original documents

Lots of Canadian snowbirds are returning to Canada around now. Hopefully one will come forward to help you.

If he was receiving a public pension (I would guess we're talking about Old Age Security and not an employment pension) then chances are the payments stopped as you suspect, because tax returns were not being filed. Normally, the Govt doesn't care if one files or not as long as there is no money owing to the Govt.

If the Govt feels it is owed money, CRA can and probably will want to reassess this individual going back 6-10 years. This will take a considerable amount of time, probably not as long as if the DR was doing it but realistically this guy is looking at many months of waiting time.

The passport request is probably an attempt to determine when this person actually left the country for the last time and became a non-resident for the purposes of taxation or they just want to make sure he is still breathing before sending anymore money his way.

Good luck. Once you get this all sorted out, please takes steps to file the 217 tax return by June 30 each year going forward or the payments will stop again now that he is flagged in the system as a delinquent filer.

I am sure Service Canada tried to send this guy mail at some point to make contact with him but failed and in 2011 decided to stop the payments until his whereabouts and current situation can be verified.

Canadian Pension?

Cdn_Gringo said:

If he was receiving a public pension (I would guess we're talking about Old Age Security and not an employment pension) then chances are the payments stopped as you suspect, because tax returns were not being filed. Normally, the Govt doesn't care if one files or not as long as there is no money owing to the Govt.

If the Govt feels it is owed money, CRA can and probably will want to reassess this individual going back 6-10 years. This will take a considerable amount of time, probably not as long as if the DR was doing it but realistically this guy is looking at many months of waiting time.

The passport request is probably an attempt to determine when this person actually left the country for the last time and became a non-resident for the purposes of taxation or they just want to make sure he is still breathing before sending anymore money his way.

Good luck. Once you get this all sorted out, please takes steps to file the 217 tax return by June 30 each year going forward or the payments will stop again now that he is flagged in the system as a delinquent filer.

I am sure Service Canada tried to send this guy mail at some point to make contact with him but failed and in 2011 decided to stop the payments until his whereabouts and current situation can be verified.

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I left Canada nearly Eleven Years ago. I still get my Monthly Pension paid directly to my Canadian Bank. I am not even a Canadian Citizen. I do not remember ever being told I had to live there to get my pension. Just as I received my British Pension when I lived in The Dominican Republic.

Alexandradebrian said:

I left Canada nearly Eleven Years ago. I still get my Monthly Pension paid directly to my Canadian Bank. I am not even a Canadian Citizen. I do not remember ever being told I had to live there to get my pension. Just as I received my British Pension when I lived in The Dominican Republic.

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My wife worked for CRA for 25+ years before she retired last year. The last 10 years in the Int'l Tax Service Office that dealt specially with Canadians who are living outside Canada.

According to her, there is no requirement for one to live in Canada to remain eligible to receive OAS. What one is supposed to do is file a tax return each year. Like other Canadians/Residents/Non-residents, if you do not owe the Cdn Govt any tax money, no one will compel you to file a yearly tax return. However, after a period of time, should a tax return become necessary, one who has not filed for several (many years) will need to file a return for each year they skipped including the current year when the return has become necessary because their situation changed, they for the first time owe tax or they receive a notice from CRA or Service Canada for proof that they are still alive.

The Govt uses the yearly tax filing as an indication that you are still alive and entitled to receive whatever payments the Govt sends your way. When Canadians pass away abroad, the the Cdn Govt. is not necessarily informed automatically.

When someone decides to check on a person who has not filed in a long time, Service Canada will send a letter to you at the last address on file. If it is returned or you fail to respond and make contact as requested, benefit payments are normally suspended until you do. Getting the payments restarted is always more of a hassle than electronically filing a simple tax return each year declaring no tax owing.

As an aside, anyone receiving regular Govt payments, should ensure that the Govt has a mailing address on file for that eventuality when they come asking for "proof of life".

In the case of the gentleman the OP is referring to, it should not come as a surprise that the Govt is interested (for obvious reasons) in establishing that at 87 he is still breathing and residing outside Canada in light of the fact that he left the country and has not provided any sort of tangible indication that the payments should be continued.

This person is entitled to their benefits going back to 2011, but it will take some serious paperwork and investment in time and energy to get the payments started again. Much, much easier to avoid having the payments suspended in the first place.

Lots of information on Canada Revenue Agency Web site / Site Web de l'Agence du revenu du Canada for those living abroad and filing their taxes. Tax software is provided for free to make electronic filing easy. As with most Govt websites, lots of information that is not always super easy to find, but it is all there for those who are persistent in looking for it.

let's not make it a discussion about pension in canada, that was not the question.

to the OP: did you try reaching canadian embassy/consulate? they send original documents back and forth all the time, maybe they can suggest a courier who can do it.

We have had original documents sent to the DR from UK by DHL - and the service and help received from the Santiago Office was great.

AlterEgo said:

According to a Canadian neighbor of ours, he has to live in Canada at least 6 months a year to collect his pension. That might be why they asked to see his passport. Is he living in DR full-time?

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?? You do not have to live in Canada to collect pension!! Go to the government website for details..you may be thinking of Provincial Health Insurance...

masstache said:

hello people

i have a situation that needs fixing so i know this is the best place to fix it.
i am british and i and another dominican friend are helping a portuguese friend who i live with to have his pension reinstated.
He spent 52yrs working and living in canada but never became a canadian citizen,he was recieving a pension up until 2011 when it stopped,we believe it was because he never filed his tax returns,bearing in mind the man is 82yr old and a little semile.

The woman in montreal who he used to work for and who bought his house has become power of attorney to help him that end,she has filed all the papers available but needs further documents like last passport,insurance card,canadian bank account etc which we have here.

fedex and bm cargo and others refuse to send originals in the post,does anyone know who does?the only other way around this would be if a canadian is going home soon and would be good enough to take a small package and post them on to montreal.

The man dosent have much quality of life and rarely leaves the house because of his health,anyone with real concerns can even come and visit him if they wish

Thanks in advance

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I have some people visiting who may do this for you and am also heading to Canada myself on May 16th if that works for you..let me know if I can help.