BC Foreign Buyer Tax Calculator

BC’s Additional Property Transfer Tax (APTT), commonly called the Foreign Buyers Tax, applies to residential property purchases in specified regions of British Columbia when the buyer is a foreign national, foreign corporation, or taxable trustee. The tax rate is 20% of the fair market value of the residential property, applied to the foreign buyer’s proportionate share of ownership. It is charged on top of the standard BC Property Transfer Tax (PTT) brackets.

The APTT is administered by the BC Ministry of Finance under the Property Transfer Tax Act. It was introduced in August 2016 at 15%, raised to 20% in 2018, and its geographic scope has expanded over time.

Quick Answer

A foreign national purchasing a $1,200,000 residential property in Metro Vancouver with 100% foreign ownership pays: standard PTT ($22,000) + APTT ($240,000 = 20% x $1,200,000) = $262,000 total transfer tax due at registration. If only 50% of ownership is foreign, the APTT is prorated to $120,000.

Who Is Subject to the APTT

The APTT applies when the buyer is:

• A foreign national (a person who is neither a Canadian citizen nor a permanent resident of Canada, as defined under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act)
• A foreign corporation (incorporated outside Canada, or a Canadian corporation with more than 50% of voting shares held by foreign nationals or other foreign corporations)
• A taxable trustee (a trustee of a trust where at least one trustee or one beneficiary is a foreign national or foreign corporation)

Specified Regions

The APTT applies to residential property in the following BC regional districts:

• Metro Vancouver Regional District
• Capital Regional District (Greater Victoria)
• Fraser Valley Regional District
• Regional District of Central Okanagan
• Nanaimo Regional District

Residential property outside these specified regions is not subject to the APTT, regardless of buyer status. Only the standard PTT applies to properties in other BC regional districts.

Proration for Partial Foreign Ownership

When only a portion of the property interest is transferred to a foreign buyer, the APTT is proportionate to that interest. Formula: APTT = fair market value x foreign ownership percentage x 20%. If a 40% interest in a $1,500,000 property is transferred to a foreign national, APTT = $1,500,000 x 40% x 20% = $120,000.

Rebate Programs

Foreign nationals who subsequently become Canadian permanent residents or citizens may apply for a refund of the APTT paid at purchase, under the following conditions:

• The property must have been used as the buyer’s principal residence
• Permanent residency must be obtained within two years of the purchase date
• The refund application must be filed with the BC Ministry of Finance within 18 months of becoming a permanent resident

Worked Example

Foreign buyer purchases a $2,000,000 detached home in Surrey (Metro Vancouver). Foreign ownership: 100%.

• Standard BC PTT: 1% x $200,000 = $2,000; 2% x $1,800,000 = $36,000; total PTT = $38,000
• APTT: $2,000,000 x 100% x 20% = $400,000
• Total tax at registration: $438,000

At 50% foreign ownership on the same property: APTT = $2,000,000 x 50% x 20% = $200,000; total = $238,000.

Interaction with BC Speculation and Vacancy Tax

The APTT is a one-time transfer tax paid at purchase. Foreign owners in Metro Vancouver and other specified areas also face the annual BC Speculation and Vacancy Tax (SVT) if the property is not a principal residence. The SVT rate for foreign owners and satellite families is 2% of assessed value annually. The APTT and SVT are separate taxes with different triggers and payment schedules.

Federal Foreign Buyer Ban

Since January 1, 2023, the federal Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by Non-Canadians Act (C-19) has restricted non-Canadians from purchasing residential property in most Canadian urban centres. The BC APTT and the federal prohibition are separate legal instruments. The federal ban has exemptions (international students, temporary workers, certain commercial uses), while the BC APTT applies even to purchases that are otherwise permitted under the federal regime.

Edge Cases and Rules

• Residential property sold to a person who is a foreign national but holds a BC provincial nominee certificate under certain immigration streams may be exempt from the APTT.
• Property transferred under a court order, or through a legal obligation arising from a separation agreement, is generally exempt from the APTT even if the recipient is a foreign national.
• Farm land is excluded from the definition of “residential property” for APTT purposes in most circumstances.
• The APTT applies at registration. If a presale contract was entered into before the APTT was introduced or before a geographic expansion of the specified regions, the tax still applies at the time the transfer registers.