Buying a home in Canada as a non-Canadian

13 Jan 2023

作为非加拿大临时居民在加拿大买房 如果满足新规定下的某些条件，临时居民仍然可以在加拿大买房。 Buying a home in Canada as a non-Canadian Temporary residents may still be able buy a house in Canada if they meet certain conditions under the new regulations.

《禁止非加拿大人购买住宅物业法》于2022年6月在议会通过，并于今年1月1日生效。 The Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by Non-Canadians Act was passed in parliament in June 2022 and came into effect on January 1 this year.

从广义上讲，新规定将禁止任何非加拿大公民或永久居民的外国投资者购买住宅物业。该规定将持续两年，然后自动取消。 Broadly speaking, the new regulations will prohibit the purchase of a residential property by any foreign investor who is not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. The regulations will last two years and then be automatically cancelled.

该法明确禁止外国商业企业和非加拿大公民或永久居民的人在加拿大购买非娱乐性住宅财产。 The Act specifically prohibits foreign commercial enterprises and people who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents from acquiring non-recreational, residential property in Canada.

住宅物业包括独立式住宅或类似建筑、半独立式住宅、排屋单元、住宅公寓单元和其他类似场所。 Residential property includes detached homes or similar buildings, semi-detached houses, rowhouse units, residential condominium units and other similar premises.

政府在 2022 年预算中引入了该法案，作为加拿大降低住房成本战略的一部分，该战略近年来不断升级。 The government introduced the Act in Budget 2022 as part of Canada’s strategy to reduce the cost of housing, which has escalated in recent years.

加拿大房地产协会 (CREA) 的数据显示，2022 年 2 月，房屋平均价格飙升至 816,720 加元。截至 2022 年 11 月，该价格已降至 632,802 加元。尽管如此，这仍然被认为是一个高价，使得许多人无法拥有房屋，因为 2021 年加拿大人的平均收入为 58,800 加元。 Data from the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) shows the average price of a home spiked in February 2022 at $816,720. It has since dropped to $632,802 as of November 2022. Still, this is considered a high price that renders home ownership out of the question for many as the average Canadian income was $58,800 in 2021.

政府指出，外国投资者在加拿大购买房屋，但从未实际居住过，这是住宅价格上涨的推动力。 The government has cited foreign investors buying homes in Canada, while never actually living in them, as a driving force in the rising prices for residential homes.

有哪些例外情况？ What are the exceptions?

新法案并不是全面禁止外国投资者购买房产。他们仍然可以购买度假屋和度假屋等休闲物业。包含超过三个独立单元的属性也被豁免。 The new Act is not a blanket ban on buying properties by foreign investors. They are still allowed to purchase recreational properties such as cottages and vacation homes. Properties that contain more than three separate units are also exempt.

此外，该法案不包括人口普查大都市区（人口超过 100,000 的城市）以外的房屋。 Additionally, the Act does not include homes that are outside census metropolitan areas (cities with populations higher than 100,000).

与加拿大配偶或同居伴侣一起购买房屋的非加拿大人也有例外，后者后来发现自己处于过渡状态，例如离婚，或者任何在死后继承房屋的非加拿大人。 There are also exceptions for non-Canadians who purchase a home with a Canadian spouse or common-law partner who later finds themselves in a transitional situation, such as a divorce, or any non-Canadian who inherits a home following a death.

###临时居民可以在加拿大买房吗？ Can temporary residents buy a home in Canada?

该法案不适用于加拿大公民或永久居民。持有有效学习或工作许可的临时居民也仍然有资格在加拿大购买房屋。然而，临时居民有几个条件，因为政府需要证明成为永久居民和定居的意图。 The Act does not apply to Canadian citizens or permanent residents. Temporary residents, those on valid study or work permits, are also still eligible to purchase a home in Canada. However, there are several conditions for temporary residents as the government requires proof of intent to become a permanent resident and settle.

例如，在加拿大指定学习机构注册授权学习课程的人必须至少满足以下条件之一： For example, a person who is enrolled in a program of authorized study at a Canadian designated learning institution must meet at least one of the following criteria:

• 他们根据《所得税法》为购买年度之前的五个纳税年度中的每一年提交了所有必要的所得税申报表， they filed all required income tax returns under the Income Tax Act for each of the five taxation years preceding the year in which the purchase was made,
• 在购买前的五个日历年中，他们每年在加拿大实际居住至少 244 天， they were physically present in Canada for a minimum of 244 days in each of the five calendar years preceding the year in which the purchase was made,
• 住宅物业的购买价格不超过 $500,000，并且 the purchase price of the residential property does not exceed $500,000, and
• 他们没有购买超过一套住宅物业 they have not purchased more than one residential property

这意味着任何想在加拿大购买房屋并持有学习许可的人都必须能够证明他们在购买前的过去五年中每年在该国居住 244 天。他们还需要同一时期在加拿大提交纳税申报表的证明。 This means that anyone in Canada on a study permit who wants to buy a home must be able to prove they were in the country for 244 days each year for the past five years before making the purchase. They also require proof of filing tax returns in Canada for the same period.

同样重要的是要注意，50 万加元的最高购房价格可能不足以在平均房价仍超过 80 万加元且住房危机最严重的安大略省或不列颠哥伦比亚省购买房屋。 It is also important to note the $500,000 maximum purchase price for a home is probably not enough to buy a home in Ontario or British Columbia where the average house price still exceeds $800,000 and the housing crisis is most acute.

持有有效工作许可证在加拿大的人也有他们必须满足的条件，例如： Those who are in Canada on a valid work permit also have conditions they must meet such as:

• 如果工作是《移民和难民保护条例》第 73(1) 条所定义的全职工作，他们在购买前四年内在加拿大至少工作了三年， （IRPA）。 they worked in Canada for a minimum period of three years within the four years preceding the year in which the purchase was made, if the work is full-time work as defined in subsection 73(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, (IRPA).
• 他们根据《所得税法》在购买前四个纳税年度中的至少三个年度提交了所有必要的所得税申报表，并且 they filed all required income tax returns under the Income Tax Act for a minimum of three of the four taxation years preceding the year in which the purchase was made, and
• 他们没有购买超过一套住宅物业。 they have not purchased more than one residential property.

在这种情况下，在加拿大度过的时间少于那些正在学习的人，但工作许可证持有人仍必须证明至少三年的全职工作和前四年的纳税申报表。 In this instance, the time spent in Canada is less than for those who are studying but work permit holders must still show at least three years of full-time work and tax returns over the preceding four years.

该法案还规定，非加拿大人有责任向加拿大房地产经纪人证明他们的资格。临时居民负责获得资格证明所涉及的所有费用，例如检索有关工作许可证和评估通知的文件。他们可能还需要文件来证明在加拿大的实际存在，例如租赁协议、水电费或进入加拿大的出入境记录。 The Act also says the non-Canadian is responsible to demonstrate their eligibility to the Canadian realtor. Temporary residents are responsible for all the costs involved in obtaining proof of eligibility such as retrieving documentation regarding work permits and notices of assessment. They may also need documents to demonstrate a physical presence in Canada such as a rental agreement, utility bills or entry and exit records into Canada.

惩罚是什么？ What are the penalties?

外国投资者想办法在加拿大购买被禁止的住宅物业，或任何人在知情的情况下协助他们，将构成犯罪，将被处以最高 10,000 美元的罚款。此外，财产所在省的高级法院可以下令出售财产。 A foreign investor that finds a way to purchase a prohibited residential property in Canada, or anyone who knowingly assists them, will have committed an offence and will be liable for a fine of up to $10,000. Additionally, the superior court of the province in which the property is situated may order that the property be sold.