How Long Can a Canadian Stay in the United States?
The period of time a Canadian can stay in the US is based on your unique case and whether you are entering on a visa or not. A Canadian can stay in the US for six months from the date of entry, BUT any exit and reentry reset the clock.
Extending Your Stay in the US
If you need to stay in the US longer than six months as a Canadian, you have the option to extend your stay. You can do this by filing a Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status before your authorized stay expires through the USCIS.
Canadians Paying Taxes in the US
Canadians need to keep in mind US tax laws. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has guidelines in place that Canadians must comply with. If you do stay for an extended period, you may have to file tax forms to the IRS, beyond six months.
US Tax Treaty Exemption
You can also claim exemption under the Canada–US Tax Treaty. You can refer to the Treaty tiebreaker rules to claim that you’re still a Canadian citizen after staying in the US for over 182 days.
How Long Can a Canadian Snowbird Keep Their Provincial Health Insurance?
When staying in the United States as a Canadian, you also need to make sure you aren’t absent from your province for too long. Staying outside of your Canadian province for too long can affect your provincial health care coverage. All provinces, except Ontario and Newfoundland, require you to actually live in your home province for at least six months plus a day (183 days in most years) in order to be considered a permanent resident of that province, and therefore qualified for provincial health insurance benefits.