FICA exeption for J1 visa holder?

February 28, 2008 10:11 AM

J-1 visa holder. What taxes do I pay?

I'm a Canadian citizen I was in the US from April, 2006 to August 2007 working under a J-1 visa. This was in a non-academic setting. I was labelled a "management trainee," and all wages were paid by my US employer.

I paid Social Security and Medicare taxes in both years, but it occurs to me that maybe they were withheld in error. All the materials I've seen on the IRS site say I "may be" exempt from those taxes without going into particulars. Conveniently, the IRS phones just ring and ring and ring.

Anybody have any experience with this or links to info that I've failed to locate?

Thanks.

posted by klanawa to work & money (3 comments total)

See here.
posted by Pollomacho at 10:19 AM on February 28

Argh...

I think i just found the answer to my own question, buried here, under "Social Security and Medicare Taxes" and "Students and Exchange Visitors."

I would be exempt if I were not a resident alien, but apparently, owing to the length of my stay, I was.

It was a fleeting dream....
posted by klanawa at 10:36 AM on February 28

You can still claim that money from the US government towards your Canadian version of Social Security.
posted by Pollomacho at 10:50 AM on February 28