Last updated: October 8, 2026

The bottom line: The second of three advance payments based on your 2025 tax return — and the last Advanced Canada Workers Benefit (ACWB) payment of calendar 2026 — is issued Friday, October 9, 2026. If you were entitled to the Canada Workers Benefit on your 2025 tax return, you will receive up to one-third of 50% of your estimated CWB — at most about $272 if you are single or $469 if you have a family (plus up to ~$141 more with the disability supplement). The good news: ACWB advances are automatic. The CRA issues them with no application needed, based on your assessed return. The third advance in this cycle follows in January 2027.

Advanced Canada Workers Benefit Payment Goes Out Today (October 9, 2026)

What is the Advanced Canada Workers Benefit?

The ACWB is simply the advance-payment stream of the Canada Workers Benefit (CWB), the federal refundable tax credit for low-income workers. Instead of waiting until you file your tax return to receive the whole credit, the CRA pays up to 50% of your estimated CWB in advance, split into three installments. The rest is settled when your return is processed.

Advances for one tax return are paid in three instalments — July, October, and the following January. The cycle based on your 2025 return runs:

Advance (2025-return cycle) Date Status
First advance July 10, 2026 Paid
Second advance October 9, 2026 Paid today — last ACWB payment of calendar 2026
Third advance January 2027 (exact date to be posted by the CRA) Upcoming

The CRA’s official payment-dates page also lists January 12, 2026 — that was the third advance of the previous cycle, based on the 2024 return, not part of this one.

Who gets paid on October 9?

You receive the October 9 advance if all of the following applied to you for the 2025 benefit year:

  • Your 2025 tax return was filed and assessed, showing entitlement to the Canada Workers Benefit — advance payments are issued automatically, with no application needed;
  • You were 19 or older at the end of 2025, or you lived with a spouse, common-law partner, or dependent child;
  • You were a Canadian resident for the entire year;
  • You earned at least $3,000 in working income (employment or self-employment) in 2025;
  • Your 2025 adjusted net income falls below the phase-out cutoffs in the table below.

How much will the October 9 payment be?

Each advance in this cycle equals 50% of your estimated annual CWB, divided by 3. The federal maximums for the 2025 benefit year (outside Quebec, Alberta, and Nunavut, which have their own CRA-approved amounts) are:

Category Max annual CWB Max per advance payment
Single, no children $1,633 ~$272
Family $2,813 ~$469
Disability supplement (on top of basic) $843 ~$141

The math: $1,633 × 50% ÷ 3 = $272.17 per payment for a single worker at the maximum; $2,813 × 50% ÷ 3 = $468.83 for a family; $843 × 50% ÷ 3 = $140.50 for the disability supplement. Qualify for both the basic amount and the supplement and a single worker’s advance can top $400, while a family’s can approach $750.

Most recipients get less than the maximum — the benefit phases out as income rises:

Category Phase-out begins (2025) No benefit above
Single $26,855 ~$37,474
Family $30,639 ~$49,391

If your adjusted net income sits between the phase-out start and the zero-benefit cutoff, you receive a partial CWB — which means a smaller advance on October 9.

Why some people miss the payment

ACWB advance payments are automatic — there is no application to file and no opt-in to complete. But the CRA can only issue the advance when it has determined your entitlement from your tax return, so the real reasons payments don’t arrive are:

  • Your 2025 return was filed late or has not been assessed yet;
  • Your 2025 income rose above the phase-out cutoffs;
  • The CRA has stale direct-deposit or mailing-address information for you.

If any of those apply, sign in to CRA My Account to check your return’s assessment status and confirm your direct deposit details are current.

What happens after October 9?

October 9 is the last ACWB payment of calendar 2026, but it is not the last advance in this cycle: the third advance, based on the same 2025 return, follows in January 2027. When you file your 2026 tax return, the CRA reconciles everything: the advances you received are compared against your actual CWB entitlement. If the advances exceeded what you qualified for, the difference is recovered — usually by reducing your refund or other credits. If you received less than your entitlement, the balance arrives with your refund.

The CRA publishes each year’s exact payment dates on its official payment-dates page.

Frequently asked questions

When is the next ACWB payment after October 9, 2026?
In January 2027 — it is the third and final advance of the cycle based on your 2025 return. The CRA will post the exact January date on its official payment-dates page.

How much will I get on October 9?
At most about $272 if you are single or $469 if you have a family — one-third of 50% of your estimated annual CWB. Your actual amount depends on your 2025 working income and adjusted net income, and the disability supplement can add up to ~$141 more per payment.

Do I need to apply for the ACWB?
No. The CRA issues ACWB advance payments automatically to anyone entitled to the Canada Workers Benefit on their tax return — there is no application and no opt-in.

My 2025 return hasn’t been assessed yet. Will I still get paid on October 9?
Possibly not on time. Advances are issued based on your assessed return, so check your assessment status in CRA My Account. Any CWB entitlement is reconciled when your return is processed.

Is the ACWB taxable?
No. The Canada Workers Benefit is a refundable tax credit, not taxable income. You do not report it as income on your return.

What if my income changed since last year?
Advances are estimates based on your prior-year return. The CRA reconciles everything when your return is processed — overpayments are recovered and shortfalls are topped up.

I was eligible but did not get paid. What now?
Check CRA My Account for your advance-payment status, confirm your 2025 return was filed and assessed, and confirm your direct deposit details are current. If everything looks right, contact the CRA directly.

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