Travel Notice Counting the days
the final phase of Entry/Exit Initiative of the Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness Action Plan came into effect. What this means in plain language is that now both the Canadian and Amer- ican governments will share information − yes, until June they did not − and will be able to determine independently how many days a person has been in or out of their country. Snowbirds and others who spend a great
W
deal of time in the United States now need to be very certain of the number of days they have spent there. Failure to keep ac- curate account of your days could lead to unexpected tax penalties, or loss of health coverage, or have other ramifications. What you need to know:
How long can you stay? Canadian citi-
zens are legally allowed to visit the U.S. for 182 days in a 12-month period. Te time period does not start on Jan. 1, but rather on the first day of entry into the U.S. Each day spent there over the next 12-month period needs to be recorded, from day trips to Grand Forks, a weekend visit with relatives in Chicago, that two
intering snowbirds need to start counting the days they are out of the coun- try. As of June 30, 2014
Would a proposed immigration bill really benefit Canadians?
There is a new immigration bill pending before the U.S. Congress that would allow Canadians to be physically present in the U.S. for a period of 240 days, up from the 182 days. It may sound great at first, but the impact on an individual’s continuing tax liability and their health care benefits remains to be seen.
week vacation in Orlando and the months spent getting away from the snow. Every day counts. If you are found to be in the U.S. unlawfully it could result in a three- year travel ban or a 10-year ban if you are present in the U.S. for over one year. Travel documentation. Te Canadian
Snowbird Association recommends peo- ple have paper work to prove that they both have the means to support them- selves during their stay and that they intend to return to Canada. Tey recom- mend bringing recent banking, lease or mortgage information, or a pre-booked return ticket.
Medical coverage. Provincial health
plans offer limited coverage to indi- viduals travelling out of the country, therefore make sure you book addition- al coverage for yourself. Worse yet, if you exceed your stay, you may lose your Canadian health coverage. Rules vary by province, but Manitoba allows up to seven months of travel outside the province before services are revoked. Working. A tourist class visitor with-
out a proper U.S. work permit is not al- lowed to work. Receiving cash, reduced or free rent, or maintenance fees in ex- change for work is illegal. Tax ramifications. Visitors who
exceed their 182-day limit can find themselves defined as U.S. residents and responsible for paying taxes on all their worldwide income to the U.S. government. Non-resident aliens are taxed on income from U.S. sources − including rental income and real estate sales. In addition, travellers exceeding their stay may be liable for U.S. estate taxes on the fair market value of their worldwide assets at death. For more information look into Canada Revenue Agency's guide, Canadian Residents Going Down South
cra-arc.gc.ca/E/ pub/tg/p151
The Hub
Winter 2014 • 77
Photo by Noel Abejo.
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