On September 19, 2019, U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Rick Scott (R-FL) introduced the Canadian Snowbirds Act, S. 2507 in the U.S. Senate. This bill would allow eligible Canadian retirees to spend up to eight months vacationing in the United States annually – two months longer than the current six-month limit.
This legislation is the companion bill to the Canadian Snowbird Visa Act, H.R. 3241 which was introduced in the House of Representatives in June by Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21) and Congressman Ted Deutch (D-FL-22).
To be eligible for this extension, travellers will need to satisfy the following criteria:
- Have Canadian citizenship;
- Be 50 years of age or older;
- Maintain a residence in Canada;
- Own a residence in the U.S. or have a rental agreement for the duration of stay;
- Will not engage in employment in the United States; and
- Will not seek government assistance or benefits.
Both the House and Senate bill also contain a tax provision which will shield snowbirds from negative tax ramifications in the United States. Despite spending more than six months in the U.S., those who are approved for this extension will be considered non-residents of the U.S. for tax purposes.
Before this extension can be signed into law, it must first be passed in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. CSA representatives will continue to work on growing the number of co-sponsors in both chambers during the current session of Congress. Updates on our progress will be featured in CSANews.
If you have any questions related to this initiative, please do not hesitate to contact our head office toll-free at 1-800-265-3200 or by email at csastaff@snowbirds.org.
