Return a payment: Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS)

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https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/subsidy/emergency-wage-subsidy/cews-after-apply/return-payment.html

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Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS)



Return a payment

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Why you may need to return a payment

You may need to return all or part of the subsidy you have already received if you:

  • send the CRA any amendments to a previous application
  • cancel an application
  • make a calculation or data entry error for a claim period
  • find out you do not qualify for the subsidy after you receive a payment
  • receive a notice from the CRA that, following a review, your claim has been reduced or denied
  • are subject to the executive compensation repayment rule

Any excess amount of wage subsidy you received that is not returned may be subject to interest.

To make an arrangement to pay a CEWS balance owing, call our CEWS payment arrangement number.

Executive compensation repayment rule

You may need to repay all or part of the wage subsidy you received for claim periods 17 and later if:

  • you are a corporation whose shares of capital stock are listed or traded on a stock exchange or public market (or you are controlled by such a publicly listed corporation), and
  • the total executive compensation paid to certain executives in 2021 exceeds the amount paid in 2019

Read more about the executive compensation repayment rule.

How to return a payment

If you use My Business Account (MyBA) and you have a CEWS balance owing, you can make a repayment through MyBA.

  1. Under the section for Payroll, select View and pay CEWS and CRHP balance
  2. Select Proceed to pay
  3. You will be presented with a Payment options page with the following options presented:
    • Visa® Debit, Debit MasterCard® or Interac® Online
    • Schedule one or more payment(s) using pre-authorized debit from a Canadian chequing account starting in 5 or more business days
  4. The amount field will be pre-populated with the amount owing but can be changed
  5. Follow the prompts to complete the repayment

Otherwise, you may repay the CEWS online using My Payment, through your financial institution, or by mail, depending on your situation.

  • Repay online through My Payment

    You may pay back any amount of CEWS using My Payment. Only Visa® Debit, Debit MasterCard®, and Interac Online cards are accepted. Credit cards are not accepted.


    Note

    Payments using My Payment are subject to the daily dollar limit of your bank card.

    1. Select Pay now from the home page
    2. Select Payroll source deductions
    3. Select Emergency wage subsidies and recovery hiring program repayment
    4. Enter the account number and amount of the payment and press Next
    5. Review transaction details and press Confirm
    6. Select Pay now
    7. Proceed by selecting the Payment method
    8. Follow the prompts
    9. At the final step, you will be presented with your receipt

  • Repay online through your financial institution

    You may pay back any amount of CEWS online, if your financial institution has the option.

    1. Sign in to your financial institution's online banking service for businesses
    2. Under "Add a payee" look for
      Federal – Emergency wage subsidies and recovery hiring program repayment
    3. Enter your 15-digit payroll account number (RP) as your CRA account number

    Make sure the payroll account number is the same one you used on your CEWS application so we can apply your payment correctly.

If you are unable to pay back the CEWS online through MyBA, MyPayment, or online banking, you can return all or part of a wage subsidy payment by direct deposit or cheque, depending on your situation.

  • Return an entire payment if you were paid by direct deposit
    1. Contact your financial institution
    2. Ask to return the direct deposit made for CEWS
    3. Inform them of the exact amount and deposit date

    The payment will be returned to CRA. No other action is required.

  • Return an entire payment if you were paid by cheque

    You may return the payment by mail to the CRA with the following information:

    • the reason for the return (example: Repayment of CEWS – not entitled)
    • business number
    • account name
    • returned payment

    If you still have the original CEWS cheque, include this as your returned payment.

    If you do not have the original CEWS cheque, include a cheque or money order for the amount you are returning. Make the payment out to "Receiver General for Canada".

    Mail your payment to:

    Revenue Processing – Repayment of CEWS
    Sudbury Tax Centre
    1050 Notre Dame Avenue
    Sudbury ON P3A 0C3

  • Return part of a payment

    If you need to return only part of a CEWS payment you received and are unable to repay the amount online, you must send the amount by cheque or money order to the CRA even if you originally received the payment by direct deposit. Make the payment out to "Receiver General for Canada".

    Include the following information when you mail your payment:

    • the reason for the return (example: Repayment of CEWS – not entitled)
    • business number
    • account name

    Mail your payment to:

    Revenue Processing – Repayment of CEWS
    Sudbury Tax Centre
    1050 Notre Dame Avenue
    Sudbury ON P3A 0C3


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Date modified:
2021-06-30