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Canadian Work Visa (?'s For Canadians and Migrating Poker Players)

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  1. deezy5821 deezy5821 is offline

    Lawrenceville, GA
    United States

    Posts: 583
    Joined: Jul 08

    May 24th, 2011 (5/24/2011 7:50am)

    It looks like I will be making the move to Canada for some time. I realize that I need a passport and would be allowed to stay for up to 6 months without being a permanent resident. I am curious as to if I applied for a work visa if I would be accepted due to me not having a job offer from any Canadian company. I have gone over the Canadian Immigration site but see nothing for the self-employed. Can anyone from Canada tell me would it even be worthwhile to apply for a work visa or if there is anything I could do to prolong my stay? Also, I'm sure there are some other poker players making this same transition. What have you done? Are you going about it any different?
     
  2. rivverkiller rivverkiller is offline

    White Rock
    Canada

    Posts: 6,350
    Joined: Feb 06

    May 25th, 2011 (5/25/2011 10:36pm) in reply to deezy5821

    Have you looked into getting a tourist or travelling visa? (not sure what it's called).
     
  3. llebdet llebdet is offline

    London
    Canada

    Posts: 53
    Joined: May 08

    May 29th, 2011 (5/29/2011 7:56pm) in reply to rivverkiller

    i think it will be tough to use poker as a job. my understanding is that if poker is your main source of income you have to pay taxes on it in canada but if you just play on the side you don't - i would also recomment the tourist visa. goodluck!
     
  4. Ninemil Ninemil is offline

    Posts: 213
    Joined: Aug 06

    May 29th, 2011 (5/29/2011 9:26pm) in reply to llebdet

     
    Originally Posted by llebdet View Post

    i think it will be tough to use poker as a job. my understanding is that if poker is your main source of income you have to pay taxes on it in canada but if you just play on the side you don't - i would also recomment the tourist visa. goodluck!


    If you are an american citizen you are required by law to pay taxes on your income no matter where you are. The only exception to this is if you reside outside of the US for something like 330 days out of the year, then your first 90k(maybe its 80k) is tax free.

    As far as work visas go I don't know anything.

    Plz post itt to update your progress on the move, I'm sure plenty of people are interested in your experience with this transition, I know I am.

    Good luck.
     
  5. sprstoner sprstoner is offline

    Posts: 1,343
    Joined: Feb 06

    May 30th, 2011 (5/30/2011 12:14am) in reply to Ninemil

     
    Originally Posted by Ninemil View Post

    If you are an american citizen you are required by law to pay taxes on your income no matter where you are. The only exception to this is if you reside outside of the US for something like 330 days out of the year, then your first 90k(maybe its 80k) is tax free.

    As far as work visas go I don't know anything.

    Plz post itt to update your progress on the move, I'm sure plenty of people are interested in your experience with this transition, I know I am.

    Good luck.

    also if you pay canadian taxes you get to deduct those from US taxes (should cause you to pay 0 since canada has higher taxes, obv look into tax treaty laws), but im pretty sure if you file as a professional, you would still owe self employment tax in US no matter what, not positive on this, but it is what i heard.
     
  6. adamsapple19 adamsapple19 is offline

    Pueblo, CO
    United States

    Posts: 1,769
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    May 30th, 2011 (5/30/2011 12:51am) in reply to Ninemil

     
    Originally Posted by Ninemil View Post

    Plz post itt to update your progress on the move, I'm sure plenty of people are interested in your experience with this transition, I know I am.

    +1
     
  7. CaribbeanKid CaribbeanKid is offline

    Canada

    Posts: 137
    Joined: May 07

    May 30th, 2011 (5/30/2011 2:28am) in reply to adamsapple19

    why not just take a week or 2 holiday back to georgia every 6 months?
     
  8. actionjunky actionjunky is offline

    Henderson, NV
    United States

    Posts: 26
    Joined: May 07

    May 30th, 2011 (5/30/2011 4:37am) in reply to CaribbeanKid

    think i read in another thread on this topic that the most you can stay there is 180 days out the year but could be wrong
     
  9. rivverkiller rivverkiller is offline

    White Rock
    Canada

    Posts: 6,350
    Joined: Feb 06

    May 30th, 2011 (5/30/2011 5:00am) in reply to actionjunky

    That is correct, 6 months. The obvious solution is to get a tourist visa which allows you to stay for a year and is generally easily extendable
     
  10. Gags30 Gags30 is offline

    Posts: 6,696
    Joined: Aug 07

    May 30th, 2011 (5/30/2011 11:50am) in reply to Ninemil

     
    Originally Posted by Ninemil View Post

    If you are an american citizen you are required by law to pay taxes on your income no matter where you are. The only exception to this is if you reside outside of the US for something like 330 days out of the year, then your first 90k(maybe its 80k) is tax free.

    As far as work visas go I don't know anything.

    Plz post itt to update your progress on the move, I'm sure plenty of people are interested in your experience with this transition, I know I am.

    Good luck.

    While what you posted about the first 90k is true....it does not apply, as gambling winnings do not count for this 90k, and you always have to pay on those




    Also, i'd guess you have close to 0% chance getting a work visa as a poker player.

    Lastly, not sure why everyone keeps mentioning Canadian taxes...regardless of how much canadians pay in taxes, you are an American, and always owe to the US govt.
    170 2 

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  11. llebdet llebdet is offline

    London
    Canada

    Posts: 53
    Joined: May 08

    May 30th, 2011 (5/30/2011 4:01pm) in reply to Gags30

     
    Originally Posted by Gags30 View Post

    Lastly, not sure why everyone keeps mentioning Canadian taxes...regardless of how much canadians pay in taxes, you are an American, and always owe to the US govt.

    good point - oversight for sure
     
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