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Non-Residents Doing Business in Canada: The Guide to Taxable Presence & Filing Obligations

Covers Canada–US treaty PE tests, US LLC treaty eligibility and Form NR303, branch tax calculations, Regulation 105 and T106 reporting, with an integrated case study.

Created byAJAG Professional Development
emoji_eventsEditor's Pick· 5.0/5All LevelsUpdated Nov 8, 2026

What You'll Learn

  • check_circleAnalyze whether a non-resident entity is carrying on business in Canada under domestic and treaty rules.
  • check_circleDetermine the existence of a permanent establishment based on specific treaty provisions and time-based thresholds.
  • check_circleCalculate branch tax liabilities and identify appropriate treaty-based exemptions.
  • check_circleApply compliance requirements for Regulation 102 and 105 withholding tax.
  • check_circleEvaluate the impact of the Multilateral Instrument on existing tax treaty applications.

About This Course

Foreign companies often assume that without a Canadian office or subsidiary they have nothing to worry about in Canada. In practice, an installation project that runs past twelve months, staff who spend enough days on Canadian sites, a remote employee with authority to close deals, or a US LLC that can’t prove its members’ treaty eligibility can all create Canadian tax exposure and filing obligations. In this course, a tax director specializing in international inbound and outbound tax at a Toronto accounting firm walks through the full income tax analysis for non-residents carrying on business in Canada.

The session starts with Canada’s domestic framework. It explains why non-residents are taxed only on Canadian-source income, and how to decide whether a business is being carried on in Canada. This covers the common law factors courts consider, such as where contracts are made, where services are performed and who has authority to negotiate, as well as the deeming rules in section 253 of the Income Tax Act. It then turns to tax treaties, with a focus on the Canada–US treaty. It covers each way a permanent establishment can arise: a fixed place of business, a construction or installation project, a dependent agent, and the service PE tests based on days spent in Canada. It also looks at how the OECD Multilateral Instrument changes some treaties but not the Canada–US treaty, and at real CRA positions on remote employees, independent agents and subcontracted services.

Once a permanent establishment exists, the focus moves to what is actually owed. The speaker explains how to attribute revenue and expenses to a Canadian branch in a way the CRA will accept. He shows how Part XIV branch tax works and how the investment allowance can reduce it, with a worked example of the treaty’s 5% rate and $500,000 exemption, and why US LLCs may only get partial treaty benefits. He also covers which T2 return and schedules apply in each case. Related obligations that are often missed are covered as well: Regulation 105 withholding on services, payroll withholding for non-resident employees, Part XIII withholding, dispositions of taxable Canadian property and T106 reporting. The session ends with an integrated case study, a ten-step compliance roadmap and answers to participants’ real-world questions.

Topics covered

  • Canada’s domestic tax framework for non-residents (ITA sections 2(3) and 115)
  • Common law tests for carrying on business in Canada
  • The section 253 deeming rules for carrying on business
  • Domestic taxation versus treaty protection
  • Treaty entitlement and hybrid entities, including US LLCs and Form NR303
  • Permanent establishment under the Canada–US tax treaty: fixed place, place of management and home offices
  • Construction, installation and drilling project PEs
  • Dependent agents and the independent-agent exception
  • Service PE: the 183-day individual and project tests
  • The OECD Multilateral Instrument (MLI) and its effect on Canadian treaties
  • CRA positions on remote employees, agents and subcontracted services
  • Attributing profits to a Canadian branch, and why expense allocation is audited
  • Part XIV branch tax, the investment allowance and treaty reductions
  • A worked branch tax example
  • T2 filing obligations: treaty-based returns (Schedule 91), branch returns (Schedule 20) and Schedule 97
  • Regulation 105 withholding, waivers and T4A-NR reporting
  • Regulation 102 payroll withholding and Part XIII withholding
  • Dispositions of taxable Canadian property (section 116 certificates)
  • T106 reporting for non-resident entities
  • An integrated case study: a US installation project in Ontario
  • A ten-step compliance roadmap
  • Participant Q&A

Course Content

1 activity • 1 videos • duration: 54m

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Non-Residents Doing Business in Canada: Tax Compliance1 videos • 54 min
  • videocamNon-Residents Doing Business in Canada: Tax Compliance
    Duration 54:16

Your Instructors

AJAG Professional Development

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star9,486 reviews

AJAG Professional Development was founded in 2003 with a mission of making professional development easier and more cost-effective for Canadian accountants and other financial advisory professionals. Our comprehensive range of flexible and reasonably-priced courses, programs and seminars are delivered online and in classroom-style settings in the Greater Toronto Area (Toronto, Oakville and Markham). AJAG features a roster of highly-qualified instructors who deliver content that is pertinent, up-to-date and engaging.

Jesse Richter

Senior Manager, Tax at McGovern Hurley LLP

Jesse brings nearly a decade of experience practicing Canadian and International taxation and specializes in providing tax advisory services to a broad client base. In addition to his Canadian tax focus, Jesse has a strong background in U.S. taxation, developed over nearly four years on MNP LLP’s dedicated U.S. tax team prior to joining McGovern Hurley LLP in 2021. Clients value Jesse’s clear, practical approach and his ability to translate complex tax rules into straightforward, actionable strategies that minimize risk and optimize outcomes. His genuine passion for taxation is evident in every engagement, bringing infectious energy, curiosity, and a relentless drive to deliver the best possible result for every client.

Credit Information

Is this course eligible for my CPD requirements as a Canadian CPA?

Provincial regulators of CPAs in Canada do not require that independent providers of CPD be approved to offer courses. Instead, individual CPAs are responsible for assessing whether a CPD activity meets their requirements, and may take activities from any source provided those requirements are met.

Every course offered on LearnFormula is delivered by a qualified subject matter expert or learning organization, and advances learning objectives that are relevant to the responsibilities or professional competencies of Canadian CPAs. All activities on LearnFormula are quantifiable in terms of hours, and are also verifiable, in that users receive documented evidence of their attendance via a certificate of completion after finishing a course (and this certificate is stored by LearnFormula indefinitely). Nearly 100,000 Canadian CPAs successfully satisfy their CPD requirements via LearnFormula on an annual basis.

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Frequently Asked Questions

We are a registered provider with 300+ associations and regulatory bodies worldwide. We operate across 27 global markets including Canada, the US, Australia, and the UK. Every course page clearly displays its specific accreditations. Upon completion, you receive a professional certificate that can be validated online. Our certificates include all necessary accreditation details, credit hours, and completion dates, and are formatted specifically to meet the submission requirements of most global regulatory bodies.

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