Canada Child Benefits while on vacation with the baby

[joytotheworld]

We visited my daughter’s father for almost 10 months overseas where he works as a foreign worker and this was the first time they’ve meet.

Our status there was only tourist as we were both in social pass / visa. I didn’t work as I wasn’t allowed to. I only took care of our daughter who has severe eczema and that is one of the reason for us staying there that long is due to her condition as I needed help to take care of her since her eczema is so severe that she had to be admitted twice before her 1st birthday and in the span of less than 6 months (She was admitted in Canada for a week due to eczema herpeticum & chicken pox and 3 days overseas due to infection and low white blood cells – both are serious conditions).

I landed August 2017 and gave birth November 2017 and left Canada after filling my ITR last April 2018. I wasn’t employed and had ZERO income as I became a PR because of my mother. During our trip overseas I continuously received the Canada Child Benefits and used it to help with my baby’s expenses overseas.

My question is did I violate any rules of the CRA by continuously receiving the CCB when we were both overseas?

We are both back now in Canada and I am currently unemployed since my baby still has eczema but not so severe anymore and if asked to repay those CCB payments I will not be able to repay it at the moment due to my employment status.

Would appreciate if you could give me an idea on how to resolve my issue.

NOTE: I didn’t intent to violate any rules or law as I wasn’t aware of it as until now upon my research there’s no clear information about it and I am willing to pay back whatever that is owed to the CRA once I am able to.

I also know that ignorance of the law excuses no one.

 

[canuck78]

Yes you will have to repay you CCB payments. CCB is to help pay the cost of raising children in Canada. Eczema would never be a reason to not be able to return to Canada. Should also assume you did not advise your provincial health care service of your long absence which you were supposed to do. In most provinces you will need to reapply for healthcare and start any wait period again otherwise you are using healthcare that you aren't entitled to. Your child will also have to reapply. There are residency requirements to receive healthcare.

I would reapply for your healthcare and also call CRA and arrange to start paying back CCB and any other money you have received. There will be penalties so the earlier you contact CRA the better.

 

[joytotheworld]

Yes you will have to repay you CCB payments. CCB is to help pay the cost of raising children in Canada. Eczema would never be a reason to not be able to return to Canada. Should also assume you did not advise your provincial health care service of your long absence which you were supposed to do. In most provinces you will need to reapply for healthcare and start any wait period again otherwise you are using healthcare that you aren't entitled to. Your child will also have to reapply. There are residency requirements to receive healthcare.

I would reapply for your healthcare and also call CRA and arrange to start paying back CCB and any other money you have received. There will be penalties so the earlier you contact CRA the better.

Thank you. May I ask if I am considered as a factual resident?

 

[canuck78]

Forgot to ask you how long you stayed in Canada. If it was under 6 months you were never entitled to healthcare in Canada.

I can't really comment because I am unaware of your whole situation. It does not seem like you are a resident for tax purposes. You can look it up based on your own circumstances. In all circumstances you didn't qualify for CCB for those 10 months. You likely only started receiving it when you were already out of Canada. Best to be upfront with CRA and OHIP/MSP/etc. you usually get some points for realizing your own error.

 

[joytotheworld]

Forgot to ask you how long you stayed in Canada. If it was under 6 months you were never entitled to healthcare in Canada.

I can't really comment because I am unaware of your whole situation. It does not seem like you are a resident for tax purposes. You can look it up based on your own circumstances. In all circumstances you didn't qualify for CCB for those 10 months. You likely only started receiving it when you were already out of Canada. Best to be upfront with CRA and OHIP/MSP/etc. you usually get some points for realizing your own error.

I landed August 2017 and left April 2018. I did file for my income tax return before going overseas. I started receiving benefits when I was still in Canada around February 2018.

 

[canuck78]

You will still habe to pay back CCB so contact. You also need to contact your provincial healthcare organization or go to the local office to advise then of you and your child's long absense from Cananda. Research residency obligations for healthcare and how to sign up again. Honestly your child didn't meet their reaidency obligation to use healthcare. You need to do more research before using services and seeking benefits. I assume you stayed in Canada just long enough to meet your health care obligation. Were you also receiving welfare if you were/are not working this whole time?

 

[joytotheworld]

You will still habe to pay back CCB so contact. You also need to contact your provincial healthcare organization or go to the local office to advise then of you and your child's long absense from Cananda. Research residency obligations for healthcare and how to sign up again. Honestly your child didn't meet their reaidency obligation to use healthcare. You need to do more research before using services and seeking benefits. I assume you stayed in Canada just long enough to meet your health care obligation. Were you also receiving welfare if you were/are not working this whole time?

I wasn't on welfare as I was living with my mother that time and the father of my daughter's send allowance. I didn't stay just to meet my healthcare obligation as I mentioned in my 1st post that we went on vacation so that our daughter will meet her father for the first time and because of her severe eczema. I even paid the hospital out of our own pocket when I gave birth to our daughter.

 

[foodie69]

I wasn't on welfare as I was living with my mother that time and the father of my daughter's send allowance. I didn't stay just to meet my healthcare obligation as I mentioned in my 1st post that we went on vacation so that our daughter will meet her father for the first time and because of her severe eczema. I even paid the hospital out of our own pocket when I gave birth to our daughter.

10 months vacation outside Canada and received child benefit? Yes? You can thank me later, paying for something YOU were not entitled to.

 

[canuck78]

I wasn't on welfare as I was living with my mother that time and the father of my daughter's send allowance. I didn't stay just to meet my healthcare obligation as I mentioned in my 1st post that we went on vacation so that our daughter will meet her father for the first time and because of her severe eczema. I even paid the hospital out of our own pocket when I gave birth to our daughter.

Even citizens have residency obligations for healthcare. Your child received healthcare and then left for 10 months. You must be in Ontario if you didn't have OHIP coverage for the birth. To be fair you likely had to pay to give birth because you didn't go to full term. As I said before it is best to rectify your problems no and nit cause yourself more problems, Call CRA to arrange repayment and Also restart your waiting period for OHIP.