- Canadian government ID — driver's licence, provincial ID card, or passport (for FINTRAC verification)
- Recipient's full legal name exactly as it appears on their DPI
- Recipient's DPI / CUI number — 13 digits, required for cash pickup and bank deposit
- Recipient's bank + account number if doing bank deposit (Banrural / BI / BAM / G&T)
- Source-of-funds proof if sending CAD 10,000+ in one transfer (employment income, sale proceeds, etc.)
Last updated: 2026-05-16. Reference cross-rate sourced from Banguat SOAP API for business day 2026-05-15. Live provider rates checked daily — full methodology.
TL;DR — Canada to Guatemala in one paragraph
There is no published figure for the Canada-to-Guatemala corridor (the Banco de Guatemala remittance series we read does not split the total by country of origin); the Canadian Guatemalan diaspora is in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and Calgary. The CAD/GTQ rate is a cross-rate via USD (Banguat does not quote CAD directly), so today’s reference is 1 CAD = 5.53915 GTQ (May 15 2026). Wise Canada has the best effective CAD/GTQ rate for most amounts CAD 200-5,000. Remitly Canada is fastest for cash pickup at Banrural. Western Union Canada and MoneyGram Canada cover the cash-to-cash use case. RBC, BMO, TD, Scotiabank international wires cost CAD 25-45 per send and only make sense at CAD 10,000+. Xoom is limited from Canada — PayPal Canada restrictions apply. Interac e-Transfer does NOT cross the border — it is domestic Canada only.
Canada to Guatemala remittance context
According to the Banco de Guatemala, US$25.53 billion in family remittances came into Guatemala in 2025. The Banguat series we read (25 September 2026) does not split that total by country of origin, so we give no share for Canada.
- Guatemalan immigrants in Canada number roughly 20,000-25,000 according to Statistics Canada (2021 census data, including descendants). The Pew-style “diaspora plus descendants” figure is higher.
- Concentration is in Toronto (largest community), Montreal, Vancouver, and Calgary — with smaller communities in Edmonton, Winnipeg, and Ottawa.
- The Canadian Guatemalan diaspora skews older and more economically established than the US one (longer immigration history, more retirees and second-generation professionals). This means higher average transfer amounts but lower frequency vs the US corridor.
- Bing CTR data shows Canadian users engage 5.8x more with this site’s pages than rest-of-world (3.82% vs ~0.66%). The Canadian audience is hungry for clear, comparator-style guidance.
What this means for choosing a provider: Canadian senders tend to send larger amounts less frequently (e.g., CAD 500-2,000 monthly or CAD 5,000-15,000 quarterly), which favors low-spread digital services like Wise over cash-pickup networks that charge per-transaction.
Providers active in Canada for the Canada to Guatemala corridor
Not every US-active remittance provider operates from Canada. Here’s the verified Canada-side picture:
| Provider | Active in Canada? | Cash pickup in GT? | Bank deposit in GT? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wise | Yes (FINTRAC registered MSB) | No | Yes — Banrural, BI, BAM, G&T | CAD 200-5,000, lowest spread |
| Remitly | Yes (Remitly Canada Inc.) | Yes — Banrural network | Yes | Cash pickup speed, first-transfer promo |
| Western Union | Yes (WU Canada) | Yes — widest agent network | Yes | Cash-to-cash, agent locations across Canada |
| MoneyGram | Yes (MG Canada) | Yes — Banrural, BAM agents | Yes | Cash-to-cash, retail partner pickups |
| Xoom (PayPal) | LIMITED — Canadian PayPal users often see Xoom restricted | Yes (where available) | Yes (where available) | Verify inside your PayPal Canada account first |
| RBC International Money Transfer | Yes — RBC clients only | No | Yes — wire to Guatemalan bank | RBC clients sending CAD 10,000+ |
| BMO Global Money Transfer | Yes — BMO clients only | No | Yes — wire to Guatemalan bank | BMO clients, established corridors |
| TD Cross-Border Banking / Wire | Yes — TD clients only | No | Yes | TD clients, large wires |
| Scotiabank Wire / Global Transfers | Yes — Scotiabank clients | No | Yes — preferential Scotiabank GT-to-Scotiabank GT | Scotiabank-to-Scotiabank, retirees |
| Knightsbridge FX | Yes — Canadian FX broker | No | Yes (via wire) | CAD 10,000+ amounts, best rate at tier |
| Snowbird Currency Exchange | Yes — Canadian retiree-focused FX | No | Yes (via wire) | Canadian retirees with recurring needs |
Key Canadian regulator: FINTRAC (Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada). All money services businesses operating in Canada must be FINTRAC-registered. Wise, Remitly, WU, MoneyGram all hold FINTRAC MSB licenses.
CAD/GTQ rate today (May 16, 2026)
Guatemala’s central bank (Banguat) publishes daily reference rates for major currencies. CAD is a cross-rate via USD, meaning Banguat takes the USD/CAD international quote and multiplies by USD/GTQ to derive CAD/GTQ.
Today’s reference (business day 2026-05-15):
| Pair | Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| USD / GTQ | 7.62326 | Banguat direct reference |
| USD / CAD | 1.3762 (compra) / 1.3763 (venta) | International market |
| CAD / GTQ | 5.53915 | Computed cross-rate, GTQ per 1 CAD |
Worked example — sending CAD 1,000:
- Reference value: 1,000 × 5.53915 = GTQ 5,539.15 (theoretical mid-market)
- Wise effective rate (~1% all-in): you deliver approximately GTQ 5,484
- Remitly Express (~2% spread + fee): approximately GTQ 5,430
- Western Union cash pickup (~3% spread + fee): approximately GTQ 5,370
- Canadian bank wire (~3.5% spread + CAD 35 fee): approximately GTQ 5,283
Difference between best and worst on CAD 1,000: roughly GTQ 200 (~CAD 36). Over twelve months of monthly transfers, that’s CAD 430+ saved by picking the right corridor provider.
For the daily-updated CAD/GTQ Banguat rate with historical chart, see CAD to GTQ exchange rate.
Best provider for the Canada to Guatemala corridor
For CAD 200-5,000 (most senders): Wise Canada.
Wise uses the real mid-market rate (the one shown above as 5.53915) with a transparent percentage fee instead of hiding cost in the exchange-rate spread. For monthly senders, Wise’s recurring-transfer feature lets you schedule deposits in advance, and FINTRAC reporting is automatic for amounts requiring it.
Where Wise loses: no cash pickup. Recipient needs a Guatemalan bank account (Banrural, BI, BAM, G&T Continental, BAC). If your family doesn’t have one, Wise is not the corridor’s answer.
For urgent cash pickup: Remitly Canada Express.
Remitly’s first-transfer promotional rate can match or beat Wise for one transaction, so first-time Canadian users often get the best of both worlds on their initial send.
For CAD 10,000+ one-shot transfers: Knightsbridge FX or Snowbird Currency Exchange.
Canadian-regulated FX brokers consistently beat Wise by 0.2-0.5% at this tier because they batch large transfers and quote tighter spreads. Both are FINTRAC-registered. Funding is by Canadian bank wire or e-Transfer (broker-to-broker, not consumer Interac).
Cash pickup network in Guatemala
The same cash pickup infrastructure that serves the US corridor also serves Canadian senders. Major networks:
| Network | Branches / Locations | Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Banrural | More than 3,500 service points (Banrural’s own count, all channel types) | Its branch locator lists agencies in all 22 departments |
| Banco Industrial (BI) | 350+ | Strong urban + departmental capital coverage |
| Banco Agromercantil (BAM) | 200+ | Urban + secondary cities |
| Western Union agents | 2,000+ pickup points | Banks, retail partners (La Torre, Despensa Familiar, El Super) |
| MoneyGram agents | 1,500+ pickup points | Banks + retail partners |
For pickup, recipient must bring:
- ID: Banrural asks for the DPI document and pays remittances only to people over 18; Banco Industrial asks for a DPI from Guatemalans or a passport from foreigners, and pays a minor who brings a copy of the birth record and comes with a parent (collecting a remittance without a DPI)
- Transaction reference number (MTCN for WU, reference code for Remitly/MG)
- Sender’s full legal name as it appears on the Canadian ID used to send
Western Union and MoneyGram agent locations thin out outside departmental capitals.
Bank deposit option from Canada
Bank deposit is the cheapest delivery method for Canadian senders because it cuts out cash-handling fees. Wise, Remitly, RBC/BMO/TD/Scotiabank wires, and Knightsbridge all support direct deposit to Guatemalan accounts.
Banks that receive international deposits well:
| Guatemalan bank | Wise direct? | Remitly direct? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banrural | Yes | Yes | Most popular for diaspora — has international correspondent rails |
| Banco Industrial (BI) | Yes | Yes | Strong international connectivity, popular for professional families |
| BAM (Banco Agromercantil) | Yes | Yes | Reliable, slightly slower than BI for first-time corridors |
| G&T Continental | Yes | Yes | Mid-tier connectivity, occasional 1-day extra delay |
| BAC | Yes | Yes | Regional bank, well-integrated with US/CA corridors |
| Banco Promerica | Sometimes | Sometimes | Verify before sending |
Information your recipient must provide:
- Full legal name (must match DPI exactly)
- Account number (10-13 digits depending on bank)
- Bank name and SWIFT/BIC code (Wise auto-fills, manual wires need it)
- Account type (savings = monetaria/ahorros, checking = monetaria/cheques)
Typical timing: Wise CAD to Banrural: 1-2 business days. RBC/BMO wire to BI: 2-4 business days. Sunday transfers post Monday or Tuesday.
Documents required from a Canadian sender
FINTRAC sets the Canada-side documentation rules. They scale by amount:
| Transfer amount | Documentation needed |
|---|---|
| Under CAD 1,000 | Basic verification: name, address, date of birth. |
| CAD 1,000 - 3,000 | Government-issued photo ID — Canadian driver’s licence, provincial ID card, or Canadian passport. Proof of address may be requested. |
| CAD 3,000 - 10,000 | Photo ID + proof of address (utility bill, bank statement) + occupation declaration. |
| CAD 10,000+ | Extended verification: source-of-funds documentation (employment income, sale of property, pension statement, savings withdrawal). FINTRAC automatic reporting kicks in. |
| Recurring transfers totaling CAD 10,000+ in 24 hours | Same as single CAD 10,000+ transfer. Aggregation rule applies. |
Your SIN (Social Insurance Number) is rarely required for normal remittances — providers use ID and proof-of-address to satisfy FINTRAC.
Permanent residents and non-citizens in Canada: PR card, work permit, or study permit plus a secondary ID (passport, provincial photo ID) typically satisfies FINTRAC.
FINTRAC compliance — what large transfers trigger
FINTRAC (the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada) is Canada’s anti-money-laundering regulator. For Canada to Guatemala remittances:
- CAD 10,000+ single transfer: Automatic Large Cash Transaction Report (LCTR) or Electronic Funds Transfer Report (EFTR) filed by your provider. This is not a tax. It is not an audit. It is a regulatory notification. You don’t need to do anything extra — the provider files automatically.
- Multiple transfers totaling CAD 10,000+ within 24 hours: Same aggregation rule. Sending CAD 5,000 twice on the same day counts as CAD 10,000.
- Suspicious patterns: Providers must file Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs) for unusual activity regardless of amount — e.g., sudden change in frequency, recipient changes, or transfers inconsistent with declared occupation.
What FINTRAC will NOT do: Tax you. Block normal family transfers. Notify CRA (Canada Revenue Agency) for gift/family support amounts. The agency monitors aggregate patterns, not individual remittances.
For Guatemalan recipients: SIB (Superintendencia de Bancos de Guatemala) requires Guatemalan banks to report inward transfers above USD 10,000-equivalent. The receiving bank handles this — your family does not file paperwork. They will be asked to declare the source of funds when picking up large amounts; “remittance from family abroad” is the standard answer.
How long Canada to Guatemala transfers take
Speed by provider, in practice:
| Provider | Speed (best case) | Speed (typical) | Speed (weekend / holiday) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Western Union (cash pickup) | Minutes | 15-30 min | Minutes — agents open Sat |
| MoneyGram (cash pickup) | Minutes | 30-60 min | Minutes — agents open Sat |
| Remitly Express (cash pickup) | Minutes | 30 min - 2 hrs | Same-day if agent open |
| Remitly Economy (bank deposit) | Shown in Remitly’s quote | Shown in Remitly’s quote | Shown in Remitly’s quote |
| Wise (debit card-funded, bank deposit) | Within hours | Same day | Posts Monday |
| Wise (bank-funded, bank deposit) | 1 business day | 1-2 business days | Posts Monday |
| RBC / BMO / TD / Scotiabank wire | 2 business days | 2-5 business days | Delays add |
| Knightsbridge FX / Snowbird FX | 1-2 business days | 1-3 business days | Settles next business day |
Guatemalan holidays that delay bank deposits (cash pickup keeps working): Jan 1, Holy Thursday/Good Friday/Holy Saturday (variable), May 1, Jun 30, Sep 15 (Independence Day), Oct 20, Nov 1, Dec 24 afternoon, Dec 25, Dec 31 afternoon.
Canadian banking caveat — Interac e-Transfer does NOT work to Guatemala
This is a confusion point for Canadian senders new to the corridor. Interac e-Transfer is a domestic Canadian rail. It moves money between:
- Canadian bank accounts (RBC, TD, BMO, Scotiabank, CIBC, National Bank, all credit unions)
- Canadian phone numbers and emails registered to those accounts
Interac e-Transfer cannot:
- Send to a Guatemalan bank account
- Send to a Guatemalan phone number
- Send to any account outside Canada
- Be used by Guatemalan banks to receive funds
If your provider says you can fund a remittance “via Interac,” that means funding the Canadian side of the transaction (you Interac e-Transfer the provider, the provider sends to Guatemala internationally). The Interac rail stops at the Canadian provider’s account.
Why Canadians confuse this: Interac is so fast and free in Canada that it feels like it should “just work” internationally. It doesn’t. International transfers always require a money services business (Wise, Remitly, WU, MG) or an international bank wire — regardless of whether you fund that provider via Interac.
Who sends from Canada — typical cohorts
Based on patterns in this corridor, Canadian senders fall into three cohorts:
1. Canadian Guatemalan diaspora — regular family sender
Profile: Toronto / Montreal / Vancouver / Calgary resident, often a permanent resident or citizen, working in trades, healthcare, services, or office work. Sends CAD 200-800 monthly to parents, siblings, or extended family in San Marcos, Huehuetenango, Quiche, Quetzaltenango, or Guatemala City.
Best fit: Wise (lowest spread on recurring amounts) or Remitly Economy (if recipient prefers cash pickup). Sets up recurring monthly transfer.
2. Canadian student or young professional — helping family back home
Profile: International student, work-permit holder, or new graduate. Smaller amounts (CAD 100-400) but with urgency. May not have Canadian credit history yet — debit-card funding preferred over bank-account ACH.
Best fit: Remitly Express (cash pickup speed, accepts debit) or Wise with debit funding (mid-market rate, slightly higher fee than ACH but immediate).
3. Canadian business owner or remote employer — paying a Guatemalan supplier or contractor
Profile: Canadian small business or remote-first company paying a Guatemalan freelancer (designer, developer, translator) or supplier (artisan goods, coffee). Amounts CAD 500-5,000 per invoice.
Best fit: Wise Business (multi-currency account, batch payments, automatic CRA-compliant transaction records) or Knightsbridge FX (if CAD 10,000+ per send). Recipient must declare the income to SAT (Guatemalan tax authority) as service income, not gift.
Methodology + sources
Exchange rate source: Banguat (Banco de Guatemala) TipoCambioRangoMoneda SOAP API at banguat.gob.gt. CAD/GTQ is computed as a cross-rate via USD because Banguat does not quote CAD directly — formula: CAD/GTQ = (USD/GTQ) / (USD/CAD). Today’s published reference rate is for business day 2026-05-15, refreshed at 2026-05-16 08:38 local time.
Provider rates: Live provider rates are sampled directly from each provider’s public quote page (no API scraping). Sampled rates carry a 1-3% spread vs Banguat reference depending on tier and funding method. Always verify the live quote in your account before sending.
Cash pickup network coverage: Branch counts sourced from each bank’s public branch locator (Banrural, BI, BAM, G&T) and from WU/MG agent location pages.
FINTRAC rules: Sourced from the FINTRAC public reporting guidance at fintrac-canafe.canada.ca. Last verified May 2026.
Full site-wide methodology — see Methodology.
Related corridor pages
- Live remittance comparator (parent hub) — all corridors, live rates side by side
- USA to Guatemala corridor — the dominant corridor, US-specific provider mix and 2026 1% tax
- Mexico to Guatemala corridor — MXN/GTQ, Bitso and Mexican fintech-led
- Daily CAD to GTQ Banguat rate — historical chart and daily refresh
- Best ways to send from the USA — Wise vs Remitly deep dive for US senders
- Moving from Canada — sending money to family lifestyle guide — the lifestyle-and-pension angle if you’re a Canadian retiree managing CPP/OAS
- Embassy of Canada in Guatemala — consular contact
- Site methodology — how we source and verify