Taxes in Canada???????

[ssanndy]

Are the taxes really that high in Canada?  We are planning to move there but are being discouraged by persons saying that the taxes ae ridiculously high. Can anyone now living in Canada shine some light on the taxes.

What % income tax or purchase tax etc.

Thanks

[Leon]

My total deductions including my supplemental health insurance from work, canada pension plan and employment insurance contributions range from about 25 to 30% depending on how much overtime I am doing.

Sales tax from the government is 5% and many provinces add their own ranging from another 5 to 8%.  Alberta does not have provincial sales tax.

[ingegarcia]

It seems to be almost the same taxes I pay here in USA.... 25% in deductions

[ingegarcia]

I would say that the problem is that some people come from countries where taxes are not too high... so it seems to be a lot the first time... However I think it is worth it because you'll have a lot of benefits that you would not have back in your home country...

[Leon]

I think US people like to believe that Canadians pay way higher taxes because of the health care system but from what I've heard there is not so much difference.

[ingegarcia]

Here in USA for my HMO I do not have to pay anything... but for my wife I have to pay more than $100... also I have copayments of $20 and the insurance doesn't covered all the medicines so I have to pay part of it... not so much though but each dollar counts... :)

Also there are taxes  for almost everything depending on the state... restaurant, books, appliances, dvds.. etc
I would say that it is almost the same if not more...

Back in my home country...  I did not have to pay too much... only people with high salaries, home owners, and companies pid for it... since my salary was not too high I never paid taxes.. :)

However there is no comparison between USA and my home country... So my point is that it is very difficult to compare taxes... and it would depends on the benefits you get from your taxes...

[momo]

Hi,

Do you know where I can find more info on Canadian benefits for skilled workers?  For example, would skilled workers qualify for the Canadian pension plan?  What happens if the skilled worker does not end up retiring in Canada, where does that pension plan money go?  What other benefits are offered by Canada to skilled workers who are not citizens?

[ingegarcia]

You might want to read about employment standards in Alberta in the website below

http://employment.alberta.ca/cps/rde/xchg/hre/hs.xsl/996.html


I hope this helps

Hi,

Do you know where I can find more info on Canadian benefits for skilled workers?  For example, would skilled workers qualify for the Canadian pension plan?  What happens if the skilled worker does not end up retiring in Canada, where does that pension plan money go?  What other benefits are offered by Canada to skilled workers who are not citizens?

[GK]

I lived in the US and Canada.  Sure taxes are a bit higher in Canada but you get something back.  In the US you have to pay taxes but you get nothing back - oh actually, you get to finance a war and you get good US Post servcie, but that's it. 

[Leon]

Canada post service is not that good.  I've had packages sent to me that looked like they had been jumped on and basically everything broken inside.  I've had packages left on my door step probably 3 or 4 times which is in plain view and about 10ft off the sidewalk which is by their own rules not an acceptable safe drop location and I've even had packages dropped there that it says on them do not safe drop.  I've complained about it every time and they just shrug.  Most things seem to get here in the end though.

[NewYorker]

Gas is expensive in Canada, ans two things are certain. Death and Taxes - so you have to pay it no matter what.

[Leon]

Gas is down to 83 cents a litre now :)  The most it went up to was like $1.23

[NewYorker]

It still makes 3.3/Gal - I know it is in Canadian dollars not US, but the wages should be high also compare to the US, the car uses the same amount of gas as it uses in the US, here the gas has came down to $2.2/Gal, so lets say you get 2000/month in the US and same in Canada, then your cost of living would be higher in Canada as you would pay 3.32/gal as compared to 2.2/gal in the US. To offset this, salaries should be higher in Canada.

[eduardoF]

It still makes 3.3/Gal - I know it is in Canadian dollars not US, but the wages should be high also compare to the US, the car uses the same amount of gas as it uses in the US, here is the gas came down to $2.2/Gal, so lets say you get 2000/month in the US and same in Canada. They your cost of living would be higher in Canada as you would pay 3.32/gal as compared to 2.2/gal in the US. To offset this, salaries should be higher in Canada.

Though Canada has a very good public transportation system. If you live in a big city such as Montreal or Toronto, or a small city such as Fredericton (those are the three cities I know reasonably well), you do not even need a car. In Montreal in particular, getting a car only serves to a) get yet another debt; b) pay more rent or private parking fees.

[Leon]

I live in Edmonton and you can get by without a car here too in most cases but it does limit you.  For example, when looking for a job or a place to live, you have to make sure you are on a good bus route or if you are on the train route, there's no need to have a car at all.  If you have to rely on the bus, they do take you most places but slowly :)