Global Investing for Canadians Abroad

Bassem Fawzy
4 days ago
4 min read

Discover how Canadians living abroad can build globally diversified portfolios aligned with income, residency, and future plans.

Introduction: Living Abroad, Investing Globally

For many Canadians living abroad — in places like the UAE, Singapore, or the UK — global exposure opens up exciting personal and professional opportunities. But when it comes to investing, that same global reality presents serious complexity.

How do you invest when:

You earn in AED or SGD?
Your future is in CAD?
You live under one tax regime — but will retire under another?

Global investing for Canadians abroad requires more than just choosing the right mutual fund. It demands a coordinated, cross-border strategy that aligns with your location, lifestyle, and long-term goals.

In this article, we’ll break down why expats need tailored strategies, what smart portfolio structures look like, and how Bassem Fawzy helps Canadians abroad build globally resilient portfolios.

Why Expats Need Tailored Investment Strategies

Traditional investment advice assumes a single residence, a single tax system, and one currency. But for expats, that’s rarely the case.

Whether you're:

A Canadian professional earning tax-free income in the UAE
A dual-income family in Singapore with kids in international school
Or someone planning to retire back in Vancouver after 15 years abroad...

Your plan must account for multiple currencies, tax rules, timelines, and goals — not to mention estate planning, foreign property, and contribution limits.

Fact: According to a 2023 report by RBC Wealth Management, over 61% of high-income Canadian expats have investment portfolios that are not aligned with their future residency plans — putting them at risk for over-taxation, underperformance, and liquidity gaps.

Solution? A bespoke, cross-border financial plan that makes your money work as globally as you do.

Dealing with Multiple Currencies & Tax Regimes

Currency mismatch is one of the top hidden risks for global investors.

Let’s say you earn in AED or USD, but plan to retire in Canada. Every investment you make now could be subject to:

FX fluctuations
Conversion costs
Tax mismatches

A 10% shift in USD/CAD, for example, could wipe out tens of thousands in retirement income — or add that much if structured properly.

Common mistakes include:

Holding all assets in one currency
Using domestic platforms that don’t optimize for FX
Ignoring CRA rules for foreign income and property reporting

A smart expat strategy includes:

Multi-currency portfolios
Tax-sheltered options (like RRSP, TFSA, QROPS where eligible)
Currency hedging tools to protect against volatility

Portfolio Structure Examples (Real-World Scenarios)

Let’s look at two typical cases Bassem often sees in his practice:

Case 1: UAE-Based Professional Retiring in Ontario

Age: 45
Income: AED 55,000/month (tax-free)
Assets: USD investments + Dubai property
Plan: Move back to Canada at age 60

What Bassem would structure:

Continue offshore investing now for tax efficiency
Shift 30% to CAD in the final 5 years to hedge repatriation risk
Pre-sell property before becoming Canadian tax resident to avoid capital gains inclusion
Build out a TFSA strategy upon return

Result: Portfolio aligned with retirement location, FX-hedged, tax-optimized.

Case 2: Dual-Income Couple Living in Singapore

Income: $350,000 SGD combined
Children: 2 (ages 8 and 5)
Goal: Send kids to school in Canada, retire in Spain

Complex? You bet.

What Bassem recommends:

RESP strategy from overseas using eligible contributions via a Canadian account
Mix of CAD + SGD holdings for flexibility
Diversify into REITs, ETFs, and cash for different time horizons
Plan exit from Singapore with tax clearance coordination

Result: Education, retirement, and estate planning in one clear structure — with minimal surprises.

Benefits of Diversification by Geography and Asset Class

Let’s talk returns — and risk.

Most expats are overexposed to:

A single currency
A single market (home or host)
High-risk investments (real estate, crypto, single stocks)

This creates fragile portfolios — especially in volatile economic environments.

According to Morningstar's 2023 Global Investor Report:

“Portfolios diversified across North America, Asia-Pacific, and Europe saw 32% less drawdown during the 2020-2022 volatility cycle.”

A strong expat portfolio should:

Diversify by region (e.g., North America, GCC, Asia)
Mix asset classes: equities, fixed income, real estate, alternatives
Balance growth and preservation
Be liquid and tax-efficient

Bassem’s method includes global ETFs, sector balancing, and smart cash positioning — tailored to where you are and where you’re going.

Cross-Border Tax Considerations (Don’t Ignore These)

Taxes don’t stop at the border.

Canadians returning from abroad face:

CRA reporting (T1135 foreign property forms)
Deemed acquisition rules
Foreign pension taxability
Loss of favorable offshore structures

For example, if you hold a non-reporting investment bond abroad and bring it back without planning — CRA could tax its entire value as income.

Real Stat: Over 6,000 Canadians were penalized in 2022 for improper reporting of foreign assets upon return, with average fines over $2,500.

Key strategies include:

Exit planning 6–12 months before moving
Transitioning investments to CRA-compliant vehicles
Leveraging tax treaties between Canada and your host country
Using “deemed resident” vs. “non-resident” scenarios to your advantage

With Bassem’s Financial Planning Portal, you can simulate these situations and avoid common traps — before they happen.

Conclusion: Don’t Let Global Complexity Hurt Local Goals

Being a global Canadian is a privilege. But it requires a smarter plan.

If you’re managing assets in multiple currencies, working under different tax laws, or planning for future life stages in Canada — you need more than a generalist advisor.

You need someone who gets the nuances of: