Are you a non-resident of Canada?
0 voters
I am looking for some first-hand advice from the Canadians out there. Who is filing taxes? Who is a non-resident? Why? How?
We are sending money back to Canada irregularily. We have not filled in the huge non-resident form.
We do not own a house, car, or any of that.
Not quite sure where to go from here…
I’ve been living here for three years now, but in Asia for over eight years since finishing my Masters in UBC. Own a house and car and other things here, and plan to stay to raise our family. Never have sent taxes back … as a non-expert in financial matters, I asked Revenue Canada about taxes before I left for Japan years ago, and Revenue Canada explained to me that, as long as you don’t go back for at least two years (may have changed by now), file in the country you’re in. According to their explanation, as long as you file somewhere, they can’t ding you for back taxes or the like. Then, when or if you go back, you fill out a one page form detailing where you were and what you were doing, so if they feel the need to check up on you, you’re covered. Still, check with the trade office in Taipei.
If you have a wife, a house, or investments in Canada under your name you are a resident for taxation purposes. That is the simple way to know if you need to file.
If you are not going to be owing taxes you are not required to file a tax return until you return to the country. If you do need to file there is a page within your form entitled “Declaration of World Income”, or something like that. You fill it out, it’s simple, with the amount you wish to declare that you made here. That’s it. You can declare that you made your basic exemption, that you were studying Chinese and be done with them.
There is no way they can trace your taxes paid, and money made in Taiwan. It’s not a country, remember? They have no diplomatic relations with Taiwan, and thus no treaties between taxation agencies.
I like it! 
anyone know where i can get the documents to file for non-residency?
I talked to my accountant before I left. I also talked a pilot that was working abroad. He said some rules have changed and I read some sample cases on Rev Can web site. Just being gone 2 years doesn’t automatically make you a non-resident. However, you are definitly better off if you don’t own things. But, if you still have a bank account or a credit card, you are still a resident of Canada. In fact, even ifyou have things in storage, you still have intentions of returning.
But, you are only in trouble if they decide to audit you. Then, if they see you were sending money to your account, then they may ask you to verify what you earned and get you to pay taxes on it. So, unless you’ve had some special tax returns in the past (eg. if you were self-employed), then you are probaby ok. They really only go after the big fish… like pilots!
That said… I still own a bank account and RRSP…and I was self-employed a couple years ago… but I haven’t sent money home… Open an HSBC bank account. YOu can access it anywhere in the world.