Can I deduct moving costs when I take a new job?
Moving Costs for a New Job in Canada. Canadian tax guidance, practical records to gather and questions to resolve before preparing your return with Arsen Accounting.
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The direct answer
Possibly, if the move meets the rules, including making your new home at least 40 kilometres closer to the new work location by the shortest public route. Eligible costs are generally deducted against qualifying income at that new location. Employer reimbursements must be accounted for. A shorter commute or a move for personal preference does not by itself establish a deduction.
Test the move before totaling receipts
Begin with the old home, new home and new work location. The distance test relates to how much closer the new home is to that work location, not simply how far the moving truck travelled. Record when you started work and earned income there. These facts help establish the framework before anyone spends time categorizing the bills.
Show reimbursements beside the expenses
Provide the employer's relocation statement as well as your own receipts. A cost paid or reimbursed through work should not disappear into an unexplained personal total. If the move straddled years, label dates clearly and retain the earlier calculation. Keep items you are unsure about in a separate review list rather than discarding them or assuming they qualify.
What to gather before the review
- Old and new addresses and work-start details
- Moving invoices, receipts and payment records
- Employer relocation payments and reimbursements
Does moving to a nicer home near work qualify automatically?
No. Personal preference alone does not establish the deduction. The move must meet the applicable requirements, and the eligible costs and income at the new location must be reviewed.
Your next step
Keep old and new addresses, your work-start date, receipts and the employer’s reimbursement details.
Related reading
Official sources
Sources checked for this collection on October 28–29, 2026. Annual forms may refer to a specific tax year. Use the rules and limits for the year being filed. General information; eligibility, elections and deadlines depend on the facts. No deduction or tax saving is guaranteed.
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