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.

International tax is complex for organizations and requires the contribution of experts who master the various aspects.

Thanks to e-commerce, it has never been easier to do business internationally and more and more companies are deciding to open up to new markets.

This is often the time when they need advice on the tax consequences of their cross-border operations. Let’s talk with Maryse Janelle, Partner, International and Commodity Taxes.

What is your path?

I started my career as a lawyer in youth justice, family law, matrimonial law and prison law. At a certain point, I decided to make a career change and decided to do a Master of Taxation. It was a field that had interested me for a long time. I was then hired by a firm where I worked for 10 years and after that I joined Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton in 2005. I have been a commodity tax partner since 2013.

What is your tax specialty?

I manage the Commodity Tax Practice Group, which assists foreign businesses with their projects on the Canadian market and supports Canadian companies wishing to develop their market outside Canada.

By implementing commodity tax control processes and systems, we help companies meet their indirect tax obligations (GST, HST, QST, provincial sales taxes, U.S. sales and use taxes, European value-added taxes, etc.). We must also ensure that we take advantage of all tax refund possibilities and capitalize on opportunities to limit the impact of indirect taxes on the company’s operations.

What is special about our practice is that we ask a lot of questions! Sometimes clients want things to move faster, but we really do need all the information to verify that the tax treatment is correct, that applicable taxes are collected and remitted, and that all taxes payable have been paid. Details that may seem irrelevant at times are of critical importance when it comes to tax treatment.

What kind of assignments do you have?

We work with companies from different industries: finance, information technology, manufacturing, import-export, public sector (cities, charities, schools, etc.).

Growing businesses targeting the international market are keeping us busy. Online sales make it easier to do business abroad, but this brings about its own set of tax requirements. Companies must comply with the tax laws of other jurisdictions. It’s important to ensure that the processes are adequate so there are no surprises.

But tax is not just about numbers. We have to research the businesses that contact us. I’ve even visited factories to understand the production process, among other things. Being curious about our clients’ businesses is the key to becoming a good commodity tax practitioner.

How is work organized within your teams?

We work a lot with the different departments in the firm. For example, we could work with the transactional team, with regard to financing, to see if the value of an acquired company is truly what the company is claiming.

We also assist our assurance partners to ensure that financial statements reflect the value of the business and that no material risks relating to the application of sales taxes are omitted from the financial statements.

We can also collaborate with our corporate tax colleagues when a company is reorganizing to ensure that the proposed transactions do not have an impact on sales taxes or that the impact is minimal and handled.

We also work with our Grant Thornton International colleagues who have clients doing business here. These clients may be required to register and collect various Canadian sales taxes.

On the other hand, network experts support us when our local entrepreneurs develop new markets outside North America. It’s an enriching sharing of resources and an opportunity for some experts. Recently, a colleague who had worked in the Paris office joined the Québec indirect tax team. One of our resources went to work for a year in the Sydney, Australia office.

What do you think sets Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton apart from the competition?

Our firm is focused on the economic development of Québec, with management in Québec, decisions made in Québec, for Québec entrepreneurs. This hits home to me.

What motivates you the most in your work?

One of the great things about being a tax specialist is that, because of the variety of assignments we get, we learn something new every day. Some professionals choose to specialize in certain areas, such as U.S. sales taxes, the public sector, technology, cryptocurrencies, etc. There is something for everyone.

Are you involved as an expert in the community?

I am Vice-Chair of the Commodity Tax, Customs and Trade Section of the Canadian Bar Association. I have taught taxation in several universities and I participate in the International Trade Acceleration Program of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal. I also give many conferences to different professional associations. I am passionate about communication. I loved to plead!

Which professional achievement are you most proud of?

One of my proudest accomplishments is my team. It is to enable professionals to evolve, develop and grow. If everyone goes further within the team, it helps the team to go further.

Of course, you know how to count, and the salary and benefits are important considerations when choosing your employer.

However, over and above the numbers, what will drive you to be the best you can be? What will make you happy and help you showcase your talents to the fullest?

Here are five key points to consider when choosing the ideal employer.

Flexibility

The pandemic has probably changed how you view your work-life balance. Schedules, location and work arrangements have become integral development components.

Between two (or more) options, you can evaluate which employer provides the best tools and technologies for telework, or which one offers health and wellness programs adapted to your situation. Access to remote healthcare, flexible hours, or reimbursement of home maintenance expenses are all benefits that can make your life a lot easier.

Team spirit

The bonds we form at work are essential to our sense of belonging. Shared laughter, open communication and the feeling of being part of a team can make a difference in our daily lives.

When choosing an employer, it’s a good idea to look at the organization’s culture. You can do this by looking at its website and social media, or better yet, by talking to employees.

• Where do diversity and inclusion fit in the team?
• How are individuals able to communicate their ideas and express their creativity?
• What is the reporting structure and proximity to the manager?
• What about the work environment?

The answers to these questions will provide a good indicator of the organizational climate.

The opportunity to learn… and take action

Will you be able to satisfy your curiosity and your need for challenges? In professional services firms, the opportunity to grow and expand your role as a business consultant to clients is often a powerful motivator.

By collaborating with colleagues from a variety of specialties, constantly upgrading your knowledge through training, and interacting with leaders in your field, you’ll become a sought-after collaborator who challenges the status quo and propels business growth.

Take the time to assess the reputation of the entity and its experts, the degree of innovation in its business model and, of course, its training programs.

Professional growth

You’ll work hard in your new job and will want to be recognized for your efforts.

• Will the employer be able to live up to your ambitions?
• Depending on your goals, will they help you move up the ladder, specialize or discover new areas of expertise?
• Will you have the opportunity to explore a new environment by moving to another region?

A human-sized firm will undoubtedly allow you to evolve at a pace that suits you and will offer you a multitude of opportunities if it’s large enough (or even better, if it has an international network).

Clients

As a CPA, tax specialist or consultant, your clients are at the heart of what you do. In a way, their projects, challenges and ambitions become yours. It’s therefore essential to be aware of the assignments you will be given.

• Will you always work with the same type of clients, or will you accompany private and public organizations of all sizes and in different sectors?
• Will you be working with world leaders in a niche market?
• Will you support a small business that wants to make a difference in its region?

Access to people at the grassroots, to decision-makers and to different business networks, as well as the agility to make important decisions at the right time, could have a decisive effect on your projects, while allowing you to build a solid professional network.

Obviously, we believe our firm is your best career choice. Discover life at Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton for yourself.