Newcomers can apply for some federal benefits as soon as they arrive, before filing a tax return in Canada. The CRA says so plainly: newcomers "can apply to get benefit and credit payments", including related provincial and territorial payments, "even before they do their taxes for the first time."
This guide covers the two main federal benefits, the Canada child benefit and the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, which forms newcomers send, the provincial programs that ride along with them, and the one habit that keeps every payment coming: filing a tax return every year.
Last verified: October 15, 2026 against the Canada Revenue Agency's benefit pages. Amounts are recalculated every July, so check the CRA's benefits pages for current figures.
The Canada child benefit (CCB)
The CCB is a tax-free monthly payment for families raising children under 18. To be eligible, you must meet all of these conditions:
- You live with a child under 18 and are primarily responsible for their care.
- You're a resident of Canada for tax purposes.
- You, or your spouse or common-law partner, is a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident, a protected person, a temporary resident who meets the 18-month test, or registered (or entitled to be registered) under the Indian Act.
Temporary residents qualify once they've lived in Canada for the previous 18 months and hold a valid permit in the 19th month. The CRA says a temporary resident can start receiving the CCB in the 19th month. Refugee claimants holding a Refugee Protection Claimant Document aren't eligible; protected persons are.
How newcomers apply. The CRA's how-to-apply page says newcomers must fill out and sign Schedule RC66SCH and mail it with Form RC66, the Canada Child Benefits Application, to their tax centre. Include proof of birth for each child the CRA has never paid benefits for, and a translation of any document that isn't in English or French. Apply as soon as you're eligible: the CRA asks for more proof when a child started living with you more than 11 months before you apply.
How much. CCB payments depend on the number and ages of your children and your adjusted family net income from the previous year's tax return. They're recalculated every July and aren't taxable. For newcomers, that previous-year income includes what you earned outside Canada: the CRA says you need to report income earned outside Canada for up to two years before you became a resident when you apply.
The Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (formerly the GST/HST credit)
If you've seen older guides mention the GST/HST credit: it was renamed the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB) as of July 2026. The CRA says the eligibility, payment calculation and structure are the same, and the amount was increased by 25% from July 2026 for five years.
You may be eligible even if you have no income in the year, as long as you're a resident of Canada for tax purposes and 19 or older (or younger with a spouse, partner or child). Unlike the CCB, there's no immigration-status condition.
How newcomers apply. Most people never apply; filing taxes is enough. The CRA says only new residents may need to apply, for the first year they become a resident:
- No children: use the online version of Form RC151.
- Children under 19: use the paper RC151 (and RC66 if you're also applying for the CCB), with proof of birth, mailed to your tax centre.
Only one application per household is needed. Payments come four times a year, recalculated every July; if the quarterly amount would be under $50, you get it all as one payment in July.
Provincial and territorial benefits
When you apply for the CCB, the CRA says you don't need to apply separately for related provincial and territorial programs. The same goes for the programs tied to the CGEB. The CRA's provincial and territorial programs page lists each one; the main family benefits are:
- British Columbia: BC family benefit, combined with the CCB.
- Alberta: Alberta child and family benefit, paid separately four times a year.
- Saskatchewan: Saskatchewan low-income tax credit (tied to the CGEB).
- Manitoba: the CRA doesn't run a Manitoba program.
- Ontario: Ontario child benefit (combined with the CCB) and the Ontario trillium benefit.
- New Brunswick: NB child tax benefit and NB harmonized sales tax credit.
- Nova Scotia: Nova Scotia child benefit and the NS affordable living tax credit.
- Prince Edward Island: PEI child benefit and the PEI essentials benefit (which replaces the PEI sales tax credit from November 2026).
- Newfoundland and Labrador: NL child benefit and early childhood nutrition supplement.
- Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut: each territory's child benefit, combined with the CCB.
Québec is the exception. Its Family Allowance is run by Retraite Québec, not the CRA, so it needs its own application. Newcomer parents qualify if they live in Québec and are citizens, permanent residents, protected persons or temporary residents who've lived in Canada for the last 18 months; Retraite Québec says you can apply online if you have a SIN. Québec residents also file a separate provincial tax return each year with Revenu Québec.
File a tax return every year
This is the step people miss. The CRA is explicit that you must file your tax return every year to keep receiving the CCB and related provincial payments, and your spouse or partner must file too, even if your income is tax-exempt or zero. The same applies to the CGEB: file by April 30 each year to avoid a gap in payments.
As a newcomer, you don't have to file until the year after you become a resident: if you arrived in 2026, your first return is due April 30, 2027. On that first return you enter the date you became a resident and report your world income for the part of the year you were resident. If your SIN hasn't arrived and the deadline is close, the CRA says to file without it rather than risk a late-filing penalty. Our guide to getting a SIN as a newcomer covers that step.
Filing pays off later too. To become a citizen, IRCC says you may need to have filed taxes in Canada for at least 3 of the 5 years before you apply. Our tax filing eligibility checker shows how that rule works, and the CRA notes that your notice of assessment can be useful for a citizenship application, so keep each one for at least six years.
Frequently asked questions
Can newcomers get the Canada child benefit right away?
Permanent residents and protected persons can apply as soon as they're eligible, before their first Canadian tax return. Temporary residents can start receiving the CCB in the 19th month they've lived in Canada, if they hold a valid permit and meet the other conditions.
Which forms do newcomers send for the CCB?
Form RC66, the Canada Child Benefits Application, with Schedule RC66SCH, mailed to your tax centre, plus proof of birth for each child.
What happened to the GST/HST credit?
It was renamed the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB) in July 2026. Eligibility and the way it's calculated stayed the same, and the amount went up 25% for five years.
Do I need to apply for provincial benefits separately?
Usually not. Applying for the CCB, or filing your tax return, also covers the provincial and territorial programs the CRA runs. Québec's Family Allowance is the exception: apply to Retraite Québec separately.
Do I have to file taxes if I had no income?
Yes, if you want to keep getting benefits. The CRA says you must file every year even if your income is zero or tax-exempt, and your spouse or partner must file too.
Do benefits affect my citizenship application?
Receiving benefits doesn't, but filing taxes does: IRCC may require tax filings for at least 3 of the 5 years before you apply for citizenship.