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When crossing borders to do business or manage assets, there are specific tax measures to consider.
Highly specialized knowledge is required and this is where mobility and international business tax specialists, like Mylène Tétreault, come in.
How would you describe your tax specialty?
Mobility is a component of international taxation. Whenever companies do business abroad or have subsidiaries in another country, they need experts to deal with tax compliance, financial statements, tax planning or reorganization, etc.
Many companies today have mobile employees. It could be workers who are permanently deployed overseas or those who are on short or long-term assignments in another country. It can also be employees who decide to telework outside the country.
Our goal is to ensure that companies or employees meet their international tax filing and payment obligations, while managing tax risks and costs for both Canadian companies locating outside the country and foreign companies coming to Canada.
How did you get here?
I started in Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton’s tax department in Sherbrooke in 2007. Because I had a particular interest in this field, I was given the resources to develop my skills in American and international taxation.
Three years later, I moved to Québec City and joined the International Tax team that specializes in U.S. corporate tax, international mobility and tax reorganization.
Our department evolved and I chose to specialize in mobility. It was something that really interested me and I could see the demand for it increasing due to business globalization and worker mobility. It was this niche that I wanted to grow. We developed an exceptional international mobility service, in both Québec City and Montréal. I am very proud of this.
What is a typical assignment like?
The focus of our work is to assist companies in their foreign assignment process. We offer them consulting and compliance services that cover all tax matters.
We also support employees by providing tax advice in their home and new country and with preparing tax returns.
Because each country has its own laws and regulations, it gets complicated. You have to be very familiar with what applies in each context to make sure you’re optimizing the company’s or employees’ situation. Otherwise, they could be fined or penalized.
We also have other types of assignments for individuals, such as someone who inherits a property or wants to invest abroad. What happens? What is taxable, what isn’t? Or it could be for the purchase of property in the U.S., in Florida, for example.
What is most motivating about your work?
We cover a very broad range of assignments. Working with the laws and regulations of different countries is very challenging. You learn something new every day.
I’m a team player, so I appreciate the opportunity to work with my colleagues across the province and those in the Grant Thornton International network.
I also really value the openness to new projects. Management never hesitates to say yes to an employee, to say: go ahead, we trust you!
How does the firm stand out as an employer?
Here, anyone who wants to get involved can participate in a variety of projects and innovative committees. Employees’ ideas are taken into account. The firm listens to its clients as well as its employees. Several committees and projects have been set up to help the next generation of employees progress.
Are you involved in the community as a tax expert?
Yes, I often give conferences to individuals, businesses or banking institutions to clarify the concepts of my field of expertise. I also write articles to inform our clients and share my knowledge and that of my colleagues on international taxation and mobility. This is a side of my work that I really enjoy.