Representatives of individual tax filers can no longer transmit authorizations using EFILE software. Going forward, individuals can authorize a representative through My Account, or representatives can submit an authorization request via Represent a Client.
To help representatives gain access to individual accounts, the CRA has provided the attached step-by-step guide. Step 3 of the guide requires "confirmation" by the individual, which can be completed either by having the individual log in to My Account ("Client will confirm in My Account") or by having the representative provide specific tax information from a recently assessed tax return.
We learned from CRA that it is possible to obtain authorization for individuals who do not have access to My Account and have no recent filing history (e.g., recent immigrants). In these cases, the representative should select "Client will confirm in My Account," after which they will be prompted to obtain a signed consent form from the individual:
"In situations where an individual identifies that they are unable to register for My Account or use the Alternative authorization process, the representative should still indicate that the client will confirm within MyAccount. These authorization requests submitted in Represent a Client may prompt the representative to obtain signed consent from the taxpayer, which must be submitted as part of the authorization process. Even with this information provided, the CRA may still contact the taxpayer to verify the representative's request before authorized access is available, so it is important that the taxpayer ensure their contact information is up-to-date."
Originally posted on LinkedIn on August 7, 2025
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Ryan Minor
Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada
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