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Moving to Panama from Canada


#1  2011-02-23 17:58:51

Aleczandria
New member
From: Greenwood
Registered: 2011-02-23
Posts: 2

Moving to Panama from Canada

Good Morning

My husband & I have decided to retire in Panama in the spring of 2012. I am 50 & my husband is 65. We have some things to take care of before we can move & we are giving ourselves a year to do that. We have researched alot of information but we seem to get mixed information. Is there anybody out there that can give us the heads up on moving from Canada to Panama from start to finish and how long does it take. Our destination is the outskirts of David. We plan on going to Panama in December and purchasing a home then. We would just like to have the majority of the paper work done. Thanks

Aleczandria




 
 
 
 

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#2  2011-02-24 07:16:28

Yud
ViP
Yud
From: Sydney
Registered: 2010-11-08
Posts: 7025

Re: Moving to Panama from Canada

Welcome on the forum Aleczandria wink




 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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#3  2011-02-26 13:07:38

panamahaven
New member
From: Newport Beach, California
Registered: 2011-01-18
Posts: 7

Re: Moving to Panama from Canada

You are making the right choice. Chiriqui is a bit far from more modern and cosmopolitan Panama City (about 6 hours driving). But if you are close to Volcan, Boquete or Cerro Punta, you will be in one of the most amazing places in the world. The beauty of nature is just ovwerwhelming in that area. The rugged lush terrain provides a feeling of infinity and purity. There are so many corners and and layers to discover. With this post year 2000 immigration of well to do people from developed countries, this place has unlimited potential Visit our blog for the story from a Panamanian and a Californian. panamahaven.com/blog




 
 
 

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#4  2011-03-08 10:43:48

justinjohn987
New member
From: canada
Registered: 2011-03-07
Posts: 7

Re: Moving to Panama from Canada

If you are planning to visit panama, you need to think again as this country is no longer a paradise for tourists. It is noteworthy that visitors have to shell out large amounts to police officers in order to ensure hassle-free travel throughout panama. If you refuse to bribe officers out there, you are likely to be taken under custody on false pretexts. If you are eager to read a first person account on the harassment of travellers in Panama, visit blackpanama.blogspot.com/




 
 
 

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#5  2011-03-09 19:52:19

gnixon55
New member
From: Canada
Registered: 2010-07-19
Posts: 3

Re: Moving to Panama from Canada

We too are from Canada (Calgary) and are planning on moving to Panama, hopefully in the Fall. We went a couple of years ago to Bocas del Toro and enjoyed our time. I have 3 main questions I was hoping to get some help with:
1) My wife found Bocas a little too humid for her arthritis. Are there areas of Panama not quite so humid? Boquete, El Valle, ???
2) Immigration options... this reforestation option ($40,000) looks interesting. Does anyone have any experience or advice about this as an option for residency?
3) Not that we set on socializing with only Canadians... otherwise why move to Panama... but are there communities in Panama which have more Canadians than other areas?

Thanks all




 
 
 
 

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#6  2011-03-10 03:45:50

Aleczandria
New member
From: Greenwood
Registered: 2011-02-23
Posts: 2

Re: Moving to Panama from Canada

Hi gnixon55

All we know is that the pacific side of Panama is less humid than the caribean side. You might want to check out Pesadi (it is a popular area)
We have heard about the reforestation but have not looked into it further.
From what we have heard there are alot of Canadians & Americans spread out throughout Panama, the best place to look for them is to look at the gated community's (not saying that all of them live in gated communities, but they feel safer there)

Cheers
Aleczandria




 
 
 
 

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#7  2012-01-01 05:49:20

TheGasman
Member
Registered: 2012-01-01
Posts: 10

Re: Moving to Panama from Canada

Cerro Azul is a pretty nice place. Los Altos de Cerro Azul is a housing community located there. I went there last week to look at houses and I absolutely loved the temp and humidity levels. The temp in the daytime was about 75 degrees with no humidity which really surprised me. The homes there were really nice with prices from 179K up to 190K if I remember correctly.




 
 
 

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#8  2012-11-28 03:07:21

raptorfan
New member
raptorfan
Registered: 2012-11-28
Posts: 7

Re: Moving to Panama from Canada

Aleczandria wrote:

Good Morning

My husband & I have decided to retire in Panama in the spring of 2012. I am 50 & my husband is 65. We have some things to take care of before we can move & we are giving ourselves a year to do that. We have researched alot of information but we seem to get mixed information. Is there anybody out there that can give us the heads up on moving from Canada to Panama from start to finish and how long does it take. Our destination is the outskirts of David. We plan on going to Panama in December and purchasing a home then. We would just like to have the majority of the paper work done. Thanks

Aleczandria

Did you make the move? How is it going? Considering the same thing as you, so dying to know!!!

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#9  2013-01-31 09:43:31

Hamid_reza
Member
Hamid_reza
From: Tehran
Registered: 2012-11-01
Posts: 14

Re: Moving to Panama from Canada

Dear Canadian citizens, I guess that you already know that it's difficult to obtain non-resident tax status in Canada since the definition of residence is much wider than that existing in many other countries. Even though you leave Canada you might be liable to pay taxes on your world income to revenue Canada. Please contact a professional before moving to Panama.

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#10  2013-01-31 15:31:49

raptorfan
New member
raptorfan
Registered: 2012-11-28
Posts: 7

Re: Moving to Panama from Canada

Tell me about it. I was just set to go to Abu Dabi to teach for two years. That is until I found out I would have to pay $22k a year extra in taxes at home. Now i'm going to UK where there is an agreement that if I pay taxes there, I don't have to at home.

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#11  2013-01-31 15:47:30

AuntieFlo
Contributor
AuntieFlo
From: Cuernavaca
Registered: 2011-04-11
Posts: 138

Re: Moving to Panama from Canada

Why would you have to pay $22K more in taxes for living in Abu Dabi?




 
 
 
 
 

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#12  2013-01-31 15:58:43

raptorfan
New member
raptorfan
Registered: 2012-11-28
Posts: 7

Re: Moving to Panama from Canada

AuntieFlo wrote:

Why would you have to pay $22K more in taxes for living in Abu Dabi?

Teaching there would add about 60k to the 55k I am getting in Canada for my pension. Even though my earnings are tax free in Abu Dhabi, I would have to claim those earnings in Canada

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#13  2013-02-01 01:48:46

royretire
Member
From: st. john's
Registered: 2012-05-14
Posts: 13

Re: Moving to Panama from Canada

Hi, my wife and I are moving to Panama in 2015.  Going to Boquete next month to check out a few places. If you check the Canadian govt. website , they tell you there is a 25% withholding tax on your income if you move. You have to revoke your Canadian citizenship to avoid that, and that's not an option if you want to return . I figure we will still be better off than 30% income tax rate and 13% on everything we buy if we stayed in Canada. Once in Panama, you can obtain a Pensionado visa to help reduce costs. Of course that's not the reason we are moving. We also don't want to move to an area that is too hot or humid.




 
 
 
 

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#14  2013-02-03 13:07:47

Jvolpe
New member
From: Buffalo
Registered: 2013-01-13
Posts: 4

Re: Moving to Panama from Canada

I found a site called retirementwave.com and it was full of information that I found very helpful in my situation.  Check it out.

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#15  2013-02-03 13:54:39

AuntieFlo
Contributor
AuntieFlo
From: Cuernavaca
Registered: 2011-04-11
Posts: 138

Re: Moving to Panama from Canada

That site is outdated by at least five years.

If you want reading on what it's really like to live in panama read this site;

http://www.chiriquichatter.net/blog/201 … -yes-o-no/

This is current and so is the issues with water that continue;

http://www.chiriquichatter.net/blog/201 … on-update/

I don't know the author of this blog, never met him, but we agree with what he has to say. 

Yes, if you want to learn more about Panama talk to the expats but you still need to live in the country for 6 months.  Don't move bank accounts, don't start paying for the pensionado, don't move furniture, just rent for 6 months and see if you can really live in Panama.




 
 
 
 
 

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