Interesting article, Canadian Passport losing its perceived charm?

[canvis2006]

I'm not sure how many aging people would want to come back to Canada for pensions alone, but I know that many want to return for the healthcare. This is particularly true after they retire and don't qualify for employer-sponsored group health insurance in other countries.

I'm not fussed about people who can't afford to contribute availing of services. Its those that can afford to contribute but don't, and then return (or send their families) to Canada to take advantage of the schooling, healthcare, tax benefits, etc. that irk me. There are so many cases of families whereby the husband is living in the Middle East, for example, not paying taxes on any of his income (as a declared non-resident) while the rest of the family is in Canada receiving child tax benefits, free schooling, free healthcare and, in some cases, welfare. How is that fair to the rest of us who have to pay for this?

Are those families living here not supported by someone? Do you mean they don't pay rent, don't buy groceries, don't take transit? They don't go to the doctor office? No school? So they're not taxpayers just because husband is outside Canada? Is the GOVT paying their rents and groceries?

Is this country a jail ?? People here are so jealous of anyone traveling/living abroad. Canada didn't force anyone to abandon their life abroad nor force them to live HERE. It is a choice if someone still wants to live here or they go elsewhere to find PROPER work.
So the husband should work here in odd job just to make u feel good ? He should leave his good job elsewhere and come work as a janitor or security guard ?? Or he should take student loan and go back to university at age 55 ??
If he can live outside and provide in better way for his family in Canada by sending them money, what the F is wrong with that?
Why are you the tax-police all of a sudden?

If you have such a problem with families living here and their provider not living here, then go kiick those families back and stop your immigration programs. This sense of "entitlement" you have is appalling. This mind-set needs to change. If it was that bad, the govt would have cut off all the benefits to everyone a long time ago. I don't know how families living here are all of a sudden a burden on your so-called taxes

 

[torontosm]

Are those families living here not supported by someone? Do you mean they don't pay rent, don't buy groceries, don't take transit? They don't go to the doctor office? No school? So they're not taxpayers just because husband is outside Canada? Is the GOVT paying their rents and groceries?

Is this country a jail ?? People here are so jealous of anyone traveling/living abroad. Canada didn't force anyone to abandon their life abroad nor force them to live HERE. It is a choice if someone still wants to live here or they go elsewhere to find PROPER work.
So the husband should work here in odd job just to make u feel good ? He should leave his good job elsewhere and come work as a janitor or security guard ?? Or he should take student loan and go back to university at age 55 ??
If he can live outside and provide in better way for his family in Canada by sending them money, what the F is wrong with that?
Why are you the tax-police all of a sudden?

If you have such a problem with families living here and their provider not living here, then go kiick those families back and stop your immigration programs. This sense of "entitlement" you have is appalling. This mind-set needs to change. If it was that bad, the govt would have cut off all the benefits to everyone a long time ago. I don't know how families living here are all of a sudden a burden on your so-called taxes

Wow, it's pretty naive of you to think that purchasing groceries and paying rent is sufficient to fund the cost of public services. I'm not saying that everyone has to live in Canada. But, if you and your family want to avail the benefits that this country offers, then contribute to it as well. It's true that Canada didn't force anyone to live here, but the people that are acting in this manner voluntarily chose to apply with the intention of immigrating to Canada. Obviously that was not their true intention if they are behaving in this manner.

In the example I gave, the primary earner was committing tax fraud by maintaining significant ties to Canada and not paying taxes on income earned. There is nothing wrong with him supporting his family, but if his family wants to live here without contributing while enjoying free healthcare, free education, pensions, tax benefits, etc., then there is something wrong. If you don't see the error in that, then there isn't much I can say or do to convince you.

As an aside, I personally do believe that immigration programs should be frozen until we can figure out how to reform them to be more effective. And, I'm not the tax police, jsut a concerned tax paying citizen who is tired of supporting free loaders.

 

[on-hold]

Except it's not tax fraud, because the earner doesn't owe income if he earns it outside of Canada and is not a resident. I believe his family here need to declare his income when they file, and if they don't, that would be tax fraud.

The point of immigration is for foreigners to come to Canada -- every year, ~250,000 people do. A Globe and Mail article from 2006 (the Lebanon airlift), claimed that about 500,000 Canadians had dual citizenship, the largest chunk of them being British (90,000), and more than half of that total being European. I would wager that the next largest category is Canadian-Americans. Some of the largest sources of Canadian immigrants (India, China), don't permit dual citizenship. In other words, already a major chunk of dual citizens are from countries that are developed and offer health care of their own. It seems likely that this issue of naturalized citizens working abroad is not actually that large -- before recommending drastic policy changes (freezing immigration), it would be nice to see some numbers, and how those compare to birth Canadians who move abroad (often to go to college in the States, meaning that they never pay taxes into Canada).

An immigrant working in Dubai with their family in Canada could very well earn much less here; there is a decent chance that they would be receiving child tax credits, or other support. By working in Dubai they avoid this expense, they send money home that enters the Canadian economy, and their children grow up as Canadians. I don't see too many negatives in that, and respect the choice that they've made.

 

[torontosm]

Except it's not tax fraud, because the earner doesn't owe income if he earns it outside of Canada and is not a resident. I believe his family here need to declare his income when they file, and if they don't, that would be tax fraud.

Ummm..no. If the husband is a PR living in Dubai, and his family is living in Canada, he would be considered a resident for tax purposes since he would have significant residential ties to Canada (i.e., a spouse, dependants, likely a house, etc.)

http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/nnrsdnts/cmmn/rsdncy-eng.html

So, he would be obligated to file and pay taxes in Canada.

 

[on-hold]

Ummm..no. If the husband is a PR living in Dubai, and his family is living in Canada, he would be considered a resident for tax purposes since he would have significant residential ties to Canada (i.e., a spouse, dependants, likely a house, etc.)

http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/nnrsdnts/cmmn/rsdncy-eng.html

So, he would be obligated to file and pay taxes in Canada.

You're right, I didn't know that. The situation you describe would be tax fraud, and it would be totally appropriate for CR to have a branch that looks at it; it's not the same as worldwide taxation (American style).

 

[JJ-C]

Except it's not tax fraud, because the earner doesn't owe income if he earns it outside of Canada and is not a resident. I believe his family here need to declare his income when they file, and if they don't, that would be tax fraud.

The point of immigration is for foreigners to come to Canada -- every year, ~250,000 people do. A Globe and Mail article from 2006 (the Lebanon airlift), claimed that about 500,000 Canadians had dual citizenship, the largest chunk of them being British (90,000), and more than half of that total being European. I would wager that the next largest category is Canadian-Americans. Some of the largest sources of Canadian immigrants (India, China), don't permit dual citizenship. In other words, already a major chunk of dual citizens are from countries that are developed and offer health care of their own. It seems likely that this issue of naturalized citizens working abroad is not actually that large -- before recommending drastic policy changes (freezing immigration), it would be nice to see some numbers, and how those compare to birth Canadians who move abroad (often to go to college in the States, meaning that they never pay taxes into Canada).

An immigrant working in Dubai with their family in Canada could very well earn much less here; there is a decent chance that they would be receiving child tax credits, or other support. By working in Dubai they avoid this expense, they send money home that enters the Canadian economy, and their children grow up as Canadians. I don't see too many negatives in that, and respect the choice that they've made.

Great statistics