CWB payment dates for 2026 and the January 2027 advance

CWB payment dates in 2026

The CRA pays the Advanced Canada Workers Benefit (ACWB) three times in 2026: on January 12, July 10 and October 9 (Canada.ca benefits payment dates; CRA payment dates). These are the only CWB payment dates in the year; there is no monthly deposit. If you have an approved Disability Tax Credit, the advance share of the CWB disability supplement is added to these same three deposits.

Two of the 2026 dates fall on the same day as an Ontario Trillium Benefit deposit (July 10 and October 9), so Ontario workers who get both will often see two CRA deposits that day. The full list of other federal payments in those months is on CRA payment dates for July and October.

Which tax year does each Canada Workers Benefit payment belong to?

Each tax year's CWB advance is spread over July, October and the following January. That means the January 12, 2026 deposit finished the advances for the 2025 tax year, while July 10 and October 9, 2026 started the advances for the 2026 tax year. The Department of Finance set out this July, October, January sequence when the first advances were paid in 2023 (Finance Canada).

This matters when you file. Your RC210 slip for a tax year lists the July and October deposits of that year plus the January deposit of the next year. If you add up your bank statements by calendar year instead, the totals will not match the slip.

Why are there only three ACWB payment dates?

No more than half of the Canada Workers Benefit is paid in advance, and the government chose to split that half into three instalments rather than monthly deposits. The other half, plus any increase from a higher entitlement, arrives through your tax return. A worker whose 2025 return shows a $1,200 CWB would receive up to $600 across the three advances; for illustration, three equal instalments would be $200 each.

The amount of each advance comes from your previous year's return, so a raise or new job during the year does not change the deposits already scheduled. How the advance is sized, and what happens if your income changes, is explained in how the Advanced Canada Workers Benefit works.

When is the rest of the CWB paid at tax time?

The remaining Canada Workers Benefit is paid as part of your tax refund after you file. For the 2026 tax year, that means returns filed in spring 2027: Schedule 6 works out your full-year CWB, subtracts the advances on your RC210 slip, and adds the difference to your refund.

There is no fixed calendar date for this final piece. It arrives whenever the CRA processes your return and issues your refund. The size of that final payment depends on your actual income for the year, which is why how much the Canada Workers Benefit pays at different incomes is worth checking before you file.

When will the 2027 CWB payment dates be announced?

As of October 20, 2026, canada.ca lists only 2026 dates, so the January, July and October 2027 ACWB dates are not yet announced. The government usually posts the next year's benefits calendar late in the year, and we will add the dates here once the CRA publishes them.

The July and October 2027 advances will be based on your 2026 return, so filing that return before November 1, 2027 is what keeps you in line for them. Other federal dates for next year are tracked on upcoming CRA payment dates.

What to do if your CWB payment is missing

The CRA asks you to wait 10 working days after the payment date before contacting it about a missing CRA benefit other than the Canada Child Benefit (CRA payment dates). For the October 9, 2026 advance, that wait ends around October 26, allowing for the Thanksgiving holiday on October 12.

1. Check CRA My Account under Benefits and credits to see whether an ACWB payment was issued and on what date.
2. Confirm your direct deposit account and mailing address are current; a closed account or old address is a common reason a deposit goes astray.
3. Check whether you filed your previous year's return before November 1; a later return means no advances for that benefit period.
4. Look for a notice of assessment or reassessment that changed your CWB, since that can reduce or stop advances.
5. If none of these explain it after 10 working days, contact the CRA.

Missing an advance does not mean losing the money. If you were entitled, the full CWB is still paid when you file. More general steps are on benefit payment not received.