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The short answer
Newcomers apply for the Canada Child Benefit by completing Form RC66 and Schedule RC66SCH, Status in Canada and Income Information, and mailing them to their tax centre with proof of birth for each child. You must live with the child, be primarily responsible for their care and be resident in Canada for tax purposes, and you or your spouse must be a citizen, permanent resident, protected person or a temporary resident who has lived in Canada for the previous 18 months with a valid permit in the 19th month (CRA, October 2026).
Who can apply
The CRA sets the conditions on its "who can apply" page. You must:
- live with a child under 18;
- be primarily responsible for the child's care and upbringing;
- be a resident of Canada for tax purposes;
- have you or your spouse or common-law partner be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident, a protected person, a temporary resident who has lived in Canada for the previous 18 months and has a valid permit in the 19th month, or a person registered under the Indian Act.
The status rule is the one Nigerian families most often miss. A family arriving on work permits does not qualify on day one; the 18-month condition has to be met first. A family arriving as permanent residents can apply as soon as they meet the other conditions. Only one of you, you or your spouse, needs the qualifying status.
The forms
| Form | What it is for |
|---|---|
| RC66, Canada Child Benefits Application | The application itself. CRA says the information is also used to work out eligibility for the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit |
| RC66SCH, Status in Canada and Income Information | For people who became residents, citizens, permanent residents, protected persons or temporary residents. It records your status, arrival and income from before you came |
| CTB9 | Needed for each year or part year your spouse or common-law partner was not resident in Canada |
CRA tells newcomers to fill out and sign RC66SCH and mail it with RC66 to their tax centre. It also lists applying through your CRA account and, for babies born in Canada, through the province's birth registration, but a family that has just arrived usually starts with the paper forms.
Documents to include
- Proof of birth for each child the CRA has never paid benefits for, showing the child's last name, given name and date of birth. A Nigerian birth certificate from the National Population Commission works if it shows those details.
- Proof of status in Canada for you or your spouse, such as a permanent resident card or immigration status document.
- Translations. Documents not in English or French need an acceptable translation with a copy of the original. Most Nigerian certificates are in English.
- Income from before you arrived. CRA asks newcomers for income for you and your spouse or common-law partner from all sources for up to two years before arriving in Canada. Report it even if it was zero.
The CRA also lists extra documents if you apply for a child who started living with you more than 11 months ago, including proof of citizenship or status and at least three documents showing you live in Canada, such as leases, bills and driver's licences. Families who delay applying should expect that longer list.
Why CRA wants your Nigerian income
Benefit amounts depend on family income, and for a newcomer there is no Canadian tax return yet to read it from. CRA uses the income you report for the years before you became resident to calculate what you receive until your Canadian returns take over. Our guide to reporting world income for the CCB explains how to fill that part in, including converting naira to dollars.
When to apply and what happens next
CRA says to apply as soon as you or your spouse meet the eligibility conditions. For permanent residents that is usually soon after you settle. For temporary residents it is the month the 18-month condition is met. After you apply, you can check progress with the tracker in your CRA account and the CRA's processing times tool. Once you are settled, file a Canadian tax return every year, even with no income; CRA's benefit pages say that is how it keeps assessing your payments.
What to check first
- Does at least one of you meet the status rule, including the 18-month condition for temporary residents?
- Do you have proof of birth with each child's full name and date of birth?
- Have you gathered both spouses' income for up to two years before arrival?
- Do you need CTB9 because one spouse is not yet resident?
- Have you signed RC66SCH and posted both forms to the right tax centre?
Where Pryme fits
If you earned income in Nigeria before moving, you may need to show what came in. Any Pryme customer can generate a verifiable statement through our partner VerifyDoc.ai, which anyone can check is genuine and unaltered (receipts and statements). A Personal Account, opened from Canada, holds NGN, USD, GBP and EUR in one place (multicurrency). If a child is still living with family in Nigeria, read the CCB and a child living in Nigeria.
Questions people ask
Can newcomers on work permits get the Canada Child Benefit?
Yes, once the temporary resident has lived in Canada for the previous 18 months and has a valid permit in the 19th month, if the other conditions are met.
What is RC66SCH?
Schedule RC66SCH, Status in Canada and Income Information, is the form newcomers attach to RC66 to record their status and their income before arriving.
Do I need to send my child's Nigerian birth certificate?
CRA needs proof of birth showing the child's last name, given name and date of birth for any child it has never paid benefits for.
Can I apply for the CCB online as a newcomer?
CRA lists the CRA account as one way to apply, but tells newcomers to complete RC66SCH and mail it with RC66 to their tax centre.
Sources
- CRA: Canada child benefit, who can apply · accessed Oct 2026
- CRA: Canada child benefit, how to apply (modified 22 Oct 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- CRA: Form RC66SCH, Status in Canada and Income Information (modified 2 Jul 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- CRA: Benefits, credits and taxes for newcomers (modified 3 Aug 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.