FHSA and RRSP · 2026
One account starts when you open it. The other waits for a year of income.
| FHSA | RRSP | TFSA | |
|---|---|---|---|
| When room starts | The year you open your first FHSA | The year after you have earned income | The later of residency and the year you turn 18 |
| Annual amount | $8,000.00 participation room | 18% of prior-year earned income | $7,000.00 for 2026 |
| Ceiling | $40,000.00 lifetime | $33,810.00 dollar limit for 2026 | No lifetime cap. Unused room carries forward. |
| Carryforward | Unused room, capped at $8,000.00 | Unused room carries forward | Unused room carries forward. Withdrawals return the next 1 January. |
FHSA contributing page · 2026 RRSP dollar limit · 18% rule · TFSA dollar limits
FHSA participation room
Room starts in the year you open your first FHSA, not the year you land. The $3,000 in 2025 is an example. Put contributions and RRSP-to-FHSA transfers in the same box: they share one room. This does not decide whether you are allowed to open an account.
Educational only, not financial or tax advice. Not affiliated with CRA.
2026 participation room
$13,000.00
Contributing to your FHSAs. FHSA · Canada Revenue Agency
- Lifetime contributions entered
- $3,000.00Contributing to your FHSAs. FHSA · Canada Revenue Agency
- Lifetime limit remaining
- $37,000.00Contributing to your FHSAs. FHSA · Canada Revenue Agency
| Year | Room | Entered | Excess |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $8,000.00 | $3,000.00 | $0.00 |
| 2026 | $13,000.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| 2027 (projected) | $16,000.00 | — | $0.00 |
2027 is a projection using the same statutory limits. It is not a new indexed amount. Designated excess withdrawals (Form RC727) and taxable withdrawals are not modeled; either one can change a later year. Income inside the account does not use up room.
Eligibility, including the first-time home buyer test, is on Opening your FHSAs.
RRSP deduction limit for 2026
New room is the lesser of 18% of last year's earned income and the 2026 dollar limit, minus a pension adjustment. It starts at zero. The dollar limit is a ceiling, not a grant.
Often $0 for a first year in Canada.
Educational only, not financial or tax advice. Not affiliated with CRA.
Estimated 2026 room
$0.00
- 18% of prior-year earned income
- $0.00How contributions affect your RRSP deduction limit. 2026 · Canada Revenue Agency
- 2026 dollar limit
- $33,810.00MP, DB, RRSP, DPSP, ALDA, TFSA limits, YMPE and YAMPE. 2026 · Canada Revenue Agency
- New room after pension adjustment
- $0.00How contributions affect your RRSP deduction limit. 2026 · Canada Revenue Agency
- Unused room you entered
- $0.00
With no prior-year earned income and no unused room, new RRSP room for 2026 is $0. That is the usual first-year result, not a mistake. A pension adjustment reversal and a net past service pension adjustment are not included. CRA's deduction-limit page was still describing the 2025 contribution deadline when these figures were checked, so this page does not guess a 2026 deadline. The 2027 dollar limit on the CRA table is $35,390.00; it is not used in the total above.
Read the eligibility pages before you open anything
The FHSA first-time home buyer test is specific, and this page will not paraphrase it into a yes or no. Start at Opening your FHSAs. RRSP room on a notice of assessment is the figure that matters once you have filed; the calculator is the arithmetic behind that number for someone who does not have a notice yet. CRA has published a 2027 RRSP dollar limit of $35,390.00 on the same limits table. It is not part of the 2026 estimate.
Questions
Do I get FHSA room when I become a resident?
No. FHSA participation room starts in the year you open your first FHSA. In that year the room is $8,000, shared by contributions and transfers from an RRSP. Opening one depends on CRA's eligibility rules, including residence, age, and the first-time home buyer test. This page links those rules and does not shorten them.
How does the $8,000 carryforward work?
Unused participation room carries forward, but the carryforward itself is capped at $8,000. Someone who contributes nothing can have up to $16,000 of room in a later year, not an ever-growing pile. The $40,000 lifetime limit still applies. An excess contribution reduces the next year's room.
Why would my RRSP room be zero?
New RRSP room for 2026 is based on earned income in 2025, at 18%, up to the $33,810 dollar limit. A newcomer with no Canadian earned income in the prior year, and no unused room, has $0 of new room. The dollar limit is not a starter amount.
Do RRSP transfers use FHSA room?
Yes. CRA says the participation room applies to contributions and transfers from RRSPs combined. The calculator asks you to enter both in one box. A transfer also has RRSP consequences that this page does not calculate.