> 2. The wages are usually much lower than the identical US position (after currency conversion)
on the whole I found roughly 40% difference, but usually decent benefits.
strong increases in tax brackets mean it's not really useful to offer you more money, since the gub'mnt will take more of it. meanwhile stock purchase plans or retirement options are generous. not great if you don't plan on staying in Canada long term.
> 3. The incremental income taxes are relatively high
this, like in the US, will depend on state / province; Quebec is the highest, but also offers great bennies, like free or low-cost child care / daycare.
> 4. After a few months stay, you will be taxed on residency, and not nationality. If you have US citizenship, than you will still have to report in your home state as well (usually it is whichever is greater that is applied).
you do not have to have a home state as a US citizen. if you need a home state, look into PO boxes in states without an income tax, like TX, FL, or WA.
> 5. After several months stay, you can apply for a Medical Services Plan. Note, if you develop some issue while awaiting the provincial coverage it is common they will back date coverage. However, it is still highly recommended you keep your private medical/dental insurance during this transitional period.
this is true. usually you have to be in province for 3 months before you can use the provincial healthcare. make sure you have private insurance coverage until then.
> 6.Housing is expensive, and difficult to find these days. It may take some time to find a place if you have a large family.
not true, generally was easy to find. if you live in the GTA or Vancouver you may have to go pretty far out, however. if you're looking for something large, cheap, and close -- you're gonna be holding your breath for a while.
> 7. Do a search to learn about TFSA, RRSP, and CPP. It will help you retain your earnings.
The only real takeaway is that the US IRS hates the TFSA, but RRSP are generally okay. The Canadian government will not be cool with you adding money to US retirement accounts.
Figure out what an FBAR is, and if / when / why you need to file them.
Also look into PFICs and penalties for holding Index funds, ETFs, or holding companies. It's not illegal, just a huge PITA with expensive overhead.
Taxes will usually be a non-issue since you will subtract your Canadian taxes (usually higher) from your US taxes, which will result in little to no taxes; capital gains can get messy though. But you still have to file, and you probably want a cross-border specialist if you're north of 100k USD.
> 8. Due to the recent stressed medical system over several years, it is now rather difficult to find a doctor in some cities. This should be dealt with as soon as possible if you require care, as it currently takes months to find a GP.
Did not ever have any problems in Calgary, Vancouver, or Edmonton; can't speak to the eastern parts of the country. Care will also be different if you're in a big city, 2nd tier city, or small town, and often not in the ways that you think.
> Did not ever have any problems in Calgary, Vancouver, or Edmonton; can't speak to the eastern parts of the country. Care will also be different if you're in a big city, 2nd tier city, or small town, and often not in the ways that you think.
No problems for me either in the prairies or Vancouver. Hell, I was in Vancouver two years and found myself a doctor _twice_ in that time, requiring exactly two phone calls. No idea what everyone was bitching about.
Then I moved to Ontario (not Toronto). Heard the same complaints I’d heard for years and gave them little credence.
Yeah it’s impossible to find a doctor out here. My “family doctor” managing chronic conditions is the telehealth doctor. Even the walk in clinics have all gone patients/appointment only and every one I’ve called has stopped maintaining a waitlist at all because it was uselessly long (tried clinics in the city, in and around our small town over an hour away, and basically everywhere else). Some of the hospitals haven’t been able to keep their ERs open 24 hours. Which is unfortunate because any medical care we need that can’t be handled over a video chat a week from now is basically a visit to the ER at this point.
Then we keep electing the government whose solution is to continue to mismanage the entire system towards privatization and implementing a provincially managed waitlist. I’ve been on it a couple of years now. I’ve talked to other people that have been on it over five years. They send me a letter every six months asking me to let them know if I’ve managed to find a doctor so they can remove me and my daughter from the list.
on the whole I found roughly 40% difference, but usually decent benefits.
strong increases in tax brackets mean it's not really useful to offer you more money, since the gub'mnt will take more of it. meanwhile stock purchase plans or retirement options are generous. not great if you don't plan on staying in Canada long term.
> 3. The incremental income taxes are relatively high
this, like in the US, will depend on state / province; Quebec is the highest, but also offers great bennies, like free or low-cost child care / daycare.
> 4. After a few months stay, you will be taxed on residency, and not nationality. If you have US citizenship, than you will still have to report in your home state as well (usually it is whichever is greater that is applied).
you do not have to have a home state as a US citizen. if you need a home state, look into PO boxes in states without an income tax, like TX, FL, or WA.
> 5. After several months stay, you can apply for a Medical Services Plan. Note, if you develop some issue while awaiting the provincial coverage it is common they will back date coverage. However, it is still highly recommended you keep your private medical/dental insurance during this transitional period.
this is true. usually you have to be in province for 3 months before you can use the provincial healthcare. make sure you have private insurance coverage until then.
> 6.Housing is expensive, and difficult to find these days. It may take some time to find a place if you have a large family.
not true, generally was easy to find. if you live in the GTA or Vancouver you may have to go pretty far out, however. if you're looking for something large, cheap, and close -- you're gonna be holding your breath for a while.
> 7. Do a search to learn about TFSA, RRSP, and CPP. It will help you retain your earnings.
The only real takeaway is that the US IRS hates the TFSA, but RRSP are generally okay. The Canadian government will not be cool with you adding money to US retirement accounts.
Figure out what an FBAR is, and if / when / why you need to file them.
Also look into PFICs and penalties for holding Index funds, ETFs, or holding companies. It's not illegal, just a huge PITA with expensive overhead.
Taxes will usually be a non-issue since you will subtract your Canadian taxes (usually higher) from your US taxes, which will result in little to no taxes; capital gains can get messy though. But you still have to file, and you probably want a cross-border specialist if you're north of 100k USD.
> 8. Due to the recent stressed medical system over several years, it is now rather difficult to find a doctor in some cities. This should be dealt with as soon as possible if you require care, as it currently takes months to find a GP.
Did not ever have any problems in Calgary, Vancouver, or Edmonton; can't speak to the eastern parts of the country. Care will also be different if you're in a big city, 2nd tier city, or small town, and often not in the ways that you think.