Eligibility

SR&ED Software Companies: What Canadian Founders Should Know

Canadian software companies can claim SR&ED for eligible R&D work. Learn what qualifies, how to document it, and how software claim preparation differs from consultant-led filing.

SREDY.IO · Editorial Team 2026-06-20 6 min read

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What software work qualifies for SR&ED

Canadian software companies are among the most common SR&ED claimants. The key is distinguishing routine development from systematic investigation of technical uncertainty.

  • Novel algorithm development where existing approaches don't meet your requirements
  • Systematic performance optimization requiring investigation beyond documentation
  • ML model architecture work for domains without established benchmarks
  • Platform development where existing frameworks couldn't address your constraints
  • Integration work requiring novel solutions for interoperability problems

Routine CRUD development, standard API integrations, and applying well-documented techniques your team simply hasn't used before do not qualify. The uncertainty must be in the field, not just in your team's experience.

How software companies document SR&ED

Software companies have a documentation advantage: their daily tools generate contemporaneous evidence. GitHub commits, Jira tickets, design docs, and Slack threads all serve as SR&ED evidence when they show systematic investigation.

The documentation habit

Write commit messages that explain the technical reasoning, not just what changed. Tag Jira tickets with the SR&ED project. Keep design docs that show rejected approaches. These habits take no extra time and create powerful evidence.

software eligibility companies Canada

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Check whether your work qualifies, estimate the possible credit, or preview the package your CPA would review.

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Useful next steps

SR&ED eligibility checklist → Refund estimator → Sample T661 package → Documentation guide →

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SR&ED documentation software helps Canadian tech companies build contemporaneous evidence records from GitHub, Jira, Linear, Slack, and design docs. Audit-ready, CRA-defensible.

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