SEC Form F-7

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Updated November 17, 2022
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What Is SEC Form F-7?

SEC Form F-7 is a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The form is required by publicly-traded Canadian foreign private issuers offering rights to U.S. investors. The SEC requires that if an issuer is registered using SEC Form F-7, the rights must be granted to U.S. shareholders on terms no less favorable than those extended to the foreign shareholders. This form is a wraparound form for the relevant Canadian offering documents required by securities regulation in Canada.

Key Takeaways:


  • SEC Form F-7 is required by publicly-traded Canadian foreign private issuers offering rights issues to U.S. investors.
  • SEC Form F-7 is a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
  • If an issuer is registered using SEC Form F-7, the terms of rights granted to U.S. shareholders must be no less favorable than those extended to foreign shareholders. 
  • U.S investors are a significant source of capital for Canadian investors.

Understanding SEC Form F-7

SEC Form F-7 is used if a Canadian entity:

  1. Is incorporated or organized under the laws of Canada or any Canadian province or territory
  2. Is a foreign private issuer
  3. Has had a class of its securities listed on the Montreal Exchange, the Toronto Stock Exchange, or the Senior Board of the Vancouver Stock Exchange for the 12 calendar months immediately preceding the filing of the form

In addition, the entity must be subject to the continuous disclosure requirements of any securities commission or equivalent regulatory authority in Canada for the previous 36 calendar months and is in compliance with the obligations arising from such listing. The entity must grant the rights to security holders that are U.S. holders upon terms and conditions that are no less favorable than those extended to any other holder of the same class of securities. According to SEC guidelines, the entity must currently be in compliance with obligations arising from such listing and reporting.

No Change Needed With Amendments in Canada

In December 2015, the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA), the functional equivalent of the SEC in Canada, made certain amendments to filing requirements for rights offerings. The purpose of the amendments was to lighten the regulatory burden for companies that wished to raise fresh capital in a way that provided investors an opportunity to protect themselves from equity dilution.

It was important that the SEC in the United States did not object to the amendments because U.S.-based investors can be a significant source of investment capital for Canadian companies. In February 2017, the SEC did, in fact, publish a no-action letter, confirming its continued consent for the use of Form F-7.

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  1. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. "Form F-7," Page 2.

  2. Thomson Reuters Practical Law. "Rights Offering."

  3. U.S. Securities Exchange Commission. "Response of the Office of International Corporate Finance Division of Corporation Finance."