TLDR: I got a Driver License in BC in 2023 when I stayed in Canada for 3 weeks, in between my stint living in the US 2019 - 2023 which I declared non-resident to the CRA, and have since moved to Asia starting late 2023 until now. Is there any impact to my non-residency status since I gotten a driver license? Yes I am Canadian and have a Canadian passport.
I lived and worked in the US from 2019 until 2023, and have declared non-resident when submitting taxes for 2019 tax year. I had to get a driver license in California from scratch, so at some point I had 2 licenses. But I went to ICBC to renew my license at some point and they took it away when I was stupid enough to tell them I also have a US license.
I have since now moved to Asia. And the country I moved to does not have a driver license exchange program with the US. Instead they do have an exchange program with most Canadian provinces. So what I did was I went back to ICBC and exchanged my US license to a BC one. When doing so they asked if I am moving back, and I knew I had to say yes or I am not getting that license. As part of that exercise I also stayed in Canada for about 3 weeks in between the US and moving to Asia. So in a way, I was 'resident of Canada' for 3 weeks in Q4 2023, if one would even count that.
Once I got to Asia as part of the driver license exchange program I did have to give up my BC driver license. They might even have some way to tell Canada that I have exchanged my license. Not sure how exactly the backend of their reciprocal agreement works.
In this case, do I have to refile non-resident status with the CRA? My concern is if they are gonna say I'm resident of BC starting 2023 and have tax implications for me for late 2023 -> 2024. Also, some stuff in Canada requires over 3 years of non-residency? If they count 2023 as residency and do a restart on me, just in case I move back to Canada in the next year or two, I'm not too sure that'll also be unfavorable for me tax-wise, especially if I move assets back into Canada that have appreciated in the interim.
Would be grateful if anyone have any insight onto this and maybe if I need to do a 2023 tax return to redeclare non-residency with CRA for the '3 weeks of residency' that I had in BC. Thanks!
I lived and worked in the US from 2019 until 2023, and have declared non-resident when submitting taxes for 2019 tax year. I had to get a driver license in California from scratch, so at some point I had 2 licenses. But I went to ICBC to renew my license at some point and they took it away when I was stupid enough to tell them I also have a US license.
I have since now moved to Asia. And the country I moved to does not have a driver license exchange program with the US. Instead they do have an exchange program with most Canadian provinces. So what I did was I went back to ICBC and exchanged my US license to a BC one. When doing so they asked if I am moving back, and I knew I had to say yes or I am not getting that license. As part of that exercise I also stayed in Canada for about 3 weeks in between the US and moving to Asia. So in a way, I was 'resident of Canada' for 3 weeks in Q4 2023, if one would even count that.
Once I got to Asia as part of the driver license exchange program I did have to give up my BC driver license. They might even have some way to tell Canada that I have exchanged my license. Not sure how exactly the backend of their reciprocal agreement works.
In this case, do I have to refile non-resident status with the CRA? My concern is if they are gonna say I'm resident of BC starting 2023 and have tax implications for me for late 2023 -> 2024. Also, some stuff in Canada requires over 3 years of non-residency? If they count 2023 as residency and do a restart on me, just in case I move back to Canada in the next year or two, I'm not too sure that'll also be unfavorable for me tax-wise, especially if I move assets back into Canada that have appreciated in the interim.
Would be grateful if anyone have any insight onto this and maybe if I need to do a 2023 tax return to redeclare non-residency with CRA for the '3 weeks of residency' that I had in BC. Thanks!
