Hey all, my partner and I have decided to tie the knot, so I’m going to be on my way from the US to Canada.

I’ve been looking all around the .gov websites, but I am looking for other helpful sites, or maybe even ‘baby’s guide to Canadian stuff’. I’ve been up there a lot so I know how every day life feels, but have no realistic idea about taxes or insurance or voting, etc etc. So yeah, any help would be appreciated.

  • ShawiniganHandshake@sh.itjust.works
    3·
    4 days ago

    For taxes, you need a Social Insurance Number, which you can get from Service Canada. When you get hired someplace, you will be given TD1 forms to fill out (one Federal, one Provincial). If you know you’re getting certain tax credits, you can write them on this form so less tax is withheld from your pay. Most people just claim the basic amount (it’s on the form already, don’t worry), fill in personal details like name, address, Social Insurance Number, then sign and return to the employer.

    Before tax time, you will have some tax forms mailed to you. The most important of these is your T4, which is your record of employment income for the tax year. You use any slips you receive to fill in your tax return and submit it to the Canada Revenue Agency by the April 30th deadline. Most people receive a modest refund. If you owe any taxes, they must be received by April 30 as well.

    If you have a simple tax return, it’s easy to fill it out yourself using free online tools or TurboTax or whatever. If you have a more complex tax situation like out of country investments, you’ll probably want to hire an accountant.

    The Government of Canada’s website is probably going to be the most useful resource for you when it comes to taxes: https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/individuals/topics/important-dates-individuals.html

    For voting, once you’re a citizen, just check the checkbox that gives CRA permission to share your address with Elections Canada and you’ll be registered to vote automatically. At election time, they’ll mail you a voter information card with the poll locations and times on it. If there’s an election after you have citizenship but before you submit your taxes for the year, you’ll have to register, which you can do on the Elections Canada website: https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=vot&dir=reg&document=index&lang=e

    To actually vote, you need two pieces of ID. You need both proof of identity and proof of address. A voter card counts as proof of address but if you don’t have one, you can bring almost anything with your name and address on it, like a bank statement or utility bill. For proof of identity, a driver’s license is most common but basically it has to have your full name and photo on it, so passport, age of majority card, health card, etc. There is a complete list of accepted forms of ID on the Elections Canada site.

    Most insurance related things are Provincial areas of responsibility (healthcare, transportation), so that will vary a bit. The Province’s website should have info on that stuff for you. In Ontario, you’d visit Service Ontario for vehicle or driver registration and to get a health card. For car insurance, you’d likely want to visit an insurance broker. Car insurance is mandatory here and if you’re ever stopped by police while driving, you will be expected to have your driver’s license and proof of insurance.