So you might be looking to transfer money from Canada to Pakistan.
Here we explore some options available to you –
Online money transfer using Transferwise (recommended)
If you have the money in a Canadian Bank Account, you can use an intermediary service like Transferwise to transfer from a Canadian Bank Account (CAD) to a Pakistani Bank Account (PKR). The service is safe and easy to use.
How Transferwise works –
- Create account on Transferwise.
- Connect your Canadian Bank Account (CAD).
- Add details of the recipient. To do the transfer you will need the recipient’s address as well as IBAN of the recipient.
- Enter the amount you want to send
- Confirm the transfer
It usually takes about 1-2 days for the transfer to complete!
Benefits of using Transferwise –
- Competitive exchange rates
- Very low fees
Cons of using Transferwise –
- Transfers are not instant
Send money for cash pickup using Xoom
You can use Xoom to send the money to the recipient for a cash pickup. The recipient will need to show up at one of the bank branches to be able to pick up the cash. Some banks supported – Bank Alfalah, Allied Bank, UBL, MCB.
How to transfer using Xoom –
- Create a PayPal or Xoom account
- Enter amount to send
- Provide Recipient details
- Pay the amount using PayPal/Bank Account/Credit Card/Debit Card.
- Finalize the transaction
Benefits of Xoom’s cash pickup service –
- Fast service – Xoom claims money available within minutes/same day.
Cons of cash pickup
- Little inconvenient picking up cash
Sending money using Western Union
Another popular option is to send the money to the recipient in Cash or their Bank Account using Western Union.
How to use Western Union –
- Make payment using your Canadian Credit or Debit Card/In-store/Bank Account. Payments made using Bank Accounts can take a couple of days.
- Choose between cash pickup or bank transfer
- Provide recipient’s bank details and pickup location
- Finalize the transaction
Pros of using Western Union
- Ideal for cash pickups
- Lots of pickup locations within the country
Cons of using Western Union
- Pricier than Transferwise (depends on amount)
International Bank Transfer
Some Canadian Banks will allow you to send money abroad. Please check with your bank if you are allowed to send money directly abroad or not.
How International Bank Transfer works –
- You will need recipient details including address and SWIFT code.
- Enter the amount in Canadian Dollars you want to transfer.
- Finalize your transfer
When the recipient’s bank receives the money, they will convert the Canadian Dollars on their end to Pakistani Rupees and then deposit that money in the recipient’s bank.
Benefits of using International Bank Transfer
- Direct transfer without any intermediaries involved.
Cons of using International Bank Transfer –
- Poor exchange rate by the Bank
- High fees
- It Can take a few days for the transfer to complete
You will need to check with the recipient’s bank if they accept International Transfers or not. Most major banks in Pakistan will have no issues with International Transfers.
Sending cheque by mail
You could send payments by cheque in Canadian Dollars to the recipients. The recipient can then cash that cheque.
Cons of sending cheque by mail –
- Very slow
- Potential trouble of cashing the cheque
- Chance of cheque getting lost in the mail
- Poor CAD to PKR exchange rate with the bank.
Which money transfer service you should go for?
Your decision will depend on how you want the recipient to receive the money and how much money are you transferring.
- If it’s very large amounts then you should go with transfer to Bank Accounts and NOT cash pickup as it would be considered very risky in Pakistan to be carrying a lot of money with you.
- The fees charged by the services will vary depending on the amount of money being transferred, check with the options above as to how much amount the recipient will be getting as the fees/exchange rates can make quite a difference!