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CDN snowbirder's and the tax people

garyhaupt
Explorer
Explorer
Are you a CDN snowbirder? Be careful....

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-border-security-benefits-seniors-1.3290299


Gary Haupt
I have a Blog..about stuff, some of which is RV'ing.

http://mrgwh.blogspot.ca/
8 REPLIES 8

qtla9111
Nomad
Nomad
rockhillmanor wrote:
wow that's sad that you can loose your health benefits if you decide to travel longer than the required days.

Do you have the option to go back within the allotted days and then leave again sometime in the same year where the count would start fresh again?


Not as sad as living in a country where health care is expensive and most people don't have any. Canadians have great social or universal care plus an old age pension. Mexico has social health care also not as good as Canada's but we don't have to worry about getting sick.

Everything has a cost. That's why so many people come to Mexico for dental care. A 40,000 implant in Mexico costs 8000, same quality and a U.S. trained and educated dentist that provides hotel and transport from the U.S. side of the border while under treatment.

That doesn't happen in the good ole U.S. of A and that's a fact. There you can die from terminal illness before getting treatment and all the above is based on personal experience.

Now tell me about sad.
2005 Dodge Durango Hemi
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John___Angela
Explorer
Explorer
rockhillmanor wrote:
wow that's sad that you can loose your health benefits if you decide to travel longer than the required days.

Do you have the option to go back within the allotted days and then leave again sometime in the same year where the count would start fresh again?


Depends on the province or territory. The way it reads for many is if you are out of the province for more than 210 days you must be back in for 90 days before benefits resume. You can get private insurance to cover that time period but the reality is that health care is reasonably priced in Canada. Even a quadruple bypass with an extended stay in the hospital is reasonably priced...read under 12000 bucks. Comparable to Spain for example.

Every country has its limitations on coverage. I am reasonably familiar with some of the european countries but am unfamiliar with how the US system works in this regard. Would be interested to hear from any of our US neighbours. We have American friends that have to deal with this as they are big time travellers but he has some type of coverage with the VA as well so I'm not sure if he would be considered a normal case. Seems they mentioned to me it also changes once your a senior.
2003 Revolution 40C Class A. Electric smart car as a Toad on a smart car trailer
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but rather by the moments that take our breath away.

rockhillmanor
Explorer
Explorer
wow that's sad that you can loose your health benefits if you decide to travel longer than the required days.

Do you have the option to go back within the allotted days and then leave again sometime in the same year where the count would start fresh again?

We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned,
so as to have the life that is waiting for us.

John___Angela
Explorer
Explorer
rockhillmanor wrote:
I honestly did not know until I read this forum that Canadians can only leave their country for so long and that they have to beat feet back by a certain amount of days. I meet a lot on the road and feel sorry for them having to worry about leaving enough travel days back to not be in voilation.

That article addresses residency. Maybe for a full timer but last I looked going to another country for a few months on vacation does not constitute residency. That's a REAL long stretch for the government to step in on. :R

How did the Canadians allow this restriction of limited days out of their country to ever have been passed? Do you get to vote on these issues?


Canadians have NO LIMITATION in any way shape or form on how long they can be out of Canada. The article is referring to "cheaters" who may be collecting benefits like unemployment insurance while they are on holidays. If you are collecting unemployment insurance benefits you must be available to take a call that a job is available and go to work. Makes sense right. If you collecting unemployment insurance you are supposed to be looking for a job.

Canadians can lose certain benefits such as health care coverage if they leave their province for two long. Some are 180 days, others are 210 days and one territory is 364 days. This doesn't prevent you from leaving the country, it just makes you arrange for private ex pat health care insurance in which ever country you are in. Canadian health care coverage covers a Canadian anywhere in the world, but only up to what the cost of the procedure would be in Canada. That is why it is important for Canadians to get health care insurance when visiting the US but not important if visiting countries like Spain, UK, France etc as the cost schedule of tratments is similar to Canadas.

Every country has limits on how long a foreigner can be in a country. The US is 90 days but for Canadians they allow 180 days. The 183 days refers to the IRS and how it deals with taxing foreigners. Canada doesn't care how long you are in the US or any other country but it is up to you to arrange for health care coverage if you are out of the country for more than the prescribed time of the province or territory. Every province is different but you can also request an extended stay out of the province and still keep your health care privileges. Some allow this once every 5 years for up to 2 years.

Expat insurance is not expensive unless you are travelling in the US. We will be out of the country for 12 to 15 months starting 2017 as we tour Europe and North Africa. We are well studied on this subject.
2003 Revolution 40C Class A. Electric smart car as a Toad on a smart car trailer
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but rather by the moments that take our breath away.

garyhaupt
Explorer
Explorer
I have not a clue what it really, really means to a CDN that is out of the country for more than the 181 days. But I am betting that the CRS (IRS) has their beady little eyes on some. Certainly if a person is out of the country for the alotted time and no more and have no undeclared earnings, then they are gold. But..there are always those that will take a risk to either extend their away tiime or perhps 'forget' to declre some income.

As far as having to "beat feet back"..no..we don't 'have' to...pesuming we don't want to maintain our CDN health bennies. But Big Brother knows all..on both sides of the 49th parallel, so one either learns the rules and adheres or takes their chances.


Gary Haupt
I have a Blog..about stuff, some of which is RV'ing.

http://mrgwh.blogspot.ca/

John___Angela
Explorer
Explorer
garyhaupt wrote:
Are you a CDN snowbirder? Be careful....

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-border-security-benefits-seniors-1.3290299


Gary Haupt


How would this in any way affect a snowbird assuming you are following the rules. I can't think of a single scenario where this could in any way affect me...or anyone else for that matter. I think they are looking for people who are illegally collecting unemployment or maybe people who have moved out of the country. Can't see how it would affect a snowbird.
2003 Revolution 40C Class A. Electric smart car as a Toad on a smart car trailer
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but rather by the moments that take our breath away.

rockhillmanor
Explorer
Explorer
I honestly did not know until I read this forum that Canadians can only leave their country for so long and that they have to beat feet back by a certain amount of days. I meet a lot on the road and feel sorry for them having to worry about leaving enough travel days back to not be in voilation.

That article addresses residency. Maybe for a full timer but last I looked going to another country for a few months on vacation does not constitute residency. That's a REAL long stretch for the government to step in on. :R

How did the Canadians allow this restriction of limited days out of their country to ever have been passed? Do you get to vote on these issues?

We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned,
so as to have the life that is waiting for us.

bukhrn
Explorer III
Explorer III
I can see that happening here, but I always thought Canadians politicians to be a little smarter than the circus we have. Talk about holding you prisoner in your own country!
If it's run anything like it will be here, it will cost a billion dollars a year to save $319 mil in 5 years. :M
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