AZK

Hi everyone,

Longtime lurker first time poster - looking forward to getting your advice!

I'm a British citizen who landed as a PR in March 2018. I worked from September to November 2018 in Canada before returning to the UK in December 2018 (and have been in the UK since). I hope to go back to Canada but not sure when yet.

My question is, do I need to file a Canadian tax return for 2018? I know the deadline is looming on April 30 and I am getting worried!

From what I have read and understood on the CRA website, I don't have any significant residential ties - as I have no home in Canada (I stayed in a mix of Airbnbs, short term accommodation, and sub lease stays), no spouse or dependants there. I don't have OHIP or a driving licence but do have a Canadian bank account and credit card. I did stay in Canada for over 183 days so think I do need to file a return, but again from what I have understood, think I will need to complete this on paper because I don't have a Canadian address. I'm not sure if I am a resident, non-resident, deemed resident etc - I don't seem to fall into a clear category from what I can see.

As far as leaving the UK went, I called HMRC to ask about the P85 and they said to complete this if I was sure I was leaving for good and when I had a permanent Canadian address. As this didn't happen, I didn't complete any paperwork or have any further communication with HMRC about my move.

Would be grateful for any advice anyone can give me about whether I need to file a income tax return to CRA and anything else I need to be aware of UK/HMRC wise.

Thanks in advance,
AZK.

Almost Canadian

Yes

AZK

Thanks Almost Canadian

Kentonmag

If you came to Canada, and worked for Canadian companies whilst here, then you will have to file in Canada. If you had come to Canada, on a work secondment from the UK then there would be a different set of tax rules/issues.

BristolUK

There was a time when first returns could not be filed on line (Netfile) but that may have changed. There's also the possibility that you not be able to do that for only a part year.

Nevertheless, the ease of completing one using the on line sites like SimpleTax, TurboTax and others and then printing it off to mail makes it worth doing it that way if you can.

You may find it only accepts a Canadian address/postcode, but I wouldn't see any harm in using one of the addresses you had (the most recent one?) just to get the input fields done and move on to the next questions. And then just include a covering letter.

JamesM

Siouxie

Welcome to BE!

Yes, you do need to file your taxes

Studiotax is easy to use - free - approved by Reveue Canada - and you can netfile.
https://www.studiotax.com/en/

Revenue Canada have a guide for newcomers to Canada
https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-age...mmigrants.html

AZK

Thanks KentonMag, BristolUK, JamesM and Siouxie for all the advice and tips! Makes me feel a lot better knowing I could potentially use StudioTax and print off - I was worried about the lack of a Canadian address too, but makes sense as you say BristolUK to use last address and then explain in a covering letter. Thanks all, I am feeling a lot less worried and will now get on with inputting my info into StudioTax

I'll work out how to send it off in the mail too, seems sensible to send by the international equivalent of Royal Mail signed for to have proof of sending.

cheeky_monkey

when i left to go back to the UK in May 2014 ..i did not file a tax return for 2014 until i came back in January 2017..so in my case no you dont

AZK

Thanks Cheeky_monkey - I had heard of similar situations like yours and thought mine might be the same and maybe I wouldn't need to do one. Seems like the safest thing to do is to file it as I don't want to get into any trouble for not doing it! I'll need to do a self-assessment for 2018-2019 by next January for the HMRC so want to avoid double tax (think this will be avoided anyway due to the double tax treaty) and will explain to them that I filed for 2018-2019 in Canada and take it from there!