Living Abroad Life in Canada

What is the calling code for Canada? Making your phone call

Wise

02.06.23 (updated more than 1 year ago)

Read time 2 minutes

The Great White North is a popular destination for tourists from all over the world, as well as expats. With its progressive politics, stunning natural scenery, universal healthcare and affordable, top-tier education, it’s no wonder so many people are looking to Canada as a place to visit or call home. Need to get a hold of someone in Canada? Here’s how you place a phone call from anywhere in the world to the Great White North.

How do I call Canada?

Every country in the world has a different country code that must be dialed before a local phone number. Without them, phone numbers would have to be far too long for people to memorize, simply so there could be enough phone numbers for everyone in the world.

Canada’s country code is +1.

Are there other codes in Canada I need to be aware of?

Canada has many three-digit area codes that you must dial depending on which province or territory you’re trying to reach. Some provinces have many different area codes because they have high populations.

Alberta: 403, 587, 825, 780, 587, 825
British Columbia: 604, 778, 236, 250, 778, 236
Manitoba: 204, 431
New Brunswick: 506
Newfoundland: 709
Northwest Territories: 867
Nova Scotia: 902
Nunavut: 867
Ontario: 905, 289, 365, 519, 226, 548, 705, 249, 613, 343 , 807, 416, 647, 437
Prince Edward Island: 902
Quebec: 418, 581, 450, 579, 514, 438 , 819, 873
Saskatchewan: 306, 639
Yukon Territory: 867

For example, if calling a mobile phone from outside Canada, you would dial +61 4 and the 8-digit mobile number.

An example of a Canadian phone number

If you see: (604) 555-5555, then dial +1 604 555 5555.

Calling Canada from a landline

When calling a foreign country from a landline, you won’t be able to dial the “+” before the country code, so you use an international call prefix instead. These vary depending on where you’re calling from, but some of the most common are:

UK, Italy, China	00
United States or Canada	011
Japan	010

For a full list of international call prefixes, click here.

Why did my call to Canada not work?

If your call to Canada isn’t going through, troubleshoot with these tips:

Make sure the local number you’re dialing is correct.
Make sure you’re using the correct dialing format (your country’s international call prefix, Canada’s country code, the area code, then the local number)
If you’re calling on a mobile phone, make sure you use the “+” symbol before the country code, not the international call prefix.

Another way to make a call to Canada is to use an app, like Whatsapp or Skype. Whatsapp offers free calls, and Skype allows you to pre-load the app with credits for making international calls (calls via the app to another Skype user are free).

Do phone numbers in Canada usually have voicemail boxes?

In recent years, mobile phone use has far outpaced landline use in Canada — there are now more than 26 million mobile phones in use in the country, compared to just over 18 million landlines. As more and more Canadians trade their landlines and go mobile-only, more and more will have phones with built in voicemail boxes. Mobile phone voicemail boxes can have generic greetings or ones that are personalized. That’s entirely up to the phone owner.

What does the ringing tone sound like when you call Canada?

If you live in the United States, Canada’s ringing tone will sound familiar to you. The ringing tone will be very similar to the dial tone you hear when you first pick up a landline phone, but instead of one continuous tone, it will be in bursts that are each several seconds long.

You can hear Canada’s ringing tone by clicking here.

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If you’re travelling often, consider using the Wise card, which offers low-fee spending in many countries, including Canada.

Plus, it automatically converts currency at a fair rate - the mid-market exchange rate - whenever you spend. You can simply tap your card at the shops and restaurants, and Wise automatically convers your GBP to CAD at a fair exchange rate.

Until you’ve had some experience doing it, placing international phone calls can seem over-complicated. But with this guide in hand, you should know what to expect and be better prepared for making your first international call to Canada. Good luck with your call!

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