Individual income tax return statistics for the 2025 tax-filing season

Returns received by filing method

The four methods for filing taxes
Returns received from February 7, 2025 to March 17, 2025Footnote 1 Footnote 3
Filing method Number of returns Percentage of total
EFILE      2,872,860           52%
NETFILE      2,403,600           43%
SimpleFile Services (SFS)         30,920             1%
Total electronic returns     5,307,380          95%
Paper        261,620             5%
Total returns   5,569,000          100% 

Electronic filing methods

EFILE is a service that lets authorized service providers and discounters send individual income tax return information to the CRA directly from the software used to prepare the tax return. For more information, see EFILE for individuals.

NETFILE allows you to file your tax return directly to the CRA using the Internet and a NETFILE-certified software product. For more information, see NETFILE. There are even free certified software products available to file your income tax return online.

SimpleFile Services (SFS) allows eligible individuals to file their tax return by phone, digitally, or by paper. For more information, see SimpleFile services.

Returns assessed by results

Proportion of return's results
Returns assessed from February 8, 2025 to March 17, 2025Footnote 1 Footnote 2 Footnote 3
Assessment result Number of returns Total dollar value Average amount per return Percentage of refunds
Refund by cheque    378,880   $641,837,000   $2,000    11%
Refund by direct deposit  2,920,090  $6,693,660,000  $2,000    89%
Total refunds  3,298,970 $7,335,497,000   $2,000   100%
Balance owing  649,600 $3,528,035,000  $5,000  n/a
Nil return   973,770 n/a     n/a   n/a

Direct deposit

For information about setting up direct deposit, see Direct deposit. If you are registered for My Account, you can apply online.

Initial assessing statistics 

Total number of initial assessmentsFootnote 1 Footnote 3 Footnote 4
Tax-filing season EFILE % NETFILE % SFS % Paper % Total
2024 19,987,480 60% 10,857,300 32% 51,560 0% 2,553,690   8% 33,450,020
2023 19,210,490 60% 10,480,740 32% 52,960 0% 2,531,360   8% 32,275,550
2022 18,435,280 59% 10,165,120 32% 52,710 0% 2,628,160   8% 31,281,270
2021 17,966,540 58% 10,052,650 33% 61,470 0% 2,841,860   9% 30,922,510
2020 17,574,310 57% 10,063,130 33% 69,630 0% 3,125,000 10% 30,832,080
Total number of current year initial assessmentsFootnote 1 Footnote 3 Footnote 5
Tax-filing season EFILE % NETFILE % SFS % Paper % Total
2024 18,787,480 60% 10,432,190 33% 51,550 0% 2,030,310 7% 31,331,930
2023 18,123,560 60% 10,080,900 33% 52,940 0% 2,043,330   7% 30,300,740
2022 17,495,720 59%   9,813,950 33% 52,710 0% 2,126,380   7% 29,488,760
2021 17,036,890 59%   9,700,630 33% 61,460 0% 2,265,200   8% 29,064,180
2020 16,706,410 58%   9,647,130 33% 69,630 0% 2,530,390 9% 28,953,570

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