The former employer portal closed and my T4 is missing: how can I get it?

The employer must issue the T4 before CRA can show it

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) does not create your T4. Your former employer issues the slip and sends it to CRA; only after that can it appear in your CRA account. If the employer’s online portal has closed, that does not remove your obligation to report the income. You should contact the former employer through a verified channel—such as a known phone number or email—and ask for a copy of your T4. You should also check your official CRA account, because the slip may already be there even if you cannot log in to the employer’s system. Most common slips are issued by the end of February for the previous tax year, but you should verify the specific year and the type of slip you need.

Keep your wage records as evidence

Save your year-end and final payslips, bank statements showing deposits, employment dates, and the former employer’s legal name and contact information. Confirm your delivery details securely—for example, verify the mailing address or email on file with the employer. If you receive a T4 that appears incorrect, identify the specific box or field that is wrong and ask the employer to correct it; do not edit the employer’s form yourself. Keep every version of the slip and any related correspondence, so that if a figure changes later, you can show where the change came from.

Check your official CRA account carefully

Use the genuine CRA account login, not a link from an unsolicited message. In your account, distinguish between a slip that has not yet been filed by the employer and a slip that was filed but not delivered to you. Keep records of your requests and the responses you receive. If you get a message demanding payment or asking you to click an unexpected login link, verify it independently through official CRA contact channels. Do not post a T4 containing your Social Insurance Number (SIN) or personal amounts on a public forum to ask whether a particular box is correct.

If the filing deadline arrives before you get the T4

If you cannot get a slip in time, CRA describes estimating income and related deductions or credits from reliable pay stubs or financial statements. Do not treat a net bank deposit as the same thing as gross employment income. Its instructions call for a note identifying the issuer, income type and your efforts to obtain the slip. For an electronic return, keep supporting records; for a paper return, attach the supporting copies and note while keeping originals. Seek qualified help if the figures or instructions are unclear. A missing slip does not automatically extend the filing deadline.

What to do if the employer refuses or is unreachable

If the former employer does not respond or refuses to provide a copy, you still have options. First, check your CRA account again, because the slip may appear after the employer files it, even if the employer does not send you a copy. Second, use your saved wage records to prepare your return, estimating the income as described above. If you need to correct the return later, you can request an adjustment through CRA. Keep all correspondence with the employer, including dates and names of people you spoke with, to show that you made reasonable efforts.

How to ask the right questions

Ask the former employer: “Please provide my T4 for [tax year], confirm whether it was submitted to CRA, and explain any difference in [field] from my payslips.” When seeking tax help, ask which records support an estimate and how to handle a later slip that differs from it. Identify the exact field and year rather than sending an unexplained whole bank statement. Use verified channels for any necessary personal information.

Hypothetical illustration: the portal closes before the slip arrives

A former employee can no longer access the payroll portal. They have payslips for the tax year and a final pay statement, but no T4. They ask verified HR for a copy and check their CRA account. If the slip is still missing as filing approaches, they bring the wage records and requests for tax help, identifying any missing pay period or unclear deduction. This organises the evidence for an estimate under CRA instructions; it does not invent an employer response date, guarantee a refund or substitute a bank deposit for a complete income calculation.

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