Income tax filing

[yasir22]

Hi,

I landed as PR in Canada in January 2016. I have filed tax returns for both 2016 and 2017. I am employed full time and my employer provides me T4.

Now I am planning to apply for my citizenship in January 2019. One of the requirement to apply for citizenship is :

• have filed personal income taxes for at least 3 years within the 5 year period, if required under the Income Tax Act

Now as it will be the beginning of year 2019, I think I won't have my T4 for year 2018 till then so I won't be able to file my tax return by then. So Do I need to apply for my tax return before applying for citizenship and wait for couple of months and then apply or can I apply in january as my tax is deducted automatically from my income?

 

[PMM]

Hi

Hi,

I landed as PR in Canada in January 2016. I have filed tax returns for both 2016 and 2017. I am employed full time and my employer provides me T4.

Now I am planning to apply for my citizenship in January 2019. One of the requirement to apply for citizenship is :

• have filed personal income taxes for at least 3 years within the 5 year period, if required under the Income Tax Act

Now as it will be the beginning of year 2019, I think I won't have my T4 for year 2018 till then so I won't be able to file my tax return by then. So Do I need to apply for my tax return before applying for citizenship and wait for couple of months and then apply or can I apply in january as my tax is deducted automatically from my income?

1. No, as you weren't a PR/Resident in 2015, it wasn't necessary to file a tax return for that year, and IRCC knows that you don't have to file for 2018 until Apr/2019.
2. Mind I would have a bit of buffer when filing exactly 3 years after "landing", unless you can absolutely proof you weren't outside Canada for 1 day after you received your PR.

 

[spyfy]

Hi,

I landed as PR in Canada in January 2016. I have filed tax returns for both 2016 and 2017. I am employed full time and my employer provides me T4.

Now I am planning to apply for my citizenship in January 2019. One of the requirement to apply for citizenship is :

• have filed personal income taxes for at least 3 years within the 5 year period, if required under the Income Tax Act

Now as it will be the beginning of year 2019, I think I won't have my T4 for year 2018 till then so I won't be able to file my tax return by then. So Do I need to apply for my tax return before applying for citizenship and wait for couple of months and then apply or can I apply in january as my tax is deducted automatically from my income?

Same question came up at the beginning of 2018:
https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/service-announcement-taxation-years-for-early-2018-applications.542063/

 

[yasir22]

Thank you so much PMM and spyfy for your help. I guess I will be ok applying in January/Feb without applying tax return for 2018.