Most international students who worked in Montreal last year paid income tax on every paycheque. A good chunk of that money can come back to them — but only if they file. Even if you didn't earn income, you may still want to file a tax return, as you could be eligible for a refund, benefits, or credits. The catch: Montreal has a filing requirement that the rest of Canada doesn't.
Are international students eligible for a tax refund in Canada?
Yes — with one condition that matters first: your residency status for tax purposes.
International students studying in Canada are considered either a resident, a non-resident, a deemed resident, or a deemed non-resident — and this determines how you're taxed and what you can claim (Canada.ca). Most students who live in Montreal full-time throughout the academic year qualify as tax residents, which gives access to the full range of deductions and tax credits.
If you worked and had income tax deducted from your pay, filing a return is how you get any overpayment back. You can also claim a tuition tax credit for fees paid to eligible educational institutions — a non-refundable credit that reduces the amount of tax you owe. Unused amounts can be carried forward to future years.
Montreal Is Different: You File Two Returns
This is the part most students don't know about. In Montreal, taxes are filed at two levels: the provincial level with Revenu Québec, and the federal level with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). Every other province in Canada has the CRA handle both — Quebec handles its own provincial tax separately. That means two forms, two submissions, two potential refunds.
For the provincial return, you'll need a Relevé 1 (RL-1) slip from your employer alongside your federal T4. Your tuition information appears on both a T2202A (federal) and a Relevé 8 (Quebec) slip, available through your school's student portal.
For the Revenu Québec provincial return, if you don't have a Social Insurance Number (SIN), a temporary number is automatically issued — so that's one less hurdle.
What Credits and Benefits Can You Claim?
Beyond recovering overpaid income tax, filing opens the door to several benefits:
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GST/HST credit — a quarterly tax-free payment from the federal government for low-to-moderate income earners
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Quebec Solidarity Tax Credit — a provincial credit combining housing, sales tax, and northern living components
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Tuition tax credit — claimable federally and provincially for eligible tuition fees
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Scholarship and bursary exemptions — most awards received for full-time study are tax-free
Scholarships, fellowships, and bursaries are not taxable if received for enrolment in a program for which you are considered a full-time qualifying student.
Deadline and How to File
The deadline to file taxes for the 2025 tax year is April 30, 2026. Miss it with taxes owing and you'll face penalties and interest. Even if you don't owe anything, filing late means delayed refunds and missed benefit payments.
Free filing help is available. If you have a modest income and a simple tax situation, volunteers can fill out your return for free through the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program — or in Quebec, the Income Tax Assistance – Volunteer Program. McGill, Concordia, and Université de Montréal all run tax clinics in late February and March.
If you're just arriving in Montreal and still sorting out housing before your program starts, Montreal Aparthotel rents fully furnished apartments by the month — no long-term lease, no commission, and someone available seven days a week. A stable address matters for your CRA file too.
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