dextroyer

Hello, I became a PR here in Vancouver about 2 weeks ago. I had been an International student for the past 4 years.

My cousin was an international student in Montreal and he told me he got a SIN number and was making tax delcarations and he even got a refund.

I was under the impression that you cannot get a SIN number unless you are a citizen or a PR therfore you can't declare taxes in Canada if you're an international student.

Is this a Quebec thing only?
Should I have delcared taxes as a student?
Am I screwed?

I thought my tax declaration would start the day I became a landed immigrant.

Help!

reddy_cd

Hi,

I too came on study visa as an internatinal student in sep 2001 and have been filing the tax returns every year without fail. Yes, I also got the refund for all the taxes I paid so far.

Hope this helps!

Reddy

dextroyer

I have not filled any tax returns for the past 4 years as a student... I had no idea I had to do that. Am I in trouble?

bartM

Filing is not obligatory in this country but if you were given a scholarship or something and not paid any taxes on it, this could be a bit of an issue. How have you financed your studies?

dextroyer

Oh, ok. Yes I fully paid for my studies. No scolarships or anything. I have been receiving financial support from my family back home. So is it ok if I just start paying my taxtes starting from the day I became a PR?

Trust me the last thing I want to do is messing with taxes :scared:

bartM

Well, you have to start paying taxes from the day you receive money in Canada. Has nothing to do with PR, as you can have a temporary SIN for temporary workers.
In your case, I wouldn't worry at all. Money came from the outside of Canada and cannot be tracked (besides your family has already paid taxes back home).

dextroyer

Phew...thank you BartM.

Yes that's what I thought, I had to start paying taxes when I start working in Canada. Ok so I won't worry about it and start nice and clear when I file my first taxes next year.

If anyone has anything else to say or a difference of opinion I'd appreciate it.

Jo&Alex

I think you could actually benefit from declaring taxes. I had a small scholarship when I was studying (my father was paying for my studies) and because of my small income and big tuition expenses I received tax refunds. The province (Ontario) would calculate somehow what I was paying them when buying clothes, furniture and other taxable items and they refunded it. Not only that, but I still have thousands of tutition dollars I could not deduct in previous years (not making enough money to be able to deduct anything) that I can "bring forward" and use as deductible expenses in upcoming years when I finally get a real job and stop living as a student.

J.

dextroyer

I know, my real worry is not so much getting refunds at this point. I just want to know if next year when I do my income taxes (once I start working). The government is not going to tell me I should have declared taxes before when I was an international student and that I'm in some sort of trouble.

Souvenir

I think a lot depends on your residency status. It's explained here.

http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tax/nonresi...tudents-e.html

It is my understanding that tax returns must be submitted. If you owe them money, the return must be made in the relevant year. If you don't owe them money (or are owed), I believe that you have up to seven years to file. You have to keep your returns and supporting documents for seven years, by the way. You may be audited.

I got nailed last year. I arrived here in mid-2000. I did not work for two years. Instead I lived off what money I had brought with me plus income from a trust fund in the UK (from which UK tax had been deducted at source). In my view, I had no income in Canada and thus no need to file. I began working in 2003 and in early 2004 went to see an accountant to do my return. To my horror, I discovered that the Canadian taxman looks at your worldwide income. The UK trust fund had not been taxed at the applicable Canadian rate. I got hammered - the outstanding tax, interest, late payment penalties, penalties for failing to disclose overseas income.....

If I had not told the accountant about the trust fund, nobody would have known of its existence. But I did tell him, stupidly, and he was legally obliged to declare it.

I hope this helps.