What changes from Canada Tax, financing, capital gains, succession: the key points to know for your profile.
The purchase process seen from Canada The French notaire secures the sale and title, in a civil law logic close to Quebec's. You can sign remotely by power of attorney.
A single notaire authenticates the sale and registers title, a familiar framework for a Quebec buyer. The preliminary contract binds the parties, with a ten day cooling off period for the buyer, before the final deed. Since 2024, the apostille replaces consular legalisation for many Canadian documents, which speeds up the process. The deposit (5 to 10 % of the price) is paid at the compromis stage, into the notaire's escrow account. Plan for the Canadian dollar to euro exchange and transfer timing. A notarised power of attorney lets you sign without crossing the Atlantic. We coordinate the full practical side and connect you with a bilingual partner notaire. The deed itself remains the notaire's work.
Financing and paying from Canada Non-resident lending is accessible, but the Canadian dollar to euro exchange weighs heavily on the budget.
French banks lend to Canadian residents, usually with a higher deposit than a resident. Canadian registered accounts (RRSP, TFSA) have no transferable French equivalent and do not serve the purchase. Converting the Canadian dollar to the euro can noticeably change the final cost. Lock your exchange rate between offer and signing. Compare a euro loan with a cash purchase depending on your Canadian dollar exposure.
We point you to a partner broker specialised in non-resident borrowers and to currency solutions. French Realty does not provide credit.
Your French rental income is taxed in France; the France Canada treaty prevents double taxation.
French source rental income is taxed in France, with a minimum 20 % rate for non-residents, unless a lower average rate is shown. Above 1.3 million euros of net French real estate, the property wealth tax (IFI) applies. The France Canada treaty allows crediting French tax in Canada to avoid double taxation. Property tax is owed each year; a second home may also incur a residence tax. Tax years and the exchange rates used differ between France and Canada.
We coordinate management and providers, then point you to a partner tax lawyer for the France Canada interaction.
Resale: capital gains and tax representative As a non-EU resident, you fall under the non-resident regime and often must appoint an accredited tax representative.
Non-resident capital gains are taxed at 19 %, plus social levies, with allowances for the length of ownership. Above 150,000 euros of sale price, a non-EU resident must generally appoint an accredited tax representative. Full exemption is reached after 22 years for income tax and 30 years for social levies. Budget the accredited tax representative's cost from the moment you list. Keep renovation invoices: they reduce the taxable gain. The French gain is coordinated with your Canadian filing.
We prepare the sale and point you to a partner notaire and accredited tax representative. The transaction and tax guarantee are theirs.
Social levies without European affiliation As a Canadian resident, you do not benefit from the exemption reserved for those affiliated to an EU, EEA or Swiss scheme.
French source rental income and gains bear 17.2 % of social levies. The exemption from CSG and CRDS, open to those affiliated to a European or Swiss scheme, does not apply to a Canadian resident. These levies add to the tax and feed the coordination with Canadian taxation. Factor 17.2 % of levies into your yield projections. The France Canada social security agreement does not amount to an exemption from these levies.
We point you to a partner tax lawyer to secure how the levies interact with your Canadian filing.
Inheritance: French reserve and Canadian tax at death The French asset falls under French law, which reserves a share for children, while Canada taxes a deemed gain at death rather than the estate.
French forced heirship protects children on the asset in France; Quebec, by contrast, allows broad testamentary freedom. The EU succession regulation lets you choose your national or residence law by will. Canada has no inheritance tax but taxes a deemed disposition at death: reconciling it with French taxation is prepared in advance. Have the consistency between your Canadian will and the fate of the French asset checked. The absence of Canadian inheritance tax does not remove French taxation. Splitting ownership and gifts are tools to calibrate with advice.
We connect you with a partner notaire to organise the transfer and formalise the choice of law. Drafting the deeds is theirs.
Stays: the Schengen rule and the long stay visa Without a visa, you are limited to 90 days in any 180 in the Schengen area. A longer stay requires a long stay visa.
A Canadian citizen travels without a visa but cannot exceed 90 days in any 180 day period in the Schengen area. To enjoy your property more, the long stay visitor visa allows staying beyond that limit. A lasting move may make you a French tax resident. Count your days across the whole Schengen area, not only in France. The long stay visa requires proof of resources and health cover.
We ease the practical side of your stays and point you to the right contacts for visa steps. French Realty does not handle consular formalities.
Structuring: SCI and direct ownership An SCI can organise holding and transfer, but its effects must also be checked against Canadian taxation.
The SCI avoids joint ownership deadlock and eases the gradual transfer of shares. Holding it as a Canadian resident may create reporting duties in Canada, to be checked. Direct ownership is often simpler, at the cost of full application of forced heirship. Do not set up an SCI by default: the decision is made before the purchase. Any French Canadian structure needs advice on both sides.
We point you to a partner notaire and, if needed, a tax lawyer to decide the ownership form. The structure is theirs.
