Congratulations! Through your hard work and diligence, you, and perhaps your family have arrived in Canada. The journey is half complete; let’s get started on settling into your new home.
1. Apply for your permanent residency card
Although you’ll use a driver’s licence or a province-issued photo identification card for day-to-day purposes, the permanent residency card is an important identification document and an indicator of residency status in Canada. You will need this card when you re-enter Canada by air or sea after travel abroad. When you land for the first time, ensure that you provide a Canadian address (a friend or relative’s) to the immigration officer. Your card will automatically be sent there. No further paperwork is necessary.
2. Get a mobile plan
As COVID19 restrictions have eased (at least at the time of writing this article), you can get a temporary pay-as-you-go prepaid number from an open kiosk at the airport. Pay for it in cash or using a credit card from your home country.
3. Apply for a Social Insurance Number (SIN)
The SIN is a tax-related personal identifier that you need when you file for your taxes with the Canada Revenue Agency. Without it, you cannot open a bank account, apply for work, or file your taxes. Visit a Service Canada centre. Check your province’s COVID19 safety protocols if an appointment is necessary. To prevent identity fraud, don’t share your SIN with anyone other than your employer or your bank official. Keep it safe.
4. Open an account at a bank or a credit union
With your confirmation of permanent residence document and your SIN, you can open an account at a financial institution such as a bank or credit union. Be sure to apply for your first credit card at this institution, preferably a no-annual fee card, so that you can start building a credit score. Most institutions will have newcomer offers and lowered monthly transaction fees, but check for fees associated with minimum monthly balances, number of Interac transactions, and others.
5. Find mid- to long-term accommodation
Use your existing networks to enquire about places to stay, or use realtor websites to find condos in the city of your choice. If you are using a marketplace website like Kijiji to rent, be aware of the zoning laws in your city. For example, multitenant (i.e., shared or rooming) housing throughout Toronto (including North York) was legalized in a bylaw passed by the Toronto city council in December 2022, although the frameworks won’t be enforced until March 2024. Almost all listings on Kijiji do not have a licence to operate a rooming house and will be in violation of Toronto’s fire code and safety regulations. It is an unfortunate reality but one that newcomers need to know: affordable, legal, and safe housing is very rare in Toronto.
6. Get your province-issued health card and find a family doctor
Visit a Service Ontario location and apply to get your OHIP health card for you and your family. It is important to understand what is covered under OHIP and what isn’t. Many Ontarians use a combination of self-bought private insurance or workplace-provided insurance and OHIP to cover their health needs. For example, the following important services (non-exhaustive) are NOT covered under OHIP: Ambulance transportation if not deemed medically necessary, routine eye exams for people aged 20–65, eyeglasses, dental care, prescription drugs for adults under 65 years, physiotherapy, paramedical services, semi-private and private hospital rooms, birth control and contraceptives, necessary emergency medical treatment obtained outside of Canada. Find a family doctor because only they can refer you to specialists should the need arise. Always call 911 in case of a medical emergency.
7. Work on your resume and networking skills
Do not be tempted to recycle the same resume you used in your home country. Create a new resume from scratch and work with employment and settlement services to get advice on writing a resume suited for Canadian employers. For example, Canadian resumes do not include one’s photo, date of birth, age, marital status, or full residential address. Reach out to talent acquisition folks on LinkedIn and introduce yourselves. Optimize your LinkedIn profile with a good display picture, clear headline, and an ‘about me’ description. Tempted as you may be for a sense of assurance, it is not necessary to spend hundreds of dollars on coaching, optimization, or LinkedIn revamping services. Be wary of anyone who urges you to spend the money as an “investment for your future”.
8. Learn the basics of Canadian personal finance and investment
Familiarize yourself with the Tax-free Savings Account (TFSA), Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) and investment strategies (index funds, mutual funds, etc) and get a head start on building your financial portfolio. Slowly build an emergency fund valued at 6-12 months of monthly expenses for a rainy day. And it goes without saying: do your due diligence and do not blindly follow investment advice.
9. Protect yourself from scams
Newcomers are prime targets for scammers impersonating the Canada Revenue Agency, Canada Post, a bank or any private service (like Netflix or FedEx). Often, these scammers try to make you click on a fraudulent web link through an email or SMS. Read up about these scams so that you don’t become a victim of identity/financial fraud. Similarly, be aware of job scams. It’s a safe bet to network with employees on LinkedIn and apply via the corporate website’s ‘Careers’ section.
10. Keep an eye on your mental health
Finally, it’s not easy coming to a new country and adapting to cultural, social, and workplace norms while simultaneously dealing with changes in weather. Learn to identity signs of generalized anxiety disorder. If lifestyle changes and cognitive behavioural strategies do not work for you, consult your family doctor for advice. Canada has a very open stance on discussing mental health issues and you owe it to yourself, your friends and family to find the help you need, should you need it.