payment will be based on income reported in the previous year’s tax return, and will be adjusted based on inflation to keep up with the cost of living.