Leaving Canada: your checklist

Leaving Canada triggers its own tax rules, including a departure tax. Get the order right, and decide about permanent residence before you go.

Updated 29 October 2026 · 15 items

Tax and status

Decide about permanent residencePR needs 730 days in Canada in any five years; plan if you might return.
Tell the CRA your departure dateChild and GST/HST benefits stop when you leave.
Plan your final return and departure taxYou're treated as selling most investments on the day you leave; RRSPs, TFSAs and Canadian real estate are exempt.
Tell your provinceProvincial health cover ends after you leave.

Accounts and pensions

Decide about your RRSPIt can stay; withdrawals as a non-resident have tax withheld.
Stop adding to your TFSAContributions as a non-resident are penalised 1% a month.
Check your CPP and OAS recordsCPP is paid abroad; OAS is paid abroad only after 20 years in Canada after age 18.
Ask your banks and brokers about non-residentsSome limit accounts; tax is withheld on interest and dividends.
Keep one bank account, credit card and phone numberFor payouts and two-step logins.

Home and car

Sell before you leave if you canSelling as a non-resident needs a CRA clearance certificate, with tax held back until you get it.
If you rent it out, register with form NR6Otherwise 25% of the gross rent is withheld.
Sell the car and cancel insurance and plates

Family

Canadian passports for Canadian-born children, and OCI cards
School and vaccination records
Get the CFIA endorsement for petsMoving with pets.

Questions

What is Canada's departure tax?

When you stop being a Canadian resident, you're treated as having sold most of your property at market value on that day, and tax is due on the gains. RRSPs, TFSAs, pensions and Canadian real estate are among the exceptions.

Will I get CPP and OAS in India?

CPP can be paid to you in India. OAS is paid abroad only if you lived in Canada for at least 20 years after age 18; otherwise it stops after six months away.

Are my ticks saved?

Yes, in this browser on this device. Nothing is sent to us. Clearing your browser data, or opening the page on another device, starts a fresh list.

Will your money last after the move?

The free retirement planner works it out year by year, with Indian inflation, your children's costs and a stress test.

Open the retirement planner

General information for planning, not financial, tax or legal advice. Rules change: check anything important with the official source.