Retiring in Canada from Another Country: What You Need to Know

However, planning your retirement in Canada requires more than just showing up at the border and expecting to be let in. Today, we’ll walk you through the most important steps you need to take as you plan your Canadian retirement, including immigration considerations, taxes, healthcare, and more.

Visiting vs Immigrating for Your Retirement in Canada

Unlike some countries, like Indonesia and Ecuador, Canada does not have a retirement visa that allows for retirees to live permanently in the country. This is a big hurdle to overcome when it comes to retiring in Canada from another country.

Generally speaking, to retire in Canada permanently, you would need to be admitted as a permanent resident of Canada. This is no small feat. Canada’s permanent residence programs focus heavily on skilled worker immigration (which mostly prioritize younger workers) and family reunification. However, even if you have a child or other relative in Canada, it is still extremely challenging to become a permanent resident through family connections. Typically, parents would use a Super Visa to visit their children in Canada for extended periods.

All that to say — depending on your situation and where you hold citizenship — the easiest route for many foreign retirees is often to live in Canada part-time as a visitor or tourist. This allows you to skip the complex immigration process that’s required for all permanent residents and holders of work or study permits.

We suggest working with a qualified Canadian immigration consultant if you’re unsure whether you have any legal avenues to permanent residence in Canada. They’ll be in the best position to let you know about your options based on your unique circumstances.

Living in Canada Temporarily During Retirement

Foreign nationals living temporarily in Canada as a visitor can still participate freely in community life, and enjoy many of the benefits of living in Canada, for up to 6 months at a time. However, you won’t be allowed to work in Canada during your stay.

Citizens of many countries can enter Canada without a visa. These are known as visa-exempt countries. Notably, most people travelling to Canada from visa-exempt countries require an electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), which allows them to stay up to 6 months at a time as a visitor.

You can check this table to see whether or not your country requires a visa or is visa-exempt:

If you’re from a visa-exempt country, all you have to do before booking your flights is apply for your eTA, which only costs $7 CAD and can be done quickly using the simple online form. Citizens and permanent residents from the United States are exempt from the eTA requirement. Assuming you’re admissible to Canada, the process for getting an approve eTA is typically very fast.

Applying for a visa to enter Canada

While some countries only require a simple eTA to enter Canada, many others require a full visa to visit. This means that you will need to apply for a visitor visa in advance and provide supporting documentation that validates your identity, length of stay, and ability to support yourself while in Canada.

You can check this table to see whether or not your country requires a visa:

These visitor visas must be obtained before every visit and typically cost $100 CAD per application. Each visa is usually valid for a stay of up to 6 months, however, a border services officer may restrict the length of your visa as you enter Canada at their discretion.

This uncertainty and the length of time it takes to apply for visas may prevent some citizens from visa-required countries from considering the approach of simply living in Canada temporarily.

Wondering whether you will have to apply for a visa to visit Canada? Use this handy tool from the Government of Canada to find out.

Decide which immigration route to take

Many people who want to make Canada their permanent home during retirement apply for entry as a permanent resident. However, as we outlined above, this could be difficult. Even if you have marketable skills, age is a big eligibility factor in most skilled worker immigration programs. In other words, Canada’s skilled worker immigration programs tend to favour young workers, which makes older applicants (including those of retirement age) less likely to qualify.

If you’re still interested in learning more about the possibility of permanent residency in Canada, check out our guide breaking down the basics of Canada’s immigration options.

Accessing healthcare during your retirement in Canada

Canada is well-known for its publicly-funded system of universal healthcare. This system has created a robust network of hospitals, clinics, specialists, and doctor’s offices across the country. However, accessing these publicly-funded services requires a certain immigration status – it isn’t just about living in Canada.

If you want to ensure free access to Canada’s universal healthcare during your retirement, you’ll need to have immigrated to the country legally. All permanent residents have access to the publicly-funded healthcare system. Certain international students and foreign workers also have access, although this depends on a temporary resident’s immigration status and province of residence.

Generally, visitors are not eligible for coverage under the publicly-funded system. However, just because you have retired to Canada and are living in the country temporarily doesn’t mean you can’t access public healthcare. It just means that you’ll need to pay out of pocket or obtain private medical insurance before doing so.

For comprehensive medical coverage for seniors, we recommend our trusted partner, Cigna. You can get a quick, free quote from Cigna here. We’ve been working with Cigna for years and are happy to recommend their health insurance coverage for seniors.

Private health insurance may be useful even if you are a permanent resident, international student, or temporary foreign worker. In many provinces, applying for coverage under Canada’s public healthcare system requires a waiting period, during which time you will be responsible for all your medical bills. Having private medical insurance protects you from many of these unexpected expenses. Additionally, Canada’s publicly-funded medical system only covers certain basic services – private insurance coverage can provide you with more robust coverage for many more services.

Paying taxes

One question that many foreign retirees in Canada ask is whether they will have to pay taxes in Canada, even if they’re only living there temporarily. You must be aware that being a resident of Canada has a different meaning for immigration and taxation purposes — and there’s a lot of bad advice online about taxes for temporary residents in Canada.

Residency for tax purposes is determined on a case-by-case basis in Canada. However, there are a few key factors to be aware of, including:

• The length of time you were physically present in Canada (often, if you’re here for 183 days or longer, you will be considered a tax resident of Canada).
• Whether you own any personal property in Canada (like a car or house).
• Your economic ties to Canada, including bank accounts or credit cards.
• Personal ties, such as a Canadian spouse or dependents.

Don’t be surprised by the residency requirements come tax time. Additionally, Canada has tax treaties with many countries to prevent double taxation, and navigating these can be complex.

To prevent costly mistakes, it’s always worth consulting an accountant who has experience working with foreign income or expatriates.

Choosing a place to live as you retire in Canada

Now that you’ve navigated the complexities of taxation, healthcare, and visa and eTA requirements, you can get to the fun stuff: choosing where you want to live!

Depending on whether you want to live in the city, the suburbs, or the country, there are lots of options to choose from in Canada.

Cost of living

The cost of living in Canada varies widely depending on where you choose to live. Generally, cities like Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal are the most expensive, with less developed areas like those found in the Atlantic provinces, northern Ontario, and throughout the Prairies coming in much cheaper.

Climate

Canada’s climate is well-known for being intensely cold in the winter. However, if you come from another northern-hemisphere country like Russia, Mongolia, or Finland, this may not phase you.

Warm or hot summer days and cold or even freezing winters should be expected in all areas of Canada, and people seeking to retire here should make sure their wardrobe can accommodate all types of weather.

Culture

Since Canada is so vast, there’s a lot to choose from in terms of culture and community. If you love to ski, you should think about settling in Whistler or another popular winter sporting hub. If you prefer the hustle and social options of a larger city, Toronto or Vancouver may be more your speed. If you like life a little quieter, consider a smaller town like Tofino (British Columbia), Baie-Saint-Paul (Quebec), or Elora (Ontario).

Want more help picking out a destination? Check out our destination guides for a more in-depth look at some of Canada’s most popular cities.