The $680 payment is a Canada Revenue Agency advance on your Canada Workers Benefit, sent in November as part of the regular payment schedule

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) sends $680 payments in November to people who are may have access to to the Canada Workers Benefit (CWB). This is not a one-time grant or a new program — it is a scheduled instalment of a benefit you have already been assessed for based on your previous tax return. The CRA calculates your total CWB entitlement for the year, divides it into quarterly payments, and sends the November instalment automatically to your bank account or mailing address on file.

The payment arrives because you filed a tax return in the previous year that showed income low enough to may have access to for the CWB. The CRA does not send you a separate notice for each quarterly payment; the November $680 (or whatever amount you receive) is straightforward the third instalment of four. If you did not expect this payment, it means either your 2024 tax return may have access to you, or you are receiving a payment based on a previous year's assessment that is still active.

Key Takeaways

  • The $680 November payment is a quarterly instalment of the Canada Workers Benefit, calculated from your most recent tax return and sent automatically by the CRA.
  • You do not need to do anything to receive this payment if you are already registered with the CRA and have direct deposit set up; it arrives on the scheduled date.
  • The total CWB you receive in a year depends on your net income and family situation from your tax return, and the CRA divides that total into four equal payments.
  • If you did not file a tax return for the year the benefit is based on, or if your income has changed significantly, contact the CRA to update your information.
  • The payment goes to the bank account or address you provided to the CRA; if either has changed, update it before the payment date to avoid delays.

How the Canada Workers Benefit is divided into quarterly payments

The CWB is paid in four equal instalments: February, May, August, and November. The CRA calculates your total benefit entitlement based on your most recent tax return, then divides that amount by four. So if you are may have access to to $2,720 for the year, you receive $680 each quarter. The November payment is the third of these four instalments.

The amount you receive each quarter does not change unless the CRA reassesses your tax return or you file an updated return that changes your income. If your circumstances changed during the year — you earned more, lost a job, or had a child — the CRA will not adjust the quarterly payments until the next tax year, when you file your return and the new assessment is made. This means the November payment is based entirely on the income and family details from your previous tax return.

Who receives the $680 payment and why

You receive the November $680 payment if your 2024 tax return (or whichever year the CRA is currently paying from) showed net income below the threshold for the CWB. For the 2024 tax year, the CWB begins to phase out at around $15,705 of net income for a single person with no dependents, though the exact threshold depends on whether you have a spouse or dependent children. The lower your income, the higher your benefit.

The CWB is designed for working people with low to modest income. You do not need to be unemployed or receiving other benefits to may have access to. If you worked and earned income but did not earn enough to owe income tax, you may still be may have access to to the CWB — in fact, filing a return even when you owe no tax is often the only way to receive this benefit. The CRA uses your net income (after deductions) to calculate the amount, not your gross income.

Where the payment goes and how long it takes to arrive

The CRA sends the November payment by direct deposit if you have set up direct deposit with them. The payment is deposited into the bank account you registered with the CRA, usually within a few business days of the scheduled payment date. If you have not set up direct deposit, the CRA mails a cheque to your address on file; this takes longer and depends on postal delivery times.

The scheduled payment date for the November instalment is typically mid-November, though the exact date varies slightly year to year. If you do not see the payment within a week of the expected date, check your CRA My Account online or call the CRA to confirm the payment was processed. If your bank account or mailing address has changed since you last filed your tax return, the payment may go to an old account or address. Update your information with the CRA as soon as possible to prevent future payments from being delayed or lost.

What to do if you did not expect the $680 payment

If you received the $680 payment but did not think you were may have access to to the CWB, the most likely explanation is that your 2024 tax return may have access to you based on your income that year. Review your 2024 return to confirm your net income and family situation. If your circumstances have changed since then — you earned significantly more in 2025, or your family situation changed — the CRA will adjust your benefit when you file your 2025 return.

Do not assume the payment is an error and ignore it. If you believe you should not have received it, contact the CRA to ask them to review your assessment. You can reach the CRA by phone at 1-800-959-5525 or log into My Account on the CRA website to see the details of your CWB assessment. If the payment was sent in error, the CRA will tell you whether you need to repay it. In most cases, if you were not may have access to to the benefit, you will be asked to repay the amount when you file your next tax return.

How your income affects the amount you receive

The CWB is calculated using your net income from your tax return, not the gross amount you earned. Net income is what remains after you deduct certain expenses — for example, if you are self-employed, you deduct business expenses; if you have investment losses, you deduct those. The CRA uses the net income figure from line 23600 of your tax return to determine your CWB entitlement.

The benefit amount decreases as your income increases. For the 2024 tax year, the maximum CWB is $2,417 for a single person with no dependents, but this maximum applies only if your net income is below a certain threshold. Once your income exceeds that threshold, the benefit begins to reduce by a percentage of every additional dollar you earn. If your net income is above roughly $24,000 to $26,000 (depending on family situation), you receive no CWB. The exact thresholds and rates change each year and depend on whether you have a spouse or dependent children.

Updating your information if your circumstances have changed

If your income, address, bank account, or family situation has changed since you filed your last tax return, update your information with the CRA. You can change your address and banking details online through My Account, or by calling 1-800-959-5525. If your income has increased significantly or you have had a major life change, you may want to file an updated return or notify the CRA so they can reassess your benefit.

Keep in mind that the November payment is based on your previous year's assessment and will not change until you file your next tax return. If you earned much more in 2025 than in 2024, you may owe back some of the CWB you received this year when you file your 2025 return. The CRA will calculate the repayment amount based on your 2025 income. If you earned less in 2025, you may be may have access to to a larger benefit next year.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I did not file a tax return for 2024?

If you did not file a 2024 return, you should not have received a November 2025 payment. If you did receive one, contact the CRA to clarify. If you worked in 2024 and earned income, filing a return — even if you owed no tax — may have made you may have access to to the CWB. You can file a late return for 2024 and potentially receive back payments of the benefit.

Can I refuse the $680 payment if I do not think I deserve it?

You cannot refuse a payment that the CRA has sent based on an assessment of your tax return. If you believe the payment is wrong, contact the CRA to request a review. If the CRA confirms you were not may have access to to it, you will be asked to repay the amount, usually through a deduction from future tax refunds or by paying it directly.

Will I have to repay the $680 if my income was higher than I reported?

If your actual 2024 income was higher than what you reported on your tax return, that is a separate issue from the CWB payment. The CWB repayment is based on your net income; if your income was misreported, the CRA may reassess your entire return, not just the benefit. Report any errors to the CRA as soon as possible.

What happens to the November payment if I move or change my bank account?

If you change your address or bank account after the CRA has processed the November payment, it will go to the old address or account on file. Update your information with the CRA when ready. For future payments, make sure your current details are registered. If a payment went to an old account, contact that bank to see if they can redirect it, or contact the CRA to reissue the payment.

Is the $680 payment taxable income?

No. The Canada Workers Benefit is not taxable income. You do not report it on your tax return, and it does not affect your tax liability. It is a refundable tax credit, which means the CRA sends you money rather than reducing your taxes owed.