🚀 go-pugleaf

A similar question to this has been asked several years ago, but I
wanted to ask this anyway, in case of any changes.

I am a Canadian working in the US on a fellowship under a J-1 work
visa.  I pay US  federal and state taxes.  On the J-1 work visa, the
first two years I am *not* considered a resident of US for tax
purposes and must file a 1040NR (this is based on the two calendar
year exemption of counting days towards tax residency).

In talking to Revenue Canada they say I am a factual resident, but
when I talk to a Canadian tax consultant (and have paid $300 already),
he says I should definitely be a non-resident.  This all does not make
sense to me.

I, my wife, and two kids live in the US, all belongings are here and
we have state driver's licneses.  We have bank accounts here and
credit cards.  The only connection we have to Canada is an unused bank
acct, RRSPs and a passport.  We go back maybe one or two weeks a year.

I would appreciate anyone's (everyone's!) experience in a similar
situation.  If I am a factual resident, I am going to have to pay
$8,000 or more in Canadian taxes, which I don't have and will have to
borrow from somewhere.  It seems very silly to me that I would be a
resident of Canada even though everything about our lives is in the
US.

You can email me at brechmos@gmail.com or post here.  I would
appreciate any advice and thoughts.

Craig