Canada (CA)

Apply for a provincial health card

Provincial health insurance covers doctor visits, hospital care, and most medical services at no cost. Apply immediately upon establishing residency in your province. Most provinces have a 3-month waiting period before coverage begins (Ontario, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI, Newfoundland). British Columbia and Alberta have no waiting period.

Apply for a Social Insurance Number (SIN)

Your SIN is a 9-digit number required to work legally in Canada, pay taxes, and access government programs including EI, CPP, and the Canada Child Benefit. Apply in person at any Service Canada office or online. Permanent residents bring PR card or COPR; work permit holders bring their permit and passport.

Enrol your children in school

Public K–12 education in Canada is free for Canadian residents and available to all children including those on work permits or study permits. Enrol directly at your catchment area school or through the school board's newcomer reception program. Many school boards have Welcome Centres for newcomer families with multilingual support and settlement workers.

Register your pet and obtain a municipal licence

Most Canadian cities require annual pet licences for dogs and cats (in some cities). Proof of current rabies vaccination is typically required at time of licensing. Register your pet's microchip with the Canadian national database (24PetWatch) after arrival. Ontario: Pit Bull Terriers are banned under the Dog Owners' Liability Act.

Exchange your foreign driver's licence for a Canadian provincial licence

Most provinces allow licence exchanges from many countries without retesting. Ontario: licence exchange with no test required for drivers from 14+ countries (USA, UK, Australia, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Japan, South Korea, etc.) — other countries require a written test but no road test. BC: exchange from USA, UK, Japan, South Korea, Germany, France, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands, and others — new immigrants may drive on their foreign licence for 90 days.

File your first Canadian income tax return (T1)

All Canadian tax residents must file an annual T1 Personal Income Tax Return by April 30 (June 15 if self-employed, but any balance owing is still due April 30). Even if you had no Canadian income in your first year, file a return to activate your GST/HST credit, TFSA contribution room, and Canada Child Benefit eligibility. Use free filing software: SimpleTax (Wealthsimple Tax), TurboTax Free, or UFile Free.

Renew your PR card before it expires

Your PR card is your proof of permanent residency for re-entering Canada by commercial transport. PR cards expire after 5 years (or 1 year for new PRs in some cases). Apply 6 months before expiry — IRCC processing times are currently 4–8 months. A valid PR card is NOT required to stay in Canada; it is required to board flights and ships back to Canada.

Purchase auto insurance before driving any vehicle

Auto insurance is mandatory in all Canadian provinces before a vehicle can be driven on a public road. Minimum liability: $200,000 (Ontario, Alberta); BC is government-monopoly ICBC. New-to-Canada drivers pay the highest premiums ($1,500–4,500+/year in Ontario). Telematics/usage-based programs (Intact MyDriving, Aviva Drive) can reduce premiums by 10–30%.

Enrol your child in licensed daycare (CWELCC program)

Canada's federal CWELCC (Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care) agreement targets $10/day average fee for licensed daycare by 2026 at participating centres. Waitlists are 6–24 months in major cities — add your child to waitlists immediately. Ontario: use ontario.ca/childcare to search waitlists by location. Toronto: use the Toronto childcare waitlist system.

Create a move-in rental condition record

Before unpacking, photograph every room, appliance, wall, window, floor, lock, smoke alarm, meter, and existing defect. Provincial rules vary, but written evidence is the best protection against damage-deposit or last-month-rent disputes.

Enrol in employer extended health and dental benefits

If your employer offers a group benefits plan, enrol on your FIRST DAY of work — or within the enrollment window (typically 31–60 days of start date). Missing this window may require medical underwriting to enrol later, potentially excluding dental and disability coverage permanently.

Open a Canadian bank account

A Canadian bank account is essential for receiving your salary, paying rent, setting up utilities, and accessing Interac e-Transfer (the dominant payment method in Canada). The Big 5 banks (TD, RBC, BMO, Scotiabank, CIBC) all have newcomer banking packages with no monthly fees for 1–2 years. Neobanks (Tangerine, Simplii Financial) offer no-fee banking permanently.

Set up a Canadian mobile phone plan

Canada has some of the world's most expensive mobile plans — national carriers (Rogers, Bell, Telus) charge $60–100/month for unlimited data. Budget carriers (Koodo, Fido, Public Mobile, Lucky, Chatr) offer plans at $25–50/month with adequate data. Bring your unlocked international phone or buy a prepaid SIM.

Register as a sole proprietor or corporation

If you plan to work as a freelancer or run a business in Canada, register your business structure. Sole proprietorship: no registration needed federally (file income on T1 as self-employment); may register a business name provincially (~$60). Corporation: file Articles of Incorporation federally ($200) or provincially (Ontario: $360). Register for GST/HST immediately if you earn over $30,000/year from clients.

Register with a family doctor (GP)

Approximately 6.5 million Canadians lack a family doctor in 2026. Register on your province's doctor-finding registry immediately. In the meantime, register with a walk-in clinic for immediate care needs and use Health 811 (dial 8-1-1) for free 24/7 nurse advice.

Register for LINC language classes

Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) provides free English classes (CLB 1–8) for permanent residents and protected persons. Wait lists of 3–6 months are common in Toronto, Vancouver, and Ottawa — apply immediately upon arrival. Temporary workers and international students do not qualify for LINC but may access school board ESL classes or Francisation Québec.

Register with a local settlement agency

Settlement agencies provide free comprehensive support for newcomers: LINC registration, credential evaluation, job search assistance, tax clinics, legal referrals, housing counselling, and social connection. All services are free, confidential, and available to all immigrants regardless of status in most cases. They are government-funded through IRCC.

Apply for a secured credit card to build Canadian credit

Canada has two credit bureaus (Equifax and TransUnion) and uses a 300–900 score system. You arrive with no Canadian credit history — most landlords, telecoms, and car dealerships require Canadian credit. A secured credit card (you deposit $200–500 as collateral) allows you to build credit from month 1. After 6–12 months, apply for an unsecured card.

Set up home internet

Home internet in Canada costs $55–90/month for typical plans (150–500 Mbps). Check whether your rental unit already has a service connection — if so, you can often simply switch the account into your name. Independent ISPs (Teksavvy, Distributel) resell using Bell/Rogers/Telus infrastructure at lower prices.

Get a World Education Services (WES) credential evaluation

A WES credential evaluation is required for Express Entry immigration applications (Educational Credential Assessment — ECA) and is recommended for regulated profession applications and employment. WES translates your foreign degree into Canadian equivalency — a "4-year bachelor's degree equivalent to a Canadian bachelor's degree." Processing time: 7 weeks standard; 4 weeks rush.

Register for CRA My Account

CRA My Account is your secure online portal to the Canadian tax system. From here you can view your RRSP/TFSA contribution room, track benefit payments (CCB, GST/HST credit), file tax returns, update your address, and check your Notice of Assessment. You need a CRA login to access most government benefits.

Open a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) for your children

The RESP is a tax-sheltered education savings account with a 20% government match (Canada Education Savings Grant — CESG) on contributions up to $2,500/year per child = $500/year free government money. The lifetime CESG maximum is $7,200 per child. Open it as soon as you have your child's SIN — every year you delay costs $500 in missed grants.

Apply for Canada Child Benefit (CCB)

The Canada Child Benefit pays up to $666.42/month per child under 6 and $562.33/month per child aged 6–17 (2025–26 benefit year, July 2025 – June 2026; indexed annually in July). It is tax-free and income-tested. Apply as soon as you arrive with your child — the benefit starts from the first qualifying month. Permanent residents are eligible from arrival; temporary residents after 18 months of residency.

Open RRSP and TFSA investment accounts

Open an RRSP (Registered Retirement Savings Plan) and TFSA (Tax-Free Savings Account) to begin tax-sheltered savings. RRSP contributions are tax-deductible (ideal if you earn $60,000+/year). TFSA contributions grow and can be withdrawn tax-free at any time (ideal for all income levels and those who may leave Canada). Contribution room begins accumulating from your first year of Canadian tax residency.

Register for your Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Most Canadian employers with 50+ employees offer an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) providing 6–12 free, strictly confidential counselling sessions per year with a registered therapist — for any personal or professional issue including settlement stress, anxiety, family problems, or financial concerns. No referral needed, no impact on your employment record.

Set up Canada Post mail forwarding

If you move within Canada or expect mail at an address you are leaving, set up mail forwarding at canadapost.ca. Cost: $30–60 for 3 months. Forwarding runs for 3–6 months. Update your address directly with CRA, IRCC, your bank, and provincial services — mail forwarding is a backup, not a substitute.

Learn local waste, snow, parking, and quiet-hour bylaws

Canadian cities enforce practical local rules: garbage days, green-bin sorting, snow clearing, overnight parking bans, street cleaning, fire-pit rules, noise bylaws, and pet bylaws. These differ by municipality.

Apply for Canadian citizenship

You may apply for Canadian citizenship after accumulating 1,095 days (3 years) of physical presence in Canada as a permanent resident in the 5 years before applying. Canada allows dual citizenship. Requirements: meet physical presence, file taxes as required, pass the citizenship test (20 multiple-choice questions), and demonstrate adequate language ability (CLB 4 or higher). Application fee: $630.

Purchase newcomer bridge health insurance

If you are moving to a province with a 3-month health insurance waiting period (Ontario, Manitoba, New Brunswick, PEI, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland), you must buy private bridge insurance to cover this gap. A single ER visit without coverage can cost $3,000–$50,000. BC and Alberta do NOT have a waiting period — this step is not required there.

Purchase renter's (tenant's) insurance

Renter's insurance protects your belongings against theft, fire, and water damage, and provides $1–2 million liability coverage if you accidentally injure someone or cause a flood. Most landlords require proof of renter's insurance before handing over keys. Policies cost $150–400/year — one of the best-value insurances available.

Save provincial legal aid, tenancy, and employment standards contacts

Canada is province-led for many practical rights. Save the correct contacts for your province before a dispute happens: tenancy board, employment standards office, human rights commission, legal aid, and newcomer legal clinics.