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MOVING TO MEXICO DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY END YOUR CANADIAN TAX RESIDENCY
Canadian tax residency is different from Mexican immigration residency.
Having a Mexican resident card, living outside Canada or spending a particular number of days in Mexico does not, by itself, answer every Canadian tax-residency question.
The CRA considers the complete circumstances of your life, with particular attention to significant residential ties such as:
A home in Canada
A spouse or common-law partner in Canada
Dependants in Canada
Secondary ties can also contribute to the overall picture. These may include Canadian bank accounts, credit cards, vehicles, a driver’s licence, provincial healthcare coverage and social or economic connections.
If you remain a Canadian tax resident, you generally continue reporting worldwide income in Canada.
If you become a non-resident, you may still have Canadian tax or withholding obligations connected to Canadian-source income.
Canada and Mexico have a tax treaty, but how it applies depends on your specific circumstances.
Today’s goal is not to determine your residency. It is to identify what needs professional review.
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TAKE A QUICK TOUR OF YOUR CANADIAN LIFE
Spend 10 minutes considering which of these currently apply to you:
People and Property
A spouse or common-law partner in Canada
Dependants in Canada
A home that you own or rent
A rental property
A vehicle or significant personal property
Money and Income
Canadian employment
A Canadian business or corporation
Self-employment clients in Canada
Canadian rental income
CPP, OAS or an employer pension
Investment or dividend income
RRSP, RRIF, TFSA, RESP or other registered accounts
Non-registered investments
Canadian bank accounts or credit cards
Services and Connections
Provincial or territorial healthcare coverage
A Canadian driver’s licence
Professional licences or memberships
Insurance policies
A Canadian mailing address or phone number
Regular or extended return visits to Canada
Do not try to decide whether each item is “good” or “bad.”
For now, simply notice what exists.
Helpful Search Ideas
To investigate your provincial healthcare requirements, search:
“[Your province] health coverage extended absence outside Canada official”
To look for an appropriate professional, search:
“Canada Mexico cross-border accountant”
or:
“Canadian non-resident tax accountant Mexico”
When considering a professional, ask whether they regularly advise Canadians who are moving to Mexico—not simply whether they prepare Canadian tax returns.
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CREATE YOUR CANADIAN TIES AND TAX QUESTIONS NOTE
Today, you’ll create a simple inventory of the Canadian connections that may need attention before you move.
This is not a financial disclosure document. Do not include account numbers, passwords, exact balances or other sensitive information.
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Your Steps
Open the Notes folder you created called Can I Really Move to Mexico?
Create a new note titled:
Copy and paste the prompt below into the new note.
List only the items that apply to you. Short answers are completely fine.
Choose your three most important questions to investigate first.
If your move becomes more likely, save this note to help prepare for a conversation with a qualified Canada–Mexico cross-border tax professional.
COPY-AND-PASTE PROMPT
DAY 9 — MY CANADIAN TIES AND TAX QUESTIONS
The kind of move I’m considering is:
Exploratory / Seasonal / Trial move / More permanent
The major Canadian ties I may keep include:
☐ Spouse, partner or dependants
☐ Home or other property
☐ Employment or business
☐ Canadian income
☐ Bank or investment accounts
☐ Pension, RRSP, TFSA or other savings
☐ Provincial healthcare
☐ Driver’s licence, vehicle, address or phone number
☐ Other:My current plan for my Canadian home is:
Keep it / Rent it / Sell it / Not applicable / I’m not sure
The Canadian income that may continue after I move is:
My three most important tax, residency or healthcare questions are:
1.
2.
3.
The qualified professional I may need to speak with is:
One action I can take now is:
OPTIONAL DEEPER QUESTION
If the tax implications of moving were more complicated or expensive than you expected, would that change your dream—or simply change your timeline and the way you structure the move?
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HELPFUL RESOURCES
Use these resources to understand the questions involved, not to diagnose your situation by yourself.
CRA Form NR73: Determination of Residency Status—Leaving Canada
Health Canada: How publicly funded healthcare coverage works
A Note About Form NR73
Form NR73 can be used when someone who has left or plans to leave Canada wants the CRA’s opinion about their residency status.
It should not be treated as a casual online quiz. The information provided can affect how the CRA views your circumstances. Consider discussing whether and when to submit it with a qualified tax professional.
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You do not need to know your official tax status today.
Day 9 is complete when you have:
Listed the Canadian ties that may remain after your move
Identified the parts of your situation that require professional advice
Chosen your three priority questions
Tomorrow, we’ll explore healthcare in Mexico—including public and private options, insurance, paying out of pocket and how to begin estimating what healthcare might cost for you.
DAY 9
what are you leaving behind?
