INCOME TAX FAQS FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

1. Am I required to file an income tax return?

If you earn income in Canada (employment, scholarships, bursaries, interest income), you are responsible for submitting a tax form to the government. Many international students may be required to complete an income tax form or want to do this in order to claim refunds of other taxes.

2. I am an international student, how much I can get tax refund for each year?

If you have no income, you may be still eligible for certain payments or credits. By filing a tax return, you may be eligible receive tax refund or future tax credits for:

• GST/HST credit Around $248 per year

• Tuition payment tax credit carry-forward for future use

• Carbon Tax Credit $100 per year

• BC Provincial or territorial tax credits $75 per year

So for international students, even income is zero, but you still can receive about $400 tax refund for each year. you can file past 10 years tax returns together. Example, you arrived at Canada in 2000, you can file your tax returns from 2000 to 2009.

2. I am an international student. Why should I file taxes?

The Canadian tax system is based on residency and not citizenship. As an international student, Canada Immigration does not consider you to be a resident of Canada. However, your residency status for tax purposes may be quite different. For income tax purposes,international students studying in Canada are considered to be one of the following types of residents:

• resident (includes students who reside in Canada only part of the year)

• non-resident

• deemed resident

• deemed non-resident

3. What documents will I need?

TO FILE TAXES, YOU WILL NEED THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS: