CA+US Parallel49
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Moving Back to Canada

The mirror image of leaving — re-establishing Canadian residency has its own rules, deadlines, and a couple of genuinely good surprises. General information only, not tax or immigration advice; confirm your specific situation with a cross-border specialist before you file anything.

Guide:Moving Back to Canada from the US: What Happens to Your Accounts — the full walkthrough behind this calculator.
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Heads up: the questions below default to a "no exposure" example scenario, just so you can see how this tool works before you answer for your own situation. None of this is your data. Replace each answer with your own whenever you're ready — or use the button to reset back to these defaults any time.

Your situation

A couple of questions to figure out which US exit rules — if any — apply to you when you leave.

What this means for you

Your registered & retirement accounts checklist

What happens to each account type the moment you become a Canadian resident again.

Practical timing & logistics

ℹ️CPP & OAS resume automatically
Nothing special is required — CPP is based on your contribution record and keeps accruing value regardless of residency. If you haven't started collecting OAS yet, years of Canadian residency after you return continue counting toward the 40-year full-pension calculation.
📋Provincial healthcare waiting period
Most provinces impose a waiting period of up to three months after you establish residency before public health coverage begins. Budget for private travel/health insurance to bridge that gap — don't assume coverage starts the day you land.
📋Coordinate your exit and entry dates
You'll likely file a part-year return in both countries for the year you move — a US return covering up to your departure date and a Canadian return from the date residency is re-established. Getting these dates to line up cleanly (and documented) avoids gaps or overlaps that create double-taxation headaches.

❓ Glossary & how this is calculated
Exit tax (US)
The US's own departure tax (IRC Section 877A) for certain long-term Green Card holders or citizens who expatriate — can deem worldwide assets sold on the way out, separate from Canada's deemed disposition.
Long-Term Resident
A Green Card holder who has held it in 8 or more of the last 15 tax years — crossing this threshold can subject you to the US exit tax if you later give up the Green Card.

What makes someone a "covered expatriate"? A Long-Term Resident who gives up their Green Card is covered if they meet any of three tests: worldwide net worth at or above the threshold shown above, average annual US tax liability above the threshold shown above, or failing to certify 5 years of full US tax compliance on Form 8854.

Next: Your Action Items — see the specific forms and elections this triggers.
Figures current as of 2026
  • 2026 — CPP, OAS & Social Security maximums, HSA contribution limits, the capital gains inclusion rate, and moving-back thresholds are all updated for 2026.
  • Jan 2025 — Social Security Fairness Act repeal of WEP/GPO reflected in the Benefit Timing amounts.
  • Last independently verified: August 2026 — CPP/OAS/SS figures, RRSP withholding rates, and the 2026 US tax brackets checked directly against CRA, IRS, and SSA publications.
  • Full sourcing & citations for this page →