Job Discussion Forums

[JimDunlop2]

If I wanted to buy/sell shares on the stock market, could I use an outfit such as eTrade Canada without jeapordizing my non-residency status?

In addition, can I (as a foreigner) use an American investing house to invest in the US exchange? If so, how? All American companies require your social security information to open an account. I remember someone telling me once that there was some kind of form you could fill out as a foreigner to bypass this...

Has anyone ever done this? If so, what luck have you had?

[Wonky Piano]

Jim,
You might want to try asking these questions to the people on this Canadian financial forum. They will probably have the answer.
It's www.financialwebring.com/forum/
I hope this link works.
Gambatte!

[Gordon]

Jim, if you buy or sell your stocks, RRSPs or mutual funds, you risk your non-residency. Last summer I tried to buy additional mutual funds (non-RRSP) with a company I already had an account with and they informed me I couldn't do it as a non-resident. In essence, it was impossible with them.
I have heard conflicting reports about buying property, some say yes and others no.

[JimDunlop2]

Well, I kinda wondered.... But foreigners to Canada can invest in Canadian markets though right? I wonder if a non-resident could take the same route and just pay Canadian tax on the interest you earn...

[J.]

you are allowed to own "investment property" but not have a home. So maybe the idea is that if you have a house and are renting it "at arm's length", it's okay for non-resident purposes. But I remember this only vaguely; you'd have to check it out.