At time, you are all packed and ready to hop on the flight to Canada. As a new immigrant or an international student, you may be wondering what must be done when you arrive.
Make sure you have this information at hand so that you don’t get stranded.
Here’s a list of things for you to do.
- Sort out Accommodation.
Before arrival, you can book a temporary accommodation for the first few days/weeks. An Airbnb is a perfect option, it is more cost effective than hotels. You can use this time to check out apartments and later secure a permanent accommodation. For International students, it is advisable to get on-campus accommodation as this would be a great option and would help you with familiarizing yourself with your surroundings as well as making friends.
- Get a Social Insurance Number (SIN)
This is a 9-digit number that is needed for an individual to work in Canada and access government programs and benefits. This number should never be used by anyone expect the owner. It is your responsibility to protect this number.
You can apply for one at a service Canada center or online.
- Get Health Insurance
As soon as you enter Canada, apply for a public health insurance. Once you’ve decided which province you’ll live in, learn what the provincial plan covers as each province and territory has its own insurance plan.
- Open a Canadian bank account.
On arriving in Canada, you can go ahead and open a bank account. Not having a job or personal address does not prevent this. Banks in Canada that you can easily open an account with include Royal Bank, The Bank of Montreal, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, The Bank of Nova Scotia, and Toronto-Dominion Bank.
- Engage with your community.
It can be frightening to relocate, especially if you don’t know anyone there. Not only will making new friends make you feel more at home, but it will also expand your networking opportunities and aid in your job search in Canada. There are groups that assist immigrants that link new arrivals with other immigrants or Canadians, this can be quite beneficial.