Most international students “file a tax return” (submit an income tax form to the government) to receive benefits and tax credits (money from governments or the chance to lower taxes later). International students may have to pay Canadian income tax on income earned from teaching and/or research assistantships, other employment, and investment and business income. Generally, students also have to report income they receive from outside of Canada.
The Canadian tax system is based on your residency status, not citizenship. Students from countries that have a tax treaty with Canada may not have to pay Canadian income tax and may be able to request that their employer stop withholding tax from their Canadian employment income with permission from CRA.
Determine if you must file a return
You must file a return if:
- You owe income tax to the government (e.g., you earn significant income in Canada).
- You're asked by the CRA to file a return.
Even if you don’t owe any tax, you should file a tax return if:
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You expect an income tax refund from the government.
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You're applying for the GST/HST credit (which provides cash payments to low- and middle-income taxpayers, to help offset the costs of paying GST/HST on taxable purchases).
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You're eligible to receive the child tax credit (for low- and middle-income taxpayers with children).
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You might earn more income in Canada later, such as through Co-op, and want to carry forward Tuition Payment and Education Credits (e.g., save for future years) to reduce the tax you owe in future years.
Learn more about if you have to file a return.
You do not need to pay taxes on your income from scholarships, fellowships, or bursaries, but you must provide UBC with your ITN or SIN when UBC requests it for tax purposes.