Canadian work permits for American citizens

[regexcellent]

Does anyone here know if I would need to get some kind of visa or permit before working in Canada, or if I could just go there and start working?

On a job application I need to put what countries I'm authorized to work in and I'm not sure if I can say I'm authorized to work in Canada. I'm under the impression that NAFTA makes it fairly easy to for Americans to work there.

[KrazyHorse]

You are not authorized to work in Canada. That question can only be answered yes if you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. There is a temporary Nafta work permit available for Americans, depending on your educational background and the job title. Beyond that, the situation is no different for Americans than for any other nationality.

[regexcellent]

Thanks!

[notyoueither]

You will need approval from federal immigration before you are authorised to work. It is easier for Americans who qualify with needed skills and business people.

Edit: Oops, too late.

[The Mad Monk]

Who does your landscaping, then?

[KrazyHorse]

Illegal American immigrants. Don't worry, though; we're building a wall...

[Asher]

Who does your landscaping, then?

Mother nature.

[regexcellent]

The main issue is that the positions available to me in Canada are in Ontario

[Asher]

ew

[Dinner]

If you're a professional it's pretty easy to get a company to sponsor you but the problem is the taxes. Specifically the US's taxes on foreign earnings on top of the regular Canadian taxes.

[Jon Miller]

Only an issue at all if you make more than 70k or so.

I think it is still something you can do if you make more, but talk to tax professionals first.

JM

[Dinner]

Unless there is some tax trick I am unaware of the US still wants its pound of flesh but you can deduct foreign taxes paid out of your income before having to pay uncle sam. I could have gotten a job paying more working in Alberta but the difference wasn't enough to make up for having to pay both Canadian and US taxes.

[Dinner]

Mother nature.

That looks like Hoth. I wouldn't want to live there either.

[KrazyHorse]

Unless there is some tax trick I am unaware of the US still wants its pound of flesh but you can deduct foreign taxes paid out of your income before having to pay uncle sam. I could have gotten a job paying more working in Alberta but the difference wasn't enough to make up for having to pay both Canadian and US taxes.

I have no ****ing clue what you're on about. The foreign tax credit replaces your US taxes with the foreign taxes you paid. You end up paying max(US tax, foreign tax). This is hardly ideal, but ot will make very little difference in the end for somebody in your tax bracket to move from Cali to Alberta. The only major difference would be that you would lose the deductibility of your mortgage interest.

[Jon Miller]

I ended up getting double taxed on my income when I was only being paid by Sweden for 2 months (in 2009) because I hadn't been in Sweden enough time (I did ask my distant relative who is an accountant if I did things correctly, but I still wonder if I really did). After that I made less than 60k (and spent less than 30 work days in the US) and so didn't have to pay any taxes in the US.

There is another mechanism as well, which I think KH is referring to, but I haven't tried it yet.

I am actually very interested in working in Canada in the future now, my girlfriend really likes it there (and I always have), any recommendations for finding a permanent position in physics there?

JM