Author, Andrew Gibson
Last Updated on August 1st, 2024
Transferring money to Canada is straightforward once you understand how it works and the costs involved.
The big banks no longer have customers over a barrel. There are alternative ways to send money to Canada from the UK that are cheaper, easier, and often faster.
Article Contents:
- How to Transfer money to Canada (in 4 simple steps)
- How Long Does a Money Transfer to Canada Take?
- Costs of Transferring Money to Canada from the UK
- What Details Will I Need to Transfer Money to Canada?
- Best Option for Larger Amounts to Canada
- Is There a Limit on How Much Money I Can Send to Canada?
How to Transfer Money to Canada from Your Bank Account (in 4 simple steps)
You can easily transfer money to Canada from your bank account via a bank transfer. You can use your bank or an independent money transfer service for this. Bank transfers to Canada are your cheapest option when you use a money transfer specialist as they charge less fees and offer better exchange rates than banks.
The 4 steps to making an international bank transfer to Canada are super simple, they include:
Step 1 – Identity check
Before you can send your money to Canada from the UK, your identification needs to be verified.
Because of global money laundering rules, it is a legal requirement to check a new customer’s identity.
If you have a UK address, it’s typically quick and easy to verify someone as most people can be checked using basic information.
If you don’t have a UK address, then you may need to provide a copy of your passport and a recent bill. A photocopy or photo from your phone can be emailed over as proof.
A quick tip: Even if you’re not ready to transfer money to Canada today, it is worth completing this step well in advance so that you are ready if a great exchange rate comes up.
Step 2 – Lock in a GBP to CAD exchange rate
The next step is to lock in an exchange rate for Pounds Sterling to Canadian Dollars.
Sometimes the exchange rate will be shown as GBP/CAD (all currencies have 3-letter abbreviations).
You will be asked what currency you wish to buy (CAD) and the amount of Pounds (GBP) you wish to sell.
Following that, you will receive a live quote for the GBP/CAD exchange rate from your bank or money transfer specialist.
No transaction will occur without your authority.
If you do give your authority to proceed, your bank or money transfer specialist will secure that exchange rate for you in the market.
You will then be emailed a transaction confirmation showing the amount of Canadian Dollars you have bought and the corresponding amount of Pounds you have sold.
Step 3 – Send in your Pounds
Before any money is exchanged and transferred to Canada, you need to send in your Pounds.
Your transaction confirmation will show the bank details of where to send your Pounds. This should be a local UK account – so it is no different from doing a regular bank transfer.
Some customers prefer to send in their Pounds to pay for their transfer before they lock in an exchange rate as it speeds up the process.
Step 4 – Your Pounds are converted to Canadian Dollars
Once your bank or money transfer specialist has received your Pounds, they will exchange them into Canadian Dollars and send them to the Canadian bank account you have requested.
How Long Does Sending Money to Canada from the UK Take?
As a guideline, it takes 2-3 working days for your Pounds to arrive in Canada.
In practice, the time taken varies because of the receiving bank in Canada.
The Canadian bank will have its internal checks on any money coming from abroad, which can slow down some payments.
Some Canadian banks are quicker than others at clearing money.
The time taken can also be delayed by one working day if your funds are sent in the afternoon, not the morning.
The daily cut-off time is normally 2pm or 3pm – meaning if your Pounds are received after that time, they will be counted as the next working day.
Quick tip: If you are under a tight deadline, it may be best to send in your Pounds before the currency conversion, so the transfer process is quicker end-to-end.
Best Options for Sending Money to Canada
When making a money transfer from the UK to Canada, two providers are commonly used, either a bank or money transfer specialist.
Below are the pros and cons of both, to help you with deciding which service to choose for a money transfer to Canada.
| Pros | Cons | Best for | |
| Bank | Convenient | High fees, bad exchange rates, minimal help | Small payments, convenience |
| Money transfer specialist | Lower cost | Need to register | Larger amounts (over £5,000) |
Costs of Transferring Money to Canada from the UK
The cost of an international money transfer to Canada consists of two parts:
- Transfer fees
- Exchange rates
Transfer fees are typically a flat fee charged by a bank for every international transfer.
Here are the transfer fees charged by some of the UK’s biggest banks:
- Barclays charges £25 (standard) or £40 (priority) if you use a branch. The recipient is also charged £6.
- Lloyds charges £9.50 (online or branch). The recipient is also charged £12.
- Natwest charge £15 if under £5,000 or 0.3% (max £40) if over £5,000.
The more important cost for an international money transfer is the exchange rate.
Our research found that the exchange rates offered by all the major UK banks were uncompetitive and sometimes downright terrible.
The exchange rate margin at HSBC, Lloyds, Barclays, and Natwest, ranged between 3.0% and 5.4% (depending on the amount transferred).
While the exact cost you end up paying will depend on the size of your money transfer to Canada, there is a good chance you can do a lot better elsewhere.
If you only intend to transfer a small amount (under £5,000), you may prefer the convenience and familiarity of using your bank.
However, if you are planning to send a larger amount, the extra cost can be significant.
If you are comfortable using your bank’s online system, you can usually transfer money to a Canadian bank account without the need to visit a branch.
The issue is whether you are comfortable putting in all the numbers and data yourself.
What Bank Details Will I Need to Transfer Money to Canada?
You will need to have the full SWIFT code of the beneficiary bank account.
Canada does not use the IBAN system for international bank transfers.
Canadian SWIFT codes normally contain 11 characters for specific branches.
All of the details you will need for sending money to Canada from the UK will include:
- Your details
- The name of the Beneficiary
- Their account number
- SWIFT Code
- Their bank name
Best Service for Larger Transfers to Canada from the UK
A money transfer specialist is normally the best way to transfer money to Canada from the UK if the amount is large.
The reason is you’re likely to get a better exchange rate compared to a bank.
And some money transfer companies don’t charge any fees either.
Broadly speaking, money transfer specialists can offer more competitive exchange rates because they have far lower overheads than big banks.
A quick tip: One thing to consider is whether the money transfer specialist charges any transfer fees. Some do, some don’t.
Transfer fees can add up if you make regular payments or plan to transfer your money in several tranches.
Some UK banks charge you up to 5% to send your money to Canada.
On a transfer of say £120,000, you could pay out £6,000 in fees.
Your total cost will depend on the bank and the amount you send, but it never does any harm to shop around.
Is there a Limit on How Much Money I Can Send to Canada?
There are no legal limits on transferring money from the UK to Canada.
Due to the close political and trading relationship, the two countries have no foreign exchange restrictions.
You are not required to declare anything either.
However, the big UK banks impose their daily limits on the amount of money you can send online to overseas destinations.
- Barclays and HSBC have a daily online limit of £50,000.
- Natwest and Lloyds have a daily online limit of £100,000.
If you are looking at transferring a large amount to Canada, it may take several days longer if you use your bank and cost you additional fees as you will have to make multiple transfers.
To avoid the extra cost and hassle, use a money transfer specialist.
Not all money transfer specialists have the same level of regulatory status. Some companies aren’t regulated at all. The key thing to look out for is whether a company is Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). A quick tip: A regulated company is required to segregate client funds – meaning they will keep your money in a separate and safeguarded account. To find out if a money transfer company is Authorised and Regulated, just enter the company’s name in the FCA register.Sending money to Canada from the UK, is it safe?
How to get the Best GBP to CAD Exchange Rate
Exchange rates never sit still for long.
Heavily traded currency pairs like GBP/CAD move every few seconds. You can see the historic GBP to CAD changes in our analysis insights article.
It can be nerve-racking watching rates move around as even small changes can make a big difference to the amount of Canadian Dollars you will receive for your Pounds.
A money transfer specialist can work with you to get you the best exchange rate available and help manage your currency risk.
One of the advantages of using a money transfer specialist is that you can speak to someone who is experienced in dealing with exchange rates and international transfers.
A currency specialist can monitor the currency markets for you, and if the GBP to CAD exchange rate moves in your favour, you can be alerted to the opportunity.
Even a 1% move in the exchange rate on a £100,000 transfer is a difference of £1,000 to you.
Getting some guidance on exchange rates could help optimise the timing of your transfer and reduce your costs.
Please note though that a bank or online-only money transfer provider won’t offer you any guidance or assistance when it comes to exchange rates.
Staff at bank branches are primarily trained in mortgages and savings products. They will have very limited knowledge about exchange rates.
Online-only operators, such as PayPal, TransferWise, and Revolut, are designed to be “do-it-yourself” systems. It is your responsibility to enter all the information, decide on the timing, and check all the details are correct.
While they are popular for smaller transfers (under £5,000), a lot of people prefer to receive some personal guidance for larger amounts.
For large money transfers, many customers want the peace of mind of having someone who can offer them assistance, expertise, and a helping hand.
If you would like more information about the GBP to CAD exchange rate and forecasts then the article linked will do just that!
Why you can’t trust the exchange rates you see online for money transfers to Canada
Most people hop online these days to look up the latest exchange rates.
Many websites are offering free live rates – including XE, DailyFX, FX Street, and Oanda, to name just a few.
But something a lot of people don’t know is the rates you see online are not available to customers.
The exchange rates you see online are not ‘real rates’ that customers can receive when they transfer money to Canada.
That’s because what you are seeing is ‘interbank exchange rates’.
Interbank exchange rates are basically like a wholesale rate between the giant clearing houses – major banks and large financial institutions – who settle billions in foreign currency trades every single day.
To cut a long story short, individual customers and even large businesses cannot buy or sell at interbank rates.
If you look closely at these free websites that annoying but vital fact will be buried in a disclaimer with words to the effect of “these rates are not available to consumers and are for informational purposes only”.
Even a lot of the leading comparison sites have a similar disclaimer about rates being indicative or subject to change etc.
If you want a real exchange rate, I would suggest you get a real quote.
Quick Summary
- For sending money to Canada from the UK, you can use a bank or a money transfer specialist.
- It usually takes 2-3 working days for your Pounds to arrive in Canada.
- The cost of a money transfer to Canada consists of two parts: transfer fees and the exchange rate.
- For larger amounts, it normally works out a lot cheaper to use a money transfer specialist than a bank.
- Make sure you use a money transfer specialist that is Authorised by the FCA for money security.
Key Currency is an independent money transfer specialist. We actively help our customers optimise exchange rates, minimise risk and reduce costs. As a company, we are open and transparent. The names and faces of all our people are on our website. We have gained a 5-star “excellent” rating based on over 2,000 customer reviews. Key Currency is an FCA-regulated Authorised Payment Institution (No. 753989), and as such, all money transfers are conducted through safeguarded client accounts. If you need to transfer money to Canada, we can help save you time and money. Simply request a free quote below. We also have information on transferring money to the UK from Canada, if you need it!Key Currency can help you with your money transfer to Canada