What professional to talk to about keeping American job while PR in Canada?

[acrobatmoon]

I landed as a PR from the US in December 2018. I have kept my American job, and work remote inside Canada. I'm planning on switching companies in July, but they're thinking I need to be set up as a Canadian employee, and go through Canadian taxes, etc., instead of my current setup (American job, pay American taxes first, given to Canada anything above and beyond, as explained by my Canadian tax preparer).

Long story short - who is the best person to talk to? Immigration consultant/attorney? A CPA? I am at an absolute loss of where and how to even look. Is there any recommendations on any national companies that can help? I just want to buy someone's time to get it straight.

 

[canuck78]

It is really up to your company and also your ability to work in the US. If you are living and working in Canada you should be paid and taxed through Canada. You can either make your self a consultant and the company can pay you in Canada or you can be paid through their Canadian offices. What you want to do doesn't work unless you have an H1B and commute to the US offices or you are living in the US and you have your permanent address there.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

I landed as a PR from the US in December 2018. I have kept my American job, and work remote inside Canada. I'm planning on switching companies in July, but they're thinking I need to be set up as a Canadian employee, and go through Canadian taxes, etc., instead of my current setup (American job, pay American taxes first, given to Canada anything above and beyond, as explained by my Canadian tax preparer).

Long story short - who is the best person to talk to? Immigration consultant/attorney? A CPA? I am at an absolute loss of where and how to even look. Is there any recommendations on any national companies that can help? I just want to buy someone's time to get it straight.

Nothing to do with immigration. If you want to talk to someone, find a good accountant with experience in cross-border accounting.

You don't need to be set up as a Canadian employee to work remotely for a US company.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

It is really up to your company and also your ability to work in the US. If you are living and working in Canada you should be paid and taxed through Canada. You can either make your self a consultant and the company can pay you in Canada or you can be paid through their Canadian offices. What you want to do doesn't work unless you have an H1B and commute to the US offices or you are living in the US and you have your permanent address there.

Not sure why you are saying it doesn't work. OP doesn't need to be able to work in the US to work remotely for an American company while living in Canada and it is fine for people living in Canada to be paid and taxed in other countries.

 

[canuck78]

Not sure why you are saying it doesn't work. OP doesn't need to be able to work in the US to work remotely for an American company while living in Canada and it is fine for people living in Canada to be paid and taxed in other countries.

Saw that OP is a US citizen versus just working in the US so OP needs to file US taxes no matter what. If OP is living full-time in Canada shouldn't he be taxed in Canada first and not the US? Still could be paid in US dollars but would have to become a consultant or could be paid through Canadian offices in Canadian $. All of this refer to 2019 tax returns.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Saw that OP is a US citizen versus just working in the US so OP needs to file US taxes no matter what. If OP is living full-time in Canada shouldn't he be taxed in Canada first and not the US? Still could be paid in US dollars but would have to become a consultant or could be paid through Canadian offices in Canadian $. All of this refer to 2019 tax returns.

There is no requirement to be taxed in Canada first. Generally, a person first files taxes in the country where they are paid and then files Canadian taxes.