Visitor Tax Refund- If you are not a resident of Canada, you are elgible for a refund of the 7% goods and services tax (GST) you paid on your accommodations and on your purchases as long as they meet certain criteria.
- You can claim a refund on short term accommodations, that is, accommodations you occupy less than one month. Accommodation receipts do not have to be validated.
- You can claim a refund on items you buy and take out of the country. Anything you consume while in Canada or anything you leave in Canada is not elgible for a refund. Anything that remains in Canada for more than 60 days after you purchase it is not elgible for a refund.
- To claim your refund, you must submit a form to the government and include all your ORIGINAL, receipts. Credit card receipts are not accepted. Receipts for goods must be validated.
- You cannot submit any receipt that totals less than $50 before taxes, and you cannot get a tax refund if your purchases total less than $200 before taxes.
- You can get a tax refund on half the cost of a tour.
- You can get receipts validated by authorized Canadian Customs officials at airports and border crossings and at major BC duty free shops.
- There are companies willing to submit tax refund forms for you. However, they keep about 20% of the refund, and you still have to do 90% of the work.
|