Canada Referral Codes

Had an Account Before? Check Referral Bonus Eligibility

Had an account before? You may still qualify as a new customer, but closing an old account does not reset eligibility, and an open application can block a referral.

By CRC Research Team Updated Reviewed First-party eligibility terms checked

Check Your Account History First

Potentially Eligible
Never Had an Account

You may meet the new-customer test. The correct signup route and other requirements still apply.

Go to What Each Provider Calls a New Customer

Check the Lookback
Closed an Old Account

Closing it may not reset eligibility. Check the provider's historical cutoff.

Go to What Each Provider Calls a New Customer

May Be Excluded
Account or Application Open

An existing relationship or unfinished application may block a first-time referral.

Go to Before You Apply: Three Checks

These are screening outcomes, not eligibility approvals. The exact offer, account type and application history control the result.

What Each Provider Calls a New Customer

Tangerine

Lifetime Account History

Its Refer a Friend terms require that you never held an ING DIRECT or Tangerine account. Closing one does not make you new again. Tangerine offer details .

Simplii Financial

Since November 1, 2017

The standard referral test excludes people with a Simplii banking relationship on or after November 1, 2017. Earlier history is not barred by that cutoff alone; other conditions still apply. Simplii offer details .

EQ Bank

Personal Account History

A person who previously held an EQ Bank Personal Account is not a new client for this referral. The exclusion names that account type; don't assume other products are automatically covered or exempt. EQ Bank offer details .

Questrade Refer a Friend

Current Account or Application

Its FAQ says the new client must have no existing Questrade account or application. It does not clearly settle every previously closed-account case; ask Questrade before opening another application. Questrade referral details .

Questrade Affiliate New Client

Five-Year Lookback

Under these separate affiliate terms, you must have no Questrade or Questwealth Management account currently or in the past five years. That rule is not the same as Refer a Friend.

Wealthsimple

First-Time Referral

Its standard referral guidance describes a brand-new account. If you previously registered or funded an account, don't assume opening another one qualifies; individual promotion terms can differ. Wealthsimple referral details .

The distinctions above concern referral eligibility, not every public welcome offer or transfer promotion. A provider may define “new customer” differently for another campaign.

Three Situations That Trip People Up

  • “I closed my account years ago.” Tangerine and EQ Bank explicitly look at prior account ownership. Simplii uses a dated relationship cutoff. Do not treat account closure as a universal reset.
  • “I only had a different product.” The exact account definition matters. EQ Bank names its Personal Account; Questrade's affiliate terms cover accounts at both Questrade and Questwealth Management.
  • “I started an application but never funded.” Questrade's standard Refer a Friend FAQ explicitly excludes an existing application. Other programs may also have signup-stage restrictions.

Before You Apply: Three Checks

  1. Confirm the exact promotion: personal referral, affiliate signup or public welcome offer.
  2. Check your account history: provider, product, closure date and any unfinished application.
  3. If the terms leave doubt, ask the provider before applying and keep the response. Then follow the correct code or link route.

Already opened an account without a code? That is a different problem: check referral recovery after signup.

New-Customer Referral FAQ

Can I qualify for a referral if I closed my old account?

Possibly, but not simply because it was closed. Tangerine excludes previous ING DIRECT or Tangerine account holders, while Simplii has a November 1, 2017 history cutoff. Apply the exact provider and offer terms in What Each Provider Calls a New Customer.

Does an old account with a different product disqualify me?

Not always. The named products and institutions matter. EQ Bank specifically refers to a previously held Personal Account; Questrade's affiliate rules cover Questrade and Questwealth Management accounts. Confirm unclear histories with the provider, and see Three Situations That Trip People Up.

Can I use a Questrade referral code if I already started an application?

Questrade's standard Refer a Friend FAQ says a new client must not have an existing application or account. Its separate affiliate offer uses different criteria; do not mix the two. See What Each Provider Calls a New Customer for both Questrade routes.

Does being eligible for a public welcome offer mean I qualify for a referral?

No. Referral programs and public signup promotions can have different new-customer definitions, qualifying actions and stacking restrictions. Check both independently in What Each Provider Calls a New Customer.

Sources & Verification 6 First-Party Sources Checked

How We Compared

  • We compared current first-party referral terms, not generic descriptions of new-customer promotions.
  • A stated exclusion is treated as a clear restriction. Silence or ambiguous historical eligibility is not presented as approval.
  • The Questrade personal referral and affiliate offer are different routes. Other campaign rules can differ even at the same provider.