As tax season approaches, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is preparing for its usual flood of phone calls by hiring or rehiring about 1,700 additional call centre agents. The goal? To boost capacity and improve service levels after a long stretch of criticism around slow response times and inaccurate answers.
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Surge
Every year, tax season sends call volumes skyrocketing at the CRA. Melanie Serjak, assistant commissioner at the agency, says the CRA receives more than 300,000 calls per day at peak season. To handle this load, the CRA plans to ramp up its total number of agents to 4,500 — a big jump from last year’s 3,300.
Right now, around 2,700 employees are on the phones. That means the CRA is actively hiring over 1,700 more agents in the coming weeks to meet its targets.
“We always rehire or extend term contracts during our high peak season,” said Serjak. “It gives us the flexibility to operate smoothly throughout the year.”
Cuts?
The CRA’s hiring spree comes at a time when other federal departments are preparing for layoffs. Across the public service, Ottawa is looking to slash $60 billion over the next five years through what it’s calling a Comprehensive Expenditure Review.
That means restructuring, consolidating services, and shrinking the size of the federal workforce.
Several unions have already sounded the alarm. Hundreds of employees at departments like Natural Resources Canada, the Public Service Commission, and Crown-Indigenous Relations have received notices warning of possible job cuts.
But what about CRA? Assistant Commissioner Maxime Guénette says that, so far, no layoffs are planned within the agency for this calendar year.
“There are no cuts, no workforce adjustment announcements planned between now and the end of the year,” he said.
Targets
This hiring push also supports the CRA’s 100-day plan, which was introduced by Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne in September. The plan aimed to improve call centre performance by December 11.
According to the CRA, it worked. The number of unique calls answered more than doubled, increasing from 35 per cent to the agency’s target of 70 per cent. On some days, the CRA even hit 92 per cent.
Still, Serjak says expectations should be realistic.
“We will never be in a position to answer 100 per cent of the phone calls we receive,” she admitted. “Even with these extra agents, there may be times we don’t meet that 70 per cent goal.”
Accuracy
Answering more calls is one thing — answering them correctly is another. Earlier this year, the Auditor General’s office called out the CRA’s call centre accuracy. After placing 167 calls over four months, they found:
- Only 17% of individual tax questions were answered accurately
- Just over 54% of business or benefit questions were answered correctly
Those numbers raised serious concerns. However, the CRA pushed back. In a recent statement, the agency said that after reviewing over 100,000 recorded calls this year, it found agents provided accurate information 92% of the time.
Why the difference? Likely a combination of sample size, call complexity, and how “accuracy” is defined.
Technology
The CRA isn’t relying on human agents alone. It’s also trying to reduce phone traffic by improving digital self-service tools. That includes expanding what its generative AI chatbot can do — though the results so far have been mixed.
The chatbot, still in beta, has been part of the CRA’s broader strategy to modernize services, but it’s not yet a full replacement for live agents — especially for complex tax questions.
Timeline
With filing deadlines coming up (April 30 for most, June 15 for the self-employed), the CRA wants to make sure it’s ready. The newly hired call centre agents are expected to be in place throughout the next few months to handle the rush.
Wayne Long, secretary of state for the CRA, said the agency is already thinking beyond tax season. A longer-term three-to-five-year strategy is being developed now that the 100-day plan has wrapped up.
Table
Here’s a look at the CRA’s recent and planned staffing levels:
| Tax Season Period | Number of Agents |
|---|---|
| Last Year (Peak) | 3,300 |
| Current (Dec 2025) | 2,700 |
| Target for 2026 Season | 4,500 |
| Agents to Be Hired | ~1,700 |
Outlook
Will hiring 1,700 agents solve the CRA’s call centre woes? It’s a step in the right direction — but just one step. Canadians want clear, fast, and accurate answers when they reach out for help. More agents can reduce wait times, but meaningful change also depends on better training, tech improvements, and long-term planning.
Tax season is stressful enough. The CRA has a golden opportunity to show it can deliver on its promises. Let’s hope this isn’t just another short-term patch.
FAQs
How many call agents is CRA hiring?
About 1,700 new or returning agents this tax season.
What’s the CRA’s call answer target?
They’re aiming to answer 70% of calls.
Are there public service job cuts?
Yes, but CRA says no cuts for now.
When is the 2026 tax deadline?
April 30, or June 15 if self-employed.
Is the CRA chatbot replacing agents?
No, it’s just a support tool, not a replacement.
