Funding a transfer from Canada
Interac e-Transfer and direct debit from a Canadian account cost the least to fund a transfer, and both are widely supported. Card funding is available almost everywhere and costs more, in the usual pattern.
Canadian bank transfers can be slow to leave the country compared with the UK, so allow an extra day when the timing matters. The Pakistani leg is usually the fast part.
Regulation
Money services businesses in Canada register with FINTRAC, and you can check a provider’s registration before sending. Provincial rules add a second layer in Quebec in particular, which occasionally means a service available in Ontario is not available to you.
Identity verification on signup is standard, and larger transfers attract source-of-funds questions in the same way they do everywhere else.
What arrives in Pakistan
Bank deposit is the usual choice from Canada, and same-day arrival is common once the Canadian leg clears. Wallet payout to JazzCash or Easypaisa is supported by some providers and is faster, though the wallet rate is sometimes slightly worse than the bank rate — the table above shows each separately so you can see the difference rather than assume it.
Common questions
Why is my Canadian bank so much more expensive?
Because the cost is mostly in the exchange rate rather than the fee. A bank quoting “no transfer fee” can still be several percent behind the mid-market rate, which on a large transfer costs far more than any fee on this page. The bank benchmark row in the table above shows the size of that gap for your amount.
Can I send straight to JazzCash or Easypaisa?
Yes, if the provider supports mobile wallet payout. Choose “JazzCash or Easypaisa” under “Recipient gets it in” and the table only shows services that pay out to wallets, with the wallet-specific rate and delivery time, which are often different from the bank ones. Your recipient needs the wallet registered against their CNIC. Wallets have monthly receiving limits that depend on the account level, so a large transfer may need a bank account instead. // NEEDS VERIFICATION: current per-level wallet limits before quoting a figure.
What is the State Bank remittance incentive?
The State Bank of Pakistan reimburses banks and money transfer operators for remittances sent through approved channels, which is why so many licensed services show a zero fee on transfers to Pakistan rather than the two or three percent you would expect. The subsidy goes to the provider, not to you, so it shows up as a lower headline cost rather than a payment. It also means the option with the lowest headline cost is not automatically the one that delivers the most rupees — the exchange rate still does most of the work.
Should I open a Roshan Digital Account?
A Roshan Digital Account is a Pakistani bank account that non-resident Pakistanis can open remotely, without visiting Pakistan, using a NICOP, POC or a non-resident CNIC. The State Bank introduced the scheme in 2020. It is worth having if you send regularly or want to hold money in Pakistan rather than convert it immediately, because it also gives access to rupee and dollar certificates. It is not a faster way to send a one-off transfer.
Guidance on this page was last reviewed on 2 Sept 2026. Rates above are live; the written guidance is not, and rules change. Nothing here is financial advice.