Making international calls

Making calls from Canada to other countries can quickly become expensive if you’re not aware of your provider’s international long-distance rates, or if you don’t have a monthly plan or prepaid plan that includes international minutes. On this page, we explain how you can call internationally and which charges you should keep an eye on. You’ll also learn the difference between calling abroad from home and making calls to another country while you’re travelling.

How much does it cost to make international calls from Canada?

The cost of making international calls from Canada varies depending on the destination and your service provider. Standard long-distance rates to countries outside of North America can range from $0.50 to over $4.00 per minute. It is also important to note that calling a mobile number is often more expensive than calling a landline in many overseas territories.

However, many bring your own phone plans and prepaid plans now include a set number of international minutes to popular destinations (like China, India, or the UK) as a standard feature. Some providers also offer international long distance add-ons that significantly reduce per-minute rates for a small monthly fee.

How do you make international calls from Canada?

When calling from Canada to another country, first dial 011 (the international exit code), followed by the country code, the area code, and finally the phone number. On a cell phone, you can simply hold down the “0” key to produce a “+” symbol, which replaces the “011” exit code.

How much does it cost to call from Canada to a Canadian number abroad?

If you call a friend who has a Canadian number but is currently travelling abroad, you only pay the rate of a local Canadian call. If your plan includes unlimited nationwide calling, the call is completely free for you.

However, the person receiving the call may be charged roaming fees by their provider for receiving an incoming call while outside of Canada, unless they have a roaming daily pass or a “Canada-US/International” plan.

What is the difference between nationwide and province-wide plans?

While province-wide plans were common in the past, most modern BYOP and prepaid plans now include unlimited nationwide calling as a standard. However, if you are on an older “legacy” plan, check your coverage; calling outside your home province could still trigger domestic long-distance charges.

Can you make international calls without paying long-distance charges?

Yes, by using data-based apps like FaceTime, WhatsApp, or Viber. These apps use your home Wi-Fi or mobile data instead of the cellular voice network. As long as you are connected to Wi-Fi or have a sufficient data allowance in your monthly plan, you won’t pay per-minute long-distance charges.

Another popular option in 2026 is purchasing a travel eSIM. This allows you to bypass expensive roaming daily passes by using a local data plan, which you can then use to power your calling apps.

Roaming charges apply when you are travelling

If you are outside of Canada and want to use a calling app or make a standard call, you must be aware of roaming charges. Canadian providers are known for “Easy Roam” or “Roam Like Home” packages, where you pay a flat daily fee (typically $13–$17 per day for the US, and $16–$20 for international destinations) to use your existing plan’s data and minutes while abroad.

Are there limits on how much I can be charged for roaming?

Yes, but it is important to distinguish between data and voice calls. Under the CRTC Wireless Code, there is a $100 cap on international data roaming charges per billing cycle. However, this cap does not apply to standard voice calls or text messages.

If you make traditional phone calls without a roaming pass or a “Canada-US/International” plan, there is no automatic limit to how much you can be charged. This is why using a daily roaming add-on or a data-based calling app is much safer.

How do you make calls when you’re travelling?

How you make calls and what it costs depends on your destination and your roaming settings.

• Travelling to the USA: Most Canadian providers offer “Canada-US” plans that allow you to use your phone in the States just like you do at home for no extra charge.
• Travelling internationally: For countries outside the US, most carriers charge a daily roaming fee. If you don’t have a daily roaming pass active, “pay-per-use” data and voice rates can be extremely high.

A note on network compatibility: As 3G networks have been phased out globally, ensure your device supports VoLTE roaming. Without it, you might find that data works, but traditional voice calls fail.

Tip! Check our page about roaming to learn how to toggle roaming on and off in your settings and how to avoid “bill shock” when returning to Canada.

How to call Canada from abroad

If you are calling a Canadian number from your own Canadian mobile phone while abroad, you usually dial the number exactly as you do at home (1 + Area Code + Number). However, ensure your roaming is active so your phone can connect to a local partner network.

Keep in mind that while receiving a text is usually free globally on most Canadian plans, answering a phone call while abroad will trigger your provider’s daily roaming fee or per-minute rate immediately.

How do you call Canada from a foreign number?

The country code for Canada is +1. To call a Canadian number from a foreign landline or local SIM, dial the international exit code of that country (usually 00 or +), followed by 1, the area code, and the seven-digit phone number.

Three things to try if you can’t make calls while abroad

• Restart your phone. This forces your device to reconnect to the local partner network, which often solves connection issues.
• Check your Network Selection. Go to your phone settings and ensure Network Selection is set to Automatic. If that doesn’t work, try manually selecting a different local provider from the list.
• Check for “roaming blocks”. Log in to your provider’s app to ensure you haven’t placed a “roaming block” or “international call block” on your account. Many prepaid plans require you to add a “roaming add-on” before you leave Canada for the service to work at all.