Filing tax return can help earn a few hundred bucks, even on zero income

International students need to be aware that, depending on how long they have resided in Canada, they may need to file a Canadian income tax return — and it may actually save them some money, say local experts.

Filing income tax and declaring zero income can help one earn a few hundred bucks, and it is totally legal, according to Saiful Bhuiyan, director of SB Income Tax and Bookkeeping Services, who said the government does this intentionally to support students.

“The students, they think that they come at the end of the year, probably midnight, close to the midnight, Dec. 31, and still they are allowed to get GST credit which is close to $300, and Ontario Sales Tax Credit which is another $300,” said Bhuiyan.

Bhuiyan said international students should visit a professional to file the taxes for the first time so they do it correctly.

Milad Zadeh, a taxpayer of Canada, said the amount one pays to the government as tax helps the country in many ways.

“It is one of our duties as citizens of any country. We file our taxes correctly, accurately, because it helps many things- the infrastructure and so many other aspects of the community, the government, so we need to take responsibility for that,” said Zadeh.

The last date to file a tax return is April 30. If the date is missed, the penalty is five per cent for 2018, plus one per cent for every month missed.