What does a Canadian need to know before moving to Florida?

Canada's travel advice adds that Canadians visiting longer than 30 days must be registered with the U.S. government. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services says a green card holder may work here and may live here permanently as long as he or she commits no act that makes him or her removable under immigration law. USCIS: 800-375-5283.

Under the IRS substantial presence test, you are treated as a resident alien for U.S. tax if you are here at least 31 days in the year and 183 days over three years, counting every day this year, one-third of last year's days and one-sixth of the year before. Someone here fewer than 183 days in the year, with a tax home in Canada and a closer connection to it, who has not applied or taken other steps to apply for a green card, can claim the closer connection exception on Form 8840, filed by the due date for Form 1040-NR, including extensions. Without a timely Form 8840, the form says, you cannot claim the exception unless you show by clear and convincing evidence that you took reasonable actions to become aware of the filing requirements and significant steps to comply. IRS: 800-829-1040, or 267-941-1000 from outside the country.

The Canada Revenue Agency says you usually become a non-resident on the latest of three dates: the day you leave Canada, the day your spouse or common-law partner and dependents leave, and the day you become a resident of the country you settle in. That year's return reports world income for the part of the year you lived in Canada. On leaving, you are considered to have sold certain types of property at fair market value, a deemed disposition, and you may have to report a capital gain, also known as departure tax. Canadian real or immovable property, RRSPs, pension plans and annuities are among the exclusions. If all your property was worth more than $25,000 when you left, you complete Form T1161, and you can elect to defer paying the tax on the deemed disposition with Form T1244, filed by April 30 of the next year. CRA: 1-800-959-8281 from Canada and the U.S. The Government of Canada says Old Age Security can be paid abroad to someone who lived in Canada at least 20 years after turning 18.

Chapter 692 of the 2026 Florida Statutes limits some real property purchases tied to seven foreign countries of concern, and Canada is not among them. When a foreign person sells U.S. real property, the buyer generally must withhold 15 percent of the amount realized and send it to the IRS with Form 8288 by the 20th day after the date of transfer. No withholding is required when individuals buy the property for use as a residence and the amount realized is $300,000 or less, and the rate is 10 percent for a residence up to $1 million. Buyer or seller can request reduced or no withholding with Form 8288-B.

Florida has a driver license document list for Canadians: an original valid Canadian passport proves identity, and a Canadian here without a work visa does not need a letter from the Social Security Administration.

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