When will I get my income tax refund?

The time it takes to get your income tax refund can vary greatly depending on how you choose to submit your return to the government. For example, if you electronically file your return to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) using NETFILE, you can expect to receive your refund (in most cases, via direct deposit) in as little as 8 business days (NetFile submissions to Revenu Québec take about 2 weeks to process). Alternatively, you might wait anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks to get your refund if you submit your return by mail.

Note: If you aren't set up for direct deposit with the CRA, it can take an additional 10 business days for your cheque to be mailed out to you.