Canadians can buy property in Spain, and buying does not give you a right to live there: without a visa you can stay 90 days in any 180. Spending 183 days or more in Spain in a year can make you a Spanish tax resident, and Canada has its own residency tests that do not rely on days alone. If your Spanish home cost more than CAD 100,000, you may have to report it to the Canada Revenue Agency on form T1135, with exceptions for personal-use property. Budget 10% to 13% on top of the price for buying costs. This guide covers the questions Canadian buyers ask most: residence, tax in both countries, healthcare, rental income and money. It is general information, not tax or legal advice; speak to a cross-border adviser before you sign.
Can a Canadian buy property in Spain?
Yes. There is no general bar on foreign buyers, as our guide on whether foreigners can buy in Spain explains. You need a Spanish NIE number, a lawyer and a way to pay in euros. See the 12-step buying guide for the order of the process.
How long can you stay?
Canadian citizens can stay in Spain without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, according to a law firm’s guide for Canadians. Property ownership does not extend that. To live in Spain longer, you need a residence permit. The golden visa that once gave residence for property purchases closed on 3 April 2025. The usual route for an owner who does not work in Spain is the non-lucrative visa, which for 2026 needs income of 400% of the IPREM, or €2,400 a month (≈ £2,000 / $2,700), with 100% more for each family member, according to the Kingston consulate. Check the consulate that covers your province of Canada, as procedures can differ.
What about tax residency?
Spending 183 days or more in Spain in a calendar year can make you a Spanish tax resident, with tax on your worldwide income. The Canada Revenue Agency does not look only at days. It considers residential ties such as a home, a spouse or dependants in Canada, which means you can be resident in both countries at once. The Canada–Spain tax treaty has rules to decide, and it gives some relief for retirement savings, but Spain does not recognise Canadian registered accounts such as an RRSP or a TFSA as sheltered in the same way, so plan carefully before you move or stay long, according to the law firm’s guide.
Do you have to report your Spanish home to the CRA?
Canadian residents who hold specified foreign property with a total cost of more than CAD 100,000 at any time in the year must file form T1135, according to CPA Québec. Personal-use property such as a holiday home you use yourself is excluded from the definition, while a property you rent out is generally reportable, according to a Canadian accounting firm. The penalty for a late T1135 can be CAD 2,500 per form, with more for continued failure, so ask a Canadian accountant to confirm your case. This is the part of the process that many Canadian buyers forget.
How is rental income taxed?
Rental income from a Spanish property is taxed in Spain, and you also report it in Canada; the foreign tax credit generally reduces double taxation. Our guide to renting out property in Spain explains the non-resident rates, which one source gives as 19% on the net income for EU and EEA residents and 24% on the gross for others, so a Canadian resident is in the 24% group on that description. Holiday lets need a regional licence, as covered in the holiday rental guide.
What will it cost to buy?
Budget 10% to 13% on top of the price, according to the law firm’s guide. On a €250,000 purchase, that is €25,000 to €32,500 (≈ £21,100 / $28,000 to ≈ £27,400 / $36,400). Use the Spain cost calculator and read about ITP, VAT and stamp duty, the notary and registry fees and the lawyer’s fees. Remember the yearly non-resident tax if you own but do not live in the home.
Conversions are approximate and use the European Central Bank reference rates of 14 October 2026 (€1 = £0.844 = $1.120). Rates move every day.
What about healthcare?
Canada and Spain do not have a healthcare reciprocity agreement, so provincial health coverage will not pay for ordinary care in Spain. The guide gives private insurance at about €1,000 to €3,000 a year, depending on age and cover, and a public scheme called the convenio especial at about €60 a month under 65 and €157 a month from 65. Residents who stay long should also check whether staying outside Canada affects their provincial coverage, which is a rule set by each province.
What about mortgages and currency?
The Canadian-focused guide we used did not cover mortgages or currency transfers, so I do not give figures here. For borrowing in Spain as a non-resident read our non-resident mortgage guide, and for moving Canadian dollars into euros read how to transfer money. Compare the exchange rate and the fees, not only the fee.
What is the step-by-step plan?
- Decide how long you will stay each year, and test your plan against the 90/180-day rule and the 183-day tax threshold.
- Talk to a Canadian cross-border accountant about residency, the treaty and form T1135.
- Hire a Spanish lawyer and get your NIE.
- Budget 10% to 13% in costs and choose the money transfer route.
- Complete the checks, sign the contract and register the home.
- If you plan to stay longer, apply for the right visa before you travel.
What are the common mistakes?
- Assuming that owning a home gives you the right to stay.
- Counting days in Spain but not the Canadian residency ties.
- Forgetting the T1135 for a rented property or a property that does not qualify as personal use.
- Relying on provincial health cover abroad.
- Moving RRSP or TFSA money without advice on how Spain treats them.
- Skipping the planning checks on an older or rural home; see illegal builds in Spain.
How does the 90/180-day rule work in practice?
The 90/180 rule looks back over the previous 180 days from any day you are in Spain. Staying 90 days in a row uses the whole allowance, and you cannot come back until enough days have dropped out of the 180-day window. Two stays of 45 days could fit, and a winter stay of three months uses it up. Count carefully, including days spent in other Schengen countries, because the allowance covers the whole area. If you want to spend more time in Spain than this allows, plan the visa before you buy, not after.
What should you ask your cross-border accountant?
- Will I be resident in Canada, Spain or both for tax in my situation?
- Do I need to file T1135, and does my property count as personal use?
- How will Spanish rental income, the annual non-resident tax and any sale be taxed in Canada, and how is the foreign tax credit calculated?
- How do the treaty and the Spanish rules treat my RRSP, TFSA or pension?
- What happens to my provincial health coverage if I spend long periods abroad?
Should you buy before you decide to move?
Many Canadians buy first and decide later. That can work, but the rules above show that the decision to live in Spain changes your tax, your health coverage and your savings accounts. Consider renting for a season before you buy, so that you test the area and the way the days add up. If you do buy, keep the property in a form that you can sell without trouble, and check each year whether your plans still fit the allowance.
Frequently asked questions
Can Canadians buy property in Spain?
Yes. There is no general bar, but you need an NIE, a lawyer and a plan for paying in euros.
Does buying give me the right to live in Spain?
No. Without a visa, Canadians can stay 90 days in any 180. The golden visa closed on 3 April 2025.
Do I need to file a T1135 for my Spanish property?
If the cost was more than CAD 100,000 and the property is not excluded as personal-use property, you may need to. A Canadian accountant should confirm your case.
Is the RRSP safe if I live in Spain?
Spain does not treat Canadian registered accounts like an RRSP or TFSA as sheltered in the same way, so take advice before you become resident.
Does my provincial health coverage work in Spain?
There is no reciprocity agreement with Spain, so buy private insurance or look at the Spanish public scheme if you become resident.
Sources
Official sources (check these for the current rule):
Also cross-checked against published guides, because practice varies between notaries, registries and banks:
- Costa Luz Lawyers: moving to Spain from Canada
- CPA Québec: reporting foreign property
- Demers Beaulne: Canadian property abroad
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules and rates change, and your situation may differ. Confirm the figures with the tax authority and a qualified lawyer or tax adviser before you commit.
