Montreal to Atlanta: Gaming, Fintech, and Three Authorities on the Way Out

Montreal's gaming and VFX studios, its fintech sector, and its biotech labs each have a counterpart in Atlanta: the film and game industry around Trilith, the payments cluster that processes most US card transactions, and the Emory and Georgia Tech research corridor. The tax picture is a large cut: Quebec's combined top rate of about 53.3% becomes about 42% in Georgia. The departure year runs through Revenu Québec, the CRA, and the IRS.

Key takeaways

• Two Canadian departure returns: the federal T1 and Revenu Québec's TP-1, with matching departure dates.
• Quebec's roughly 53.3% top rate sets the departure tax. On a $300,000 unrealized gain, about $80,000.
• Georgia's flat income tax is 4.99% for 2026, down from 5.19% in 2025. No city income tax.
• Georgia follows the treaty's RRSP deferral.
• Quebec's 14.975% combined GST and QST becomes 8.9% sales tax in the City of Atlanta. RAMQ ends on departure.

The three-authority departure

The federal deemed disposition applies to non-registered investments, private company shares, crypto, and property outside Canada; Quebec mirrors it. Report on federal Form T1243 (with T1161 if the property list exceeds $25,000) and on the Quebec equivalents. RAMQ ends when you leave Quebec to settle outside Canada. QPP paid later to a Georgia resident is taxable only in the US. A Montreal condo kept and rented brings NR6 and Section 216 federally plus Quebec equivalents.

Atlanta's side

Flat state income tax stepping down annually; no city income tax; 8.9% sales tax in the City of Atlanta, 7% to 7.75% in the suburbs; property tax near 1% effective with county homestead exemptions; no estate tax.

The RRSP in Georgia

Federally deferred under Article XVIII of the treaty and deferred for Georgia because the state starts from federal AGI. Withdrawals face 25% Canadian withholding on lump sums, 15% on periodic RRIF payments within the treaty limit, a US foreign tax credit federally, and Georgia's flat rate.

Equity

Studio and fintech equity vesting after the move is split between Canada and the US by working days; both payrolls may withhold on the full amount. The excess is recoverable on the first-year returns.

Who makes this move

Montreal game developers and VFX artists to Atlanta's studios, Quebec fintech and payments staff to the Atlanta processing cluster, Montreal biotech researchers to Emory and the Georgia Tech corridor, and Quebec aerospace engineers to Delta and the region's aviation employers.

Worked example

A Montreal game developer moves to Atlanta on July 31 with $180,000 of unrealized gain in a non-registered account, $350,000 in an RRSP, RSUs vesting after the move, and a Rosemont condo sold in the departure year.

• Departure tax. $180,000 gain, $90,000 taxable, at about 53.3%: roughly $48,000 across the T1 and TP-1.
• Condo. Sold as a resident under the principal residence exemption on both returns.
• RSUs. Split by working days between Canada and the US.
• RRSP. No tax on departure; federal and Georgia deferral.
• Atlanta. Combined top rate about 42%. Sales tax 14.975% becomes 8.9%.

Official sources

"When you leave Canada, you are considered to have sold certain types of property (even if you have not sold them) at their fair market value (FMV) and to have immediately reacquired them for the same amount. This is called a deemed disposition and you may have to report a capital gain (also known as departure tax)." — Canada Revenue Agency, Leaving Canada (emigrants), https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/international-non-residents/individuals-leaving-entering-canada-non-residents/leaving-canada-emigrants.html

Revenu Québec sets out the income tax obligations of individuals who cease to be resident in Québec, including the deemed disposition of property on departure. — Revenu Québec, Leaving Québec, https://www.revenuquebec.ca/en/citizens/your-situation/residence-status-and-tax-obligations/leaving-quebec/

The Georgia income tax rate has been reduced to a flat rate of 4.99%. — Georgia Department of Revenue, Important Tax Updates, https://dor.georgia.gov/taxes/important-tax-updates

Practitioner note

Montreal studio employees often carry options and RSUs from multiple employers, some vesting on Quebec working days and some on Georgia working days. The sourcing worksheet has three columns (Canada federal, Quebec, US) for the departure year, and we build it before the first vest after the move.

See also: Weighing Florida instead? See the Canada-to-Florida guide, or the same city's Montreal to Miami guide.

Next step

Fairlight prepares the T1, the TP-1, and the first-year federal and Georgia returns. See cross-border pricing or book a call.