🇨🇦 🌍International dialing

International dialing codes from Canada

Dial 011 or a plus sign, then the country code and number. Or skip the exit code entirely and call from your browser with StartACall. No app, no SIM, and the first call is free.

What you get

  • Exit code 011 or a plus sign, then country code
  • No exit code needed when you call from the browser
  • Per minute billing and credit that never expires
How it works
CallingLine active
🌍

How it works

1

Open StartACall

Open it in your browser and create an account in under a minute with Google or your email.

2

Enter the number

Type the plus sign, the country code and the number, dropping any leading zero.

3

Click call

The call connects in a few seconds in high definition. The first one is free.

Why people use StartACall

Instant setup

Start calling in seconds from any browser. Nothing to install.

Pay as you go

Per minute pricing, no monthly plan, and your credit never expires.

No app, no SIM

Works in Chrome, Safari, Edge and Firefox on desktop and mobile.

Ready to make your first call?

Create an account and call from your browser in seconds. Your first call is free.

No credit card needed to try.

International dialing codes from Canada explained

In short

To dial international from Canada, use the exit code 011 or a plus sign, then the country code and the local number. For example, dial 011 49 or +49 for Germany. With StartACall you skip the exit code entirely and call from your browser, paying by the minute, and the first call is free.

How the exit code and country code fit together

A normal international call from a Canadian phone has three parts. First comes the exit code, which is 011 in Canada. Then comes the country code of the place you are calling, such as 44 for the United Kingdom, 91 for India or 63 for the Philippines. Last comes the local phone number, usually with any leading zero removed.

So a call to a London landline looks like 011 44 20 and the number. The plus sign is a shortcut for the same thing. On a mobile you can type a plus instead of 011, and the network fills in the exit code for you. Both reach the same destination.

What the exit code actually does

The exit code is the signal that tells the Canadian network you want to leave the North American numbering plan and route the call overseas. Without it, the network reads your digits as a domestic call and either fails to connect or sends you somewhere unintended. The 011 is not part of the destination number, it is purely an instruction to switch from local to international routing.

This is why the plus sign exists. The plus is a universal stand in for whatever exit code the country you are standing in happens to use. In Canada that is 011, in much of Europe it is 00, and in Japan it is 010. When you save a number with a plus at the front, it travels with you and works from any country, because the device swaps in the correct local exit code automatically.

Calling from the browser without an exit code

With StartACall you do not type 011 at all. You open the browser, enter the plus sign, the country code and the number, and click call. The connection runs from your browser tab straight onto the worldwide phone network through WebRTC, so the exit code is handled for you.

It works the same on a laptop and on a phone, in Chrome, Safari, Edge or Firefox. There is no app to install, no SIM and no number of your own needed to place a call. The person you reach answers on their ordinary phone with no app on their end.

Common country codes Canadians use

A few codes come up again and again. India is 91, the Philippines is 63, the United Kingdom is 44, Mexico is 52 and China is 86. Portugal is 351, Poland is 48, Vietnam is 84 and Lebanon is 961. The Caribbean and the rest of North America sit inside the same +1 zone as Canada, so they use a three digit area code rather than a separate country code.

Pricing is by the minute with no monthly plan. A landline in Portugal runs about $0.055 per minute, a mobile in Poland about $0.22 per minute, and calls inside Canada and the United States are a flat rate near $0.046 per minute. Credit never expires and there is a small $0.004 connection fee per call.

A worked example, start to finish

Say you want to reach a mobile in Mexico City written locally as 55 1234 5678. On a Canadian landline you would dial 011, then the country code 52, then 55 1234 5678, giving 011 52 55 1234 5678. On a mobile you could type +52 55 1234 5678 instead, and the plus does the same job as the 011.

In StartACall the steps collapse into one. You type +52 55 1234 5678 in the browser dialler and press call. There is no exit code to remember and nothing to install, and because the call rides your internet connection there is no roaming charge even if you are travelling outside Canada when you place it.

Frequently asked questions

What is the international exit code from Canada?+

The exit code from Canada is 011. You dial 011, then the country code, then the local number. On a mobile you can type a plus sign instead of 011 and it works the same way.

Do I need the exit code with StartACall?+

No. With StartACall you just type the plus sign, the country code and the number in your browser. The exit code is handled for you, so there is nothing extra to dial.

What is the difference between 011 and the plus sign?+

They mean the same thing. The plus sign is a portable shortcut for the exit code, so on a mobile you can use a plus instead of 011 and the call reaches the same place.

Why does the call fail if I leave off the exit code?+

The exit code tells the network to route the call overseas. Without it the number is read as a domestic call, so it either does not connect or reaches the wrong place. The plus sign supplies the exit code automatically.

Do I remove the leading zero from the foreign number?+

For most countries yes. The national leading zero, called a trunk prefix, is dropped once you add the country code. A few countries like Portugal and Poland have no trunk zero, so you dial the full number as written.

Does the first call really cost nothing?+

Yes. Every new account gets one free call so you can test the voice quality, and we do not ask for a card to try it.

Last reviewed June 2026Reviewed by the StartACall calling teamDialing rules cross checked against ITU international dialing procedures
More calling routes

Related international calling guides

Other routes our customers compare with this one. Tap any guide to see dialing rules, country codes, and rates.