Knowing in advance what you should do after you arrive in Canada as a new permanent resident can help you to have a smooth Canadian relocation experience.
Here are 10 tips to simplify your settlement in Canada.
TIP #1: Select the City Where You Will Live in Canada
One of the first things a new Canadian permanent resident needs to do is to select which city or town to settle in.
If you have family or friends living in Canada, you may want to move close to them so you can enjoy their companionship and support, especially as you adjust to residing in your new country.
Nonetheless, there are other factors for you to consider when deciding on where to live in Canada, such as:
- Do you prefer to live in a large city or smaller community?
- Is there a demand for your occupation in that location?
- How affordable is it to live there (e.g., housing, utilities, transportation, etc.)?
- Which languages are spoken (e.g., English, French, your native language)?
- How safe is the city or community?
- What is the weather like throughout the year?
- What are the educational options?
- What types of cultural and entertainment activities are available?
Canada’s top three most populous metropolitan areas are:
The most populous Canadian cities include:
- Toronto (Ontario)
- Montreal (Quebec)
- Calgary (Alberta)
- Ottawa (Ontario)
- Edmonton (Alberta)
Examples of mid-sized cities in Canada include:
- Winnipeg (Manitoba)
- Mississauga (Ontario)
- Vancouver (British Columbia) [Note: Vancouver has the #3 most populous metro area in Canada]
- Brampton (Ontario)
- Hamilton (Ontario)
- Surrey (British Columbia)
- Quebec City (Quebec)
- Halifax (Nova Scotia)
- Laval (Quebec)
- Gatineau (Quebec)
- Saskatoon (Saskatchewan)
- Regina (Saskatchewan)
Some examples of smaller Canadian cities include:
- Kelowna (British Columbia)
- Trois-Rivières (Quebec)
- Waterloo (Ontario)
- Thunder Bay (Ontario)
- Red Deer (Alberta)
- Nanaimo (British Columbia)
- Lethbridge (Alberta)
- Victoria (British Columbia)
- Peterborough (Ontario)
- Moncton (New Brunswick)
- Saint John (New Brunswick)
- St. Albert (Alberta)
- Fredericton (New Brunswick)
- Charlottetown (Prince Edward Island)
- Moose Jaw (Saskatchewan)
TIP #2: Have Your Documents Ready When You Arrive
When you arrive at the port of entry in Canada (which is usually an airport), make sure that your important documents (for you and each of your accompanying family members) are easily accessible and ready to present to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer or other Canadian government official when requested (i.e., have them with you, not packed in your luggage).
Important documents to have with you in-person upon arrival in Canada include:
- Canadian Permanent Resident Visa (if citizens of your country need a visa to enter Canada)
- valid passport or other official travel document (each family member must have one)
- Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) for you and each accompanying family member
- two copies of a list of all the personal items and household items you are bringing with you
- two copies of a list of possessions that will arrive in Canada in the future and their financial value
- Customs Declaration Card (complete this before you meet with the CBSA officer) declaring items you have to pay duty on (such as alcohol, gifts and tobacco) and disclosing funds over $10,000 CAD (e.g., cash, checks, travelers’ checks, securities, etc.) you are bringing with you into Canada.
Additional documents you may want to have with you when you arrive in Canada include (as relevant):
- driver’s license and/or international driver’s permit
- letter of reference from your car insurance company
- birth certificates for all accompanying family member
- adoption papers
- marriage certificate
- separation or divorce documents
- diplomas and degrees, school transcripts for all family members
- professional or trade certificates or licenses
- letters of reference from previous employers
- official documents stating which vaccinations you and your accompanying family members have received
- other documents as relevant
It is recommended to make at least two color copies of all of your documents and keep those copies in separate locations in case you lose any original documents. Scanning documents and making digital copies to save on an external hard drive may also be helpful, so hard copies can be printed in the future as necessary.
There will usually be two interviews with a Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer at the port of entry.
At the first interview, the CBSA officer will ask to review travel documents, inquire about previous travel to Canada, and ask various questions to confirm good health, good character (i.e., no criminal record), how much money you brought with you, etc.
During the second interview, a CBSA officer will inspect the items that you brought with you to Canada, ask to see your declaration card and lists of items (mentioned earlier), and inquire if you brought certain items with you to Canada, such as plants, animals, fruits and vegetables, firearms, etc. (make sure you know what you can and cannot bring to Canada). Be sure to inform the CBSA officer that you are immigrating to Canada as a new permanent resident.
After the two interviews are completed and if there were no problems, the CBSA officer will sign each COPR and you will be permitted to enter Canada as new permanent residents!
TIP #3: Make Arrangements for Housing
One of the most important things you must do as a new immigrant is to make arrangements for short-term and long-term housing after you arrive in Canada.
Short-Term Housing:
Initially, you will need to arrange for a place to stay short-term after you first arrive in Canada (i.e., Where will you live in Canada after you leave the port of entry?).
Short-term housing options will be affected by your finances, the city where you will live in Canada, whether you have family or friends you can stay with, and other factors.
In general, short-term housing options after you leave the port of entry in Canada might include:
- Living with family or friends (if this option is available)
- Staying in a hotel, motel, Airbnb, etc.
- Renting a room in a person’s home
- Short-term rental of an apartment, condo, townhouse, or house
Many new immigrants who don’t have family or friends that they can live in Canada with will initially stay in a hotel or motel for several days or weeks after arriving in the country, rent a car, start looking for a more long-term housing solution, and drive to various neighborhoods in the city or surrounding area to visit potential options and find a place that best meets their needs.
Long-Term Housing:
After you secure a place to live in Canada during the short-term, you will have a “base” from which to start searching for long-term housing, as well as employment and other necessities.
Long-term housing options may include:
- Renting or leasing an apartment
- Renting or leasing a condominium (condo) or townhouse
- Renting or leasing a house
- Buying a house, condo, townhouse, or apartment
Which long-term housing option you choose will, of course, depend on the size of your family, finances, and other factors.
New immigrants will generally rent or lease a place to live in Canada during their first 3-5 years in their new country, which can give them time to gain some Canadian work experience, establish credit in Canada, learn more about making such an important investment, and hunt for the perfect place to call home.
You can get more detailed information (available in several languages) about finding housing to rent or purchase in Canada on the Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation (CMHC) website.
TIP #4: Obtain Mobile Phone/Internet Service
Soon after you arrive in Canada as a new immigrant, it will be beneficial for you to obtain Canadian mobile phone and Internet service.
Having a local mobile phone number for the area where you will be living in Canada will make it easier for you to call businesses, to inquire about housing and so forth, and it will give you a local contact number where others can reach you, such as potential landlords and employers, as well as family and friends in your home country, and new friends that you will make in Canada.
You can get mobile phone service that includes Internet access, which will allow you to acquire information that will help with your settlement in Canada; make it possible to use Google Maps or various Apps to assist you with navigating in your new country; enable video conferencing with family, friends and potential employers; and other tasks.
If you have a laptop computer or tablet, you can also set-up a “mobile hotspot” via a setting on your smartphone, if it has Canadian mobile/Internet service, which will give you the option of enjoying a larger screen when online if you so desire.
Canada’s top providers of mobile phone services include Bell Mobility, Rogers Wireless and Telus Mobility, however, there are other companies such as Public Mobile, Koodoo Mobile, Virgin Plus, Sask Tel Mobility, Videotron, Lucky Mobile, Freedom Mobile and Fido.
It is a good idea to research the top mobile phone service providers for where you will live in Canada, making sure to check their coverage area, available plans and prices, customer satisfaction ratings, and other important issues before deciding on which one to go with.
If you are not sure about signing a contract with a Canadian mobile phone service provider, be aware that many of the major companies offer prepaid mobile phone and Internet service plans that don’t require a credit check and give you the flexibility to cancel at any time.
TIP #5: Apply for Your Social Insurance Number (SIN)
You should apply for your nine-digit Social Insurance Number (SIN) shortly after you immigrate to Canada, because it will be required for Canadian employment, filing income tax, contributing to your pension plan, receiving government services and benefits, and it is often requested when opening a bank account in Canada.
New Canadian permanent residents can apply for a Social Insurance Number online on the Canadian government’s website; by sending the application in the mail to the Social Insurance Registration office; or in-person at the closest Service Canada Centre.
TIP #6: Open a Bank Account in Canada
It is vital that you open a bank account as soon as possible after moving to Canada as a new permanent resident, because this will permit you to deposit funds, receive payments (for example, direct deposit of your salary from an employer), pay bills, build your credit in Canada, and manage your finances, among other benefits.
In order to open a bank account in Canada, an immigrant will generally need to bring to the bank:
- Identification (for example, a valid passport, Permanent Resident Card, Canadian driver’s license, or other identification issued by the Canadian government or a provincial government)
- Immigration Documents (such as your Confirmation of Permanent Residence or Permanent Residence Card)
- Social Insurance Number (This is sometimes required.)
- Proof of Address (This is usually required, but new immigrants might be able to provide it later. Examples include: a hotel receipt, if this is where you are currently living in Canada; a lease agreement; or a utility bill.)
Some of the largest banks in Canada include Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC), Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), Scotiabank, Bank of Montreal, National Bank of Canada, and Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD).
In the process of deciding where to open a Canadian bank account, you may want to consider factors such as:
- Location – Is the bank close to where you live or work in Canada? Does the bank have many branches and ATMs throughout the city where you live and across the country?
- Fees – How much are the fees for different types of accounts and services?
- Interest Rates – What is the interest rate for savings? Do they offer interest checking and what is the interest rate?
- Customer Service – Does the bank provide good customer service? What is the bank’s reputation for service? What kind of in-person (at the branch) and online customer service do they have?
- Online Banking – What types of online banking services does the bank make available to its customers?
- New Immigrant Package – Does the bank offer special incentives to new immigrants?
Having a bank account and establishing good credit in Canada will be important to your successful settlement and daily life in your new country and could also facilitate buying a home or opening a business in the future.
TIP #7: Apply for a Health Card
One of the many benefits of living in Canada as a permanent resident is receiving free or subsidized public health care, however, this will require you to apply for a Health Card in your province or territory of residence.
Canada’s public health care system is administered locally by each province and territory, which have established their own regulations for residents to apply for a Health Card.
It is wise to apply for a Health Card as soon as possible after you arrive in Canada, since some provinces have a waiting period of up to 90 days before public health care coverage begins.
You can learn more about how to apply for a Health Card in Canada on the Canadian government website.
TIP #8: Seek Canadian Employment
When you immigrate to Canada as a skilled foreign worker, you naturally want to find Canadian employment in your occupation or a related field, so you can sustain yourself and your family in your new country.
It is easier to apply for jobs in Canada as a permanent resident already living there than to seek Canadian employment from outside the country, because most employers prefer applicants to already possess authorization to work in Canada (which permanent residents have); immigrants who are living in Canada can interview for Canadian employment in-person; and employers usually want the applicant that they hire to be able to start working within a short time period (as opposed to having to wait for a skilled immigrant to apply for Canadian immigration, get approved and then move to Canada).
Nonetheless, you can start searching for jobs in Canada in your occupation before you immigrate and begin exploring the Canadian employment opportunities that are available in different provinces, cities and at various employers, particularly after you have received your Certificate of Permanent Residence (COPR) and can legally work in Canada.
Ideally, if you have your COPR and apply for Canadian employment a few weeks before you relocate, hopefully, you might be invited to interview for one or more jobs in Canada soon after you arrive (it is important that the potential employer is informed that you can legally work in Canada, will arrive in the country shortly and they know how to contact you).
Whether you get a head start by applying for Canadian employment just before you move to Canada, or you wait until after you arrive in the country and get settled, there are several ways for you to search for jobs in Canada including:
- using Canada’s Job Bank and other online job search websites
- creating a LinkedIn online professional profile so Canadian employers who are seeking employees with your skills can reach out to you
- contacting the nearest Settlement Agency for guidance looking for work in Canada
- networking with family and friends in Canada
- attending Canadian job fairs where you can meet employers in person
- visiting the “Careers” or “Employment” webpages of Canadian employers in your occupation
- reviewing lists of top employers in Canada
- contacting an authorized employment agency in Canada
Employers in Canada will often request that job applicants send them a CV and Cover Letter, so make sure that you know how to write both according to Canadian standards; make sure that your CV and Cover Letter include skills that are listed in the job description (only if you actually have those skills); proofread your CV and Cover Letter to ensure there are no mistakes; and prepare for the job interview to increase your chances of success.
Please note that certain regulated trades or professions require a worker to have the relevant certificate or license before Canadian employment can legally begin. You can learn more about foreign credential recognition on the Canadian government website.
Furthermore, as mentioned earlier in Tip #5, new immigrants will need to apply for and receive a Social Insurance Number (SIN) before they can legally work in Canada.
TIP #9: Access Newcomer Settlement Services
Once you have been approved for Canadian permanent residency, you can access government-funded Settlement Services in Canada, which are free to immigrants in all Canadian provinces and territories (except in Quebec, which offers its own Quebec Integration Support Services).
These Settlement Services for Canadian newcomers can truly help you to have a smoother relocation experience as a new permanent resident living in Canada, since they offer a range of practical services such as:
- How to adapt to daily life in Canada
- How to connect to the local community
- How to find jobs in Canada
- How to obtain certification or a license in a regulated occupation
- English and French language training
- Specialized support services for women, children, seniors, teens, French speakers, refugees, etc.
Whether or not you have family or friends living in Canada, knowing that there are people who care about immigrants at a local Settlement Services organization can give you peace of mind, because you are not alone in your new country and there are many Canadians who will make you feel welcomed and are willing to help in any way they can.
TIP #10: Build Your Social Network in Canada
The final tip to help you simplify your settlement in Canada is to build your social network in your new country starting on the first day you arrive.
This is one of the reasons you should obtain local Canadian mobile phone and Internet service as soon as possible after you move to Canada (Tip #4), even if it is prepaid at first, because this will enable you to give your phone number to new friends that you make, to enter their names and phone numbers in your phone, to access Canadian social media groups, and to build your Canadian network.
In addition to having new friends in Canada to talk to and do things with, you can ask your fellow Canadians advice about topics that they may be more familiar with since they have lived there longer than you, such as:
- Which are the best schools?
- Where are the best neighborhoods?
- Which are the best stores?
- Where can you find…?
- Is it OK in Canada to…?
- Do you know anyone who is hiring?
Canada is an immigrant-friendly country and Canadians have a reputation worldwide for being some of the friendliest people on the planet, so you should have no problem making new friends in Canada!
Conclusion
These 10 tips to simplify your settlement in Canada can help you to have a smooth Canadian relocation experience.
At Canadian Visa Expert, our goal is to facilitate immigration to Canada by making available practical information and offering beneficial services to streamline the Canadian immigration process.
Since 2012, Canadian Visa Expert has been working with a team of authorized immigration consultants who can evaluate your eligibility for immigration to Canada and guide you through each step of the application process if you qualify.
The first step is to receive your eligibility evaluation so you will know your best option for immigration to Canada.
