Chapter

Buying property in Spain as a Canadian

§ 1Buying

Canadians buy in Spain by the same process as any foreigner, explained in the buying-process and legal-process sections. They need a NIE, an independent lawyer, the checks, the deed and registration. As non-EU buyers, they should check whether a property lies in a restricted zone, as the chapter for non-EU buyers explains.

§ 2Taxes in Spain

A Canadian who lives in Canada is a non-resident of Spain for tax. The tax agency states that the rate on property income is 19% for residents of the EU, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein, and 24% for all other non-resident taxpayers. Canada is outside the first group. The costs section explains the yearly returns and the purchase taxes.

§ 3The treaty

Canada and Spain have a tax convention signed in 1976. A protocol signed on 18 November 2014 entered into force on 12 December 2015, according to the Department of Finance Canada. The Canada-Spain tax convention explains what to read and what to ask.

§ 4Stays

Canadian visitors are bound by the short-stay rule. The European Commission states it as a maximum of 90 days in any 180-day period, counted across the Schengen area. The short-stay limit for Canadians explains how to count and what to plan.

§ 5Residence

A longer stay needs a visa or permit. The property investor route was repealed in April 2025, so a purchase gives no right to live in Spain. The residency section explains the routes, including the non-lucrative visa.

§ 6Canadian tax

A Canadian resident may also have Canadian tax on rental income or a gain on the Spanish home, with relief under the convention. We do not set out Canadian tax rules, which are for a Canadian adviser. Ask for relief for Spanish tax paid.

§ 7Paying from Canada

Funds move from Canada to a Spanish account, usually in euro. Ask your bank for its exchange rate and its fees, and compare them with a specialist transfer firm that is authorised in your country. Keep the bank statements that show where the money came from, since Spanish banks and notaries ask about the source of funds. Do this early, because a transfer that stalls near the signing date can put the deposit at risk.

§ 8Signing from a distance

Many Canadian buyers sign in person. Others give a limited power of attorney to their independent lawyer, signed before a notary or at a consulate. The legal-process section explains how to limit it. Time zones make calls awkward, so agree in advance on email updates and on a named contact for urgent questions.

§ 9Owning for the long term

Think about what happens over the years. Yearly returns continue while you own the home, a sale brings its own taxes and a retention, and an inheritance follows Spanish rules for property in Spain. A Spanish will limited to the Spanish estate is common, and the legal-process section explains why. Review these points when your family or plans change.

§ 10Practical steps

Appoint a lawyer in Spain, and an adviser in Canada. Plan the transfer of funds. Keep records of the purchase price in Canadian dollars at the exchange rate on the date. And plan your days.

§ 11Keeping the file

Keep one folder with the deed, the Spanish returns, the receipts, the exchange rates and a log of your days. Your advisers in both countries will ask for the same documents each year, and they are also the proof of cost if you sell.

§ 12Reviewing as plans change

Revisit the position when your family, your income or your plans for time in Spain change. A new residence, a sale or a death can alter the tax and the legal steps, and early advice costs less than a correction.

§ 13Back to the section

More on buying by nationality explains how buying differs by nationality.

§ 14Other chapters in this section

An overview of British buyers explains buying as a British citizen since Brexit and an overview for American buyers explains buying as a US citizen, including US reporting.

Australian buyers explained explains buying as an Australian and EU and EEA buyers explained explains buying as an EU or EEA citizen.

Non-EU buyers explained explains the rules that differ for non-EU buyers.

Legal note. How the process works in general. It is not legal advice, and it never replaces an independent Spanish lawyer acting for you.