British Expats - Moving back to Canada after less than 1 year

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Moving back to Canada after less than 1 year

Hi there,
I am moving back to Canada after spending less than a year away, and I'm getting really confused about importing household goods back into the country. It seems that if you have been away for over a year then everything is super simple and you only pay duty on anything you bought whilst abroad in the last 6 months. If you were away for less than a year, but more than 7 days, you get an $800 personal allowance on anything you bought whilst you were away from Canada, although I'm not sure if that is for the whole time you were away or just the last 6 months. I have no idea what the deal is with the whole 1 year thing.

Does anyone have any experience of moving back after less than a year? If so, did you have any issues getting your household goods back into the country, or did you have to pay duty on them? And what's the deal on paying duty for stuff you bought whilst abroad? Personal allowance, but applies to everything, or just stuff bought in the last 6 months?

Background: I have British & Canadian citizenship. Had expected to move back to the UK for longer, but I guess I got too used to the Canadian way of life and just don't like living in ol' Blighty anymore.
Thanks!

Re: Moving back to Canada after less than 1 year

https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-v...c-drc-eng.html
https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-v...clare-eng.html
https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-age...ts-canada.html
https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-age...de-canada.html

Is there any way you could defer your return? Did you notify anyone that you were leaving Canada permanently, or did you just go? You might also want to check your tax obligations in Canada (see last 2 links)

Quote:

If you are a Canadian resident returning to Canada after an absence of less than one year, refer to I Declare.

"One year" means one calendar year from your date of departure. For example, if you leave on January 1, 2015, and return on January 1, 2016, you are considered to have been absent for one year.

Re: Moving back to Canada after less than 1 year

Thanks for the reply. No, I cannot delay any longer. Seems I have an issue that nobody else has dealt with, so I'll just figure it out as we go.

Re: Moving back to Canada after less than 1 year

Yeah seems pretty cut and dry.

https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-v...clare-eng.html

Quote:

Do you spend part of the year outside Canada?If you spend six months or less in another country for health reasons or pleasure, the CBSA still considers you a resident of Canada and you are entitled to the same exemptions as other Canadian residents. When you import foreign goods or vehicles for your personal use into Canada (even temporarily), you must meet all import requirements and pay all applicable duty and taxes.

For items you have bought in Canada and returning them, you will probably have to show the receipt to re-import them back without taxes. Getting all the receipts might be tricky if you threw them out.