Returning to Canada after 20 years overseas

[johnfortin]

Hello,

I am returning to Canada after 20 years overseas and am sending my two sons ahead of me (they both are Canadian, but have never lived there).
At the moment, they have one way tickets..is this an issue? Will they be asked why they don't have a return ticket? They will be with their aunts and I have notarized authorization for my sisters to care for them for two months. They will carry this with them..they are 17 and 12.

Please advise.

Thanks in advance,

John

 

[steaky]

Since they are Canadian, one-way tickets are fine.

 

[johnfortin]

Thanks,

Now about me...I am returning with a shipping container of goods accumulated over 20 years...is there anything I have to know here? Any special forms or documents or can I trot right back into my home country?

 

[steaky]

Yes, you would need to complete the form below and hand in at arrival:

http://www.cbsa.gc.ca/publications/forms-formulaires/b4-eng.pdf

You may want separate forms for each family members or you can submit one for the whole family. For more details, you can google the website to obtain the relevant guide.

 

[johnfortin]

My container will not arrive with me, so do I hand it in at customs at the airport?

 

[steaky]

Yes, you would have to listed your items whether they are accompanying with you or goods to follow in that form. You hand in the form at customs in the airport. I suggest you attach separate pages in excel format to list your items as goods accompanying and goods to follow for easy reference and submit altogether with the form.

 

[johnfortin]

Ok, I saw the form B4, which seems to be the one I will use since my goods will no accompany me (the will be in a shipping container). However, there is very little room to itemize the large number of items (mostly household) that I have to list..can I make an additional few pages like a spreadsheet to assist?

 

[steaky]

Yes, make additional pages like a spreadsheet to make easy reference. If you are bringing jewelries, you might need to take pictures and get a valuation report from a jeweler.

 

[johnfortin]

Thanks so much for your rapid responses! So, after so long away from Canada, is there anything I have to worry about, like taxes, ( I figured out the Medicare thing), or anything else that may give the officials cause for concern?

 

[steaky]

When you decide to buy insurance for your items in the container, just make sure you get documents like bill of laden from the relocation company (you would need those document again when you clear customs at the time your shipments arrived), which itemize a list of all goods that was insured in order to avoid this problem:

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/-t131146.0.html

I believe you a non-resident of Canada, so you don't need to worry about taxes at least for now. You have to reapply for medicare for the whole family though. If you are heading to BC or Ontario, you might want to buy private insurance for the whole family during the 3 months waiting period in advance.

If you are moving to Ontario and want to get Canadian (Ontario) driver license, you might to want to check this website:

http://www.ontario.ca/driving-and-roads/exchange-foreign-drivers-licence

 

[johnfortin]

Thank you!

 

[Leon]

If you had yourself listed as a non-resident with Canada Revenue, you would be ok, you'll just start working and filing taxes automatically. However, if you didn't have yourself listed as a non-resident, you might have some explaining to do with CRA.

 

[johnfortin]

Well, when I left in 1993, I just left and started working overseas, in Papua New Guinea, Australia, Japan, China, and Laos. I either paid taxes to the government there or my school paid them for me...I hope this doesn't cause a problem..this is my concern.

 

[Leon]

When you just stop filing taxes and do not let CRA know that you have left the country, they may believe your are still in Canada and possibly working under the table. You should ask an accountant about this or talk to CRA directly and ask them if you have any problems with them or if they consider you owing them anything.

 

[caipsfasttracker]

Just renew your health card and all will be fine!