ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
CanadaCost of living in Canada? Please help!
If he's considering Toronto, he'll need to add Ontario Provincial tax to the Federal income tax (same chart, scroll down).

6.05% on the first $34,758 of taxable income, +
9.15% on the next $34,759, +
11.16% on the amount over $69,517


While Canadians may see income taxes coming down gradually, it's a shock to someone coming from a country that has no sales or income tax.
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-06-18 18:57:00
CanadaCost of living in Canada? Please help!
The most important thing to remember about living in Toronto is that 50% of your income will go to some tax or another. It's easy for a middle class techy with a decent job to pay 46% income tax. After that, there's a 15% surcharge (called GST) on just about all the goods and services you use daily.

Torontonians who go to Dubai come back with wonderful stories about how it's the L.A. of the middle East. Not at all like Canada. So the culture shock may be worse than the climate change. Got boots?
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-06-18 17:15:00
CanadaOff to Montreal
Bonne chance! Be sure to eat a real Montreal bagel and a smoked meat sandwich!
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-06-19 08:12:00
CanadaThings to bring back
Reba, thanks for the recipe, which looks like the real deal: serious butter and sugar. There have been many successful food businesses that did one thing, but did it extremely well. A butter tart kiosk in every mall would make us millions. Hey, it's something to do while waiting for the visa!
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-06-24 13:02:00
CanadaThings to bring back
Okay, will somebody please explain to me why no one has become a millionaire shipping butter tarts to the U.S.? I mean, Americans love sugar. It's in everything from toothpaste to tomato soup. The butter tart is quintessential Canadian cuisine and guaranteed to make your teeth hurt. So why is nobody making them down here or importing them?
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-06-23 23:49:00
CanadaThings to bring back
Knock yourselves out.

http://canadianfavou....com/index.html
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-06-21 22:23:00
CanadaThings to bring back
zyggy's right. Bring Allegra. The over-the-counter allergy meds here are awful. Either too weak, or full of pseudophedren, which makes you jumpy, and you have to sign for them. Also, bring Robaxet. Good muscle relaxants for the back are also by prescription only here.
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-06-20 12:09:00
CanadaThings to bring back
Butter tarts and 222s.
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-06-19 19:37:00
CanadaYeah, we got it!
Great news. Your success has bouyed the rest of us!
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-06-22 09:48:00
CanadaI'm here!!!
Great story with a happy ending. You're just in time to celebrate Canada Day and the Fourth of July. How about a pizza?
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-06-28 17:54:00
CanadaJust put in a Bid for a Condo!!
No time for boredom for you! Just take each day as it comes and accomplish what you can. The whole thing is like eating an elephant. Keep taking small bites and it'll all be finished by September. Good luck with the condo and the course.
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-06-29 12:06:00
CanadaFinally have our interview date!
What could be better than a romantic stay in Montreal in September? What could be more advantageous than having a house to sell in a hot market? You could put your house up for sale now and arrange the closing for September, which isn't far away. Perfect timing.
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-06-28 19:18:00
CanadaMy interview is done!!
Congratulations on a smooth interview and the start of a wonderful new life. You certainly deserve every bit of happiness!
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-06-29 11:58:00
CanadaEasier for Canadians?
You can watch my case, which hasn't moved an inch. My husband is Canadian, born in the Portuguese Azores Islands. Our Embassy is Montreal. We're caught in the IMBRA affair, which will probably be the biggest factor in our wait time.
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-06-30 06:45:00
CanadaPOE fun - get ready to wait
Shauna, congratulations on being home free and in such a short time. Your timeline tells a good-luck story of being approved just before IMBRA. You must have horseshoes someplace!
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-07-01 08:39:00
CanadaHAPPY CANADA DAY, all you CANUCKS out there!!
Happy Canada Day from an American who took out Canadian citizenship! Yes, there are other wonderful countries in which to live besides the United States.

Canada has the most majestic scenery, the most diverse regions, the most compassionate health care system, and the most quaffable beers! Please send me a Brick Premium Lager from Waterloo Ontario!
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-07-01 08:27:00
CanadaDenied entry at Rainbow Bridge
I'm wondering if they recorded the Canadian passport and his name will come up on their radar the next time. Even with a pile of evidence showing he intends to return, they may consider him high risk and deny him, based on the previous denial. It's always up to the discretion of the officer you happen to get.

MissAmericanPie, you and I have similar stories. We each had a long running relationship with a Canuck and had not yet accepted a marriage proposal when we tried to cross as a couple. Both boyfriends were sniffed out as potential illegal immigrants and were denied.

At this point, it may be better for you to act as if you intend to marry and petition for his immgration. Don't do anything that might jeopadize the process. Use your points to visit him instead of vice versa. You could apply for K1 now, and if the relationship doesn't work out, simply withdraw it. At least you'll be ahead of the game.

If you need to live together to see if this relationship is the real thing, do it in Canada. Or Mexico. Or anyplace where you won't risk having him denied a visa to the U.S. Hedge your bets and protect your future.
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-06-24 12:49:00
CanadaDenied entry at Rainbow Bridge
Was he photographed and fingerprinted?

My Canadian boyfriend was when we tried to cross at the Rainbow Bridge last December. I'm a dual and was moving back to the U.S. after living in Canada for decades. But the official didn't believe my boyfriend was merely helping me and would only be staying in the States about 3 months. He was denied.

We drove back to Toronto immediatey and gathered documentation. A few hours later, we were back at the border with 95% of what was on the checklist. They let us through. Three months later, we made sure he used the Air Canada ticket he showed as evidence of his intent to return to Canada.

We were married during his visit and he is waiting in Canada for a K3 visa. There are questions on forms coming up about ever having been denied entry to the U.S. I'd like to answer "no," since we merely had to gather more documents and crossed the same day. But since he was fingerprinted, it may be best to answer "yes," saying we turned arround for more documents.

It must be difficult to have this change of plans, but you can always go on to Plan B, as others have suggested. The bigger issue is whether the border incident may come back to haunt, since he may somehow be "on file."
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-06-23 23:44:00
Canadagot the visa!!!
Way da go, eh?!
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-07-08 08:50:00
Canadainterview date!!!
Happy to hear your good news. Hope the weeks until then fly by!
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-07-09 14:06:00
CanadaI got a job!
We love your happy ending. And we're lucky to have you looking out for us in Public Health. Hope you enjoy many productive years there.
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-07-08 09:45:00
CanadaGetting Impatient
Buttons, I'm looking at the stats for K3 Canada, and the average days between "Consulate receiving info from NVC and actual interview" is 95 days. That's 3 months. It's not broken down for Montreal and Vancouver. And there aren't many K3s from Canada, all of which means you may have a shorter wait than average. Who knows? Hang in there, because you've come far along the journey and your patience will be rewarded soon.
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-07-08 09:00:00
CanadaGot interview date!
Opps. Something wonky here...

Edited by Jersey Girl, 10 July 2006 - 08:54 PM.

Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-07-10 20:53:00
CanadaGot interview date!
Wow, don't you love a romance with a happy ending? This guy must really love you, Kim, because he left the land of Taylor Pork Roll just to be near you! (Ask him, he'll know.)
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-07-10 20:52:00
Canadabank account in US

Getting a Canadian MBNA won't do anything more for me, since I was told that I could not simply transfer the card... would have to cancel and apply for a new card in the States.

But that's exactly the point! If you've already had an MBNA card in Canada, it makes it easier to apply for an MBNA card in the U.S. once you're an official resident here. There's no transfer, since that's against banking laws. You cut up your Canadian card and get a new, U.S. card.

If you called MBNA from Canada, coming up on their caller I.D. with a Canadian phone number, and asked for a U.S. card, they're going to be suspicious. Especially since any snowbird will have a piece of mail coming to them at a U.S. address. You have to move to the States first, and then approach the credit card company in the U.S. hoping they'll use their international resources to check your previous history with them in Canada. Otherwise, you arrive here like a total stranger with zero credit history and almost no way to establish one. Unless you want the secured credit card first-year college students get.
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-07-10 21:12:00
Canadabank account in US
Sorry you had a rough time, laura428. Guess it sounded to them as if a Canadian resident was calling from there and trying to get a U.S. card. That's a legal no no. You might still want to try for a Canadian MBNA or AmEx of your own, to make it easier to get a U.S. card when you finally move, and can prove residency. (Hope I'm making the right assumptions here.)

Edited by Jersey Girl, 10 July 2006 - 08:51 AM.

Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-07-10 08:49:00
Canadabank account in US
Macy's is another department store card that's easy to get if you have a Canadian address. Also, if you have a Lane Bryant card, you might want to try Catherine's, which is part of the same plus-size parent company. Orchard Bank is good for a secured credit card if you want to go that route. Every little bit helps.

However, no one gives a damn about your Equifax score from Canada! Wanna see the red spot on my forehead from beating it against this brick wall? All credit cards here are approved through third parties who absolutely will not check anything but U.S. credit histories. What's worse, there's no way to contact them by phone or email ... just letters, that come back a month later with the same refrain: No Credit History. Canada is considered a foreign country, just like Italy or France, and they have no capacity to check there.

But once you finally get a Visa or Mastercard, you'll be deluged with junk mail offers. All pre-filled for your convenience. So you'll need a shredder to protect your identity.
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-07-09 14:03:00
Canadabank account in US
MBNA will issue you a Visa card in the States based on your Canadian credit history. But you have to persevere on the phone to talk to a supervisor who knows what to do. AmEx may also be able to use their global capacity to get you a card in the States.

It took me a long time and much frustration to learn this. I've advised my husband in Toronto to get an MBNA Visa in Canada, so when it's time to move to the States, it will be easier for him to get a new MBNA card here.

By the way, TD has made huge inroads in the States and now has branches in New Jersey. I'm not sure if it would be easy for a bank client in Canada to open an account here once they moved. In any case, a SSN is required. Until you get one, you can be a joint user on your American spouse's bank account.
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-07-07 11:00:00
CanadaI am in the US
Where did each of you cross?
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-07-07 10:47:00
CanadaRevenue Canada

This is a bit misleading and not necessarily the situation for the average person emigrating. Per Revenue Canada's International Tax office there is a list of criteria that they use to determine residency under the US-Canada Tax treaty. I know most assuredly that one does NOT have to sever all financial ties...if that were the case then why would there be a 25% non-resident tax?


You're right, every case is different. That's why I used the services of a cross-border investment advisor as well as tax preparer. I realize there are Canadians who move to the States and hold onto financial assets (bank accounts, RRSPs) as non-residents. But the advice I was given was to have a systematic, tax-conscious plan to move all assets to the States.

The objective is to have no financial ties (or reason return) and after withdrawing RRSPs, no obligation to pay the 25% non-resident tax. As you point out, it's not a requirement to cut all financial ties. It's a financial strategy designed to prove I'm no longer a resident or likely to become one again.

If Rev Can wanted to make a case that I'm still liable for tax on worldwide income, even though I live in the States, I wouldn't want to have an OHIP card in my wallet or an Ontario driver's license. Again, it's not a rule, just a good rule of thumb.
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-07-13 09:59:00
CanadaRevenue Canada
I'm a dual citizen who has been dealing with Canada-U.S. returns for years, and can say, it's best to get the complete facts. good place to start

I thought it was going to be a simple matter of moving to the States and filing an exit (or departure) income tax return to Rev Can, complete with my new, U.S. address. But there are issues that may make you taxable in Canada even after your move.

For one thing, you have to cut all financial ties, returning your credit cards, etc. You also have to turn in your health card, drivers license, and the list goes on. I got a big surprise to find that a year after my move to the States, I'm still considered taxable in Canada because my husband is living in Toronto while he waits for his visa. Oh Canada!
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-07-13 08:27:00
Canadaworried about interview
I don't know the answer, but would stick with the address you gave on all your forms. Was that your parents' address in WI? Why cloud the issue? He'll only be visiting your parents temporarilly, and you'll only be in NYC temporarilly.
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-07-13 08:43:00
CanadaI am in California!!!!
Best wishes on your new life together!
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-07-14 09:13:00
CanadaNext Step
Another alternative is the Commissionaires in Toronto.
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-07-14 09:06:00
CanadaClaiming your fiancée as a dependent while in Canada on tax return
Help me understand. She's your sponsor for a visa but you're supporting her? How would that look when it comes time for her do an affidavit of support?
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-07-13 08:48:00
CanadaCheap Hotels In Montreal
If you have any points that can be used for hotels, now's the time to redeem them. There are two Delta hotels near the Embassy that take Aeroplan. Buttons, there are just some things where you have to shell out some bucks and this may be one of them. Especially since you'd want your car to be in a safe garage.
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-07-15 12:14:00
CanadaK1 interview in Montréal - July 13th
Congratulations on getting your visa and for being "practically a Canadian"!
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-07-16 10:27:00
CanadaPension Information
Thank you for doing the digging and putting the facts in plain language. Perhaps there's a permanent place this information can reside, as a resource for Canadians living in the States.
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-07-21 07:12:00
CanadaFellow Canadians
Great news, Buttons, the time will pass quickly.
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-07-16 10:31:00
CanadaMoving and Health Insurance
Don't know about moving. But I've been living in the States 8 months without health insurance and know it's risky. My brother, who's a nurse, and ironically doesn't have health insurance, uses a discount system. It's not insurance, but an affordable membership in a program that provides discounts. Might be worth a look.

Qualified Health
Jersey GirlFemaleCanada2006-07-21 07:25:00