Have you worked in the USA? Claim your tax back!

Many people get swept away living the “American dream”, but it’s important to remember that you have tax obligations. If you’re working in the US, you will pay tax on your earnings. The good news is that OVC work hand in hand with Sprintax to apply and file for your US taxes correctly!

Who must file tax forms for this tax season?

If you were physically in the US in J status anytime between January 1 - December 31 of the tax year you're obligated to send at least one form, Form 8843, to the US tax agency IRS (Internal Revenue Service), even if you had no income.

If a non-resident J participant earns any US income, they will need to file a federal tax return with the IRS by law. Failure to file a Federal tax return will breach IRS regulations and may inhibit participants from returning to the US on any future visas. Depending on the individual circumstances, you may also need to file a state tax return(s).

Tax Filing Deadline:

April 15^th 2024 is the tax filing deadline day for residents and non-residents who earned US income to file Federal tax returns for 2023.

Resident or Non-Resident for Federal Tax Purposes:

Generally, most J-1 Intern/Trainees, Summer Work and Travel, Au Pairs, Teachers and Camp Counsellors are considered non-residents for tax purposes. The above J visas are automatically considered non-residents for 2 out of the last 6 calendar years in the US. If you’ve been in the US for longer than 2 years for the last 6 years period, the Substantial Presence Test will determine your tax residency. Sprintax will confirm your tax residency for you.

How to File:

Sprintax is a resource available for non-residents that provides online Federal and State tax preparation software for non-residents in the US.

After you login to Sprintax, it will ask you a series of questions about the time you have spent in the United States and in which immigration status, looking back over a period of years. Sprintax will then determine your tax status. If it determines that you are a "non-resident alien" (NRA) for federal tax purposes, you can continue to use it to respond to a series of guided questions. Sprintax will complete and generate the forms you need to send to the IRS (Internal Revenue Service). If it determines you are a resident alien for federal tax purposes, you won't be able to continue using the software.