NEWCOMERS · CANADA
Your first 30 days in Canada
Arriving is the easy part. This is the order that actually works: the number you need before anything else, the health card clock, a bank account without credit history, and the free help most newcomers never hear about.
Last reviewed 12 September 2026.
Week one: the documents everything else needs
Apply for your Social Insurance Number (SIN) first. It is free, takes minutes online or in person at Service Canada, and you cannot legally be paid for work without it.
Then apply for your provincial health card. Each province runs its own plan (OHIP in Ontario, RAMQ in Quebec, MSP in British Columbia, AHCIP in Alberta and so on) with its own forms and its own waiting period. If your province makes you wait, buy short-term newcomer health insurance to cover the gap.
Keep your passport, entry document (Confirmation of Permanent Residence, work permit or study permit), and any travel documents together and scanned. You will be asked for them repeatedly this month.
A bank account and a phone
You have the right to open a basic bank account with acceptable identification, even without a job or a credit history. Bring your passport and one other piece of identification. Most big banks offer a newcomer package with no monthly fee for the first year and a first credit card without a Canadian credit history.
Get a Canadian phone number early — landlords, employers and government offices all ask for one. Prepaid plans need no credit check; monthly plans usually do.
Start building credit deliberately: a secured or newcomer credit card, paid in full every month, is the fastest honest route.
Somewhere to live
Short-term first, long-term second. Give yourself a few weeks in temporary housing so you can see neighbourhoods, commutes and prices before signing anything.
Know the deposit rules before you pay. In Ontario, for example, a landlord may take a rent deposit of no more than one month's rent, applied to your last month — damage deposits and pet deposits are not allowed. Rules differ by province.
Never send money for a place you have not seen, and never pay by gift card, crypto or wire transfer. That is the most common rental scam aimed at newcomers.
Free settlement help you are entitled to
Government-funded settlement agencies help newcomers at no cost: language assessment and free classes (LINC), résumé and job-search help, form filling, and connecting you to local services.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada keeps a searchable list of these agencies by postal code. Use it in your first week, not your sixth month.
211 connects you to community, social and government services by phone, text or web where it operates.
School, childcare and family
Public school is free and children must be registered with the local school board. Bring proof of address, your child's birth certificate or passport, immunisation records and your immigration document.
Apply for the Canada Child Benefit once you meet the residency conditions — it is a monthly, tax-free payment, and applying late costs you money.
Ask your settlement agency about subsidised childcare in your province; the waiting lists are long, so join them early.
Work and credentials
A Canadian-style résumé is short, factual and has no photo, age or marital status. Settlement agencies will rewrite yours for free.
If your profession is regulated — nursing, engineering, teaching, trades — start the credential recognition process now. It is the slowest step in a newcomer's year, and it runs in parallel with everything else.
You can work while credentials are assessed. Many newcomers take a bridging job intentionally while the assessment runs.
Common questions
What is the first thing to do when you arrive in Canada?
Apply for a Social Insurance Number (SIN). It is free, you can apply online or at a Service Canada office, and almost everything else — working, being paid, filing taxes, some benefits — depends on having it.
How long does a health card take in Canada?
It depends on the province. Some provinces cover you from the day you apply, others have a waiting period of up to three months, in which case newcomer private health insurance is worth having for the gap. Apply as soon as you have an address.
Can I open a Canadian bank account without a credit history?
Yes. Banks must open a basic account for you if you show acceptable identification, even with no job and no credit history. Most major banks have newcomer packages with no monthly fee for the first year.
Are settlement services in Canada free?
Yes. Government-funded settlement agencies offer free help with language assessment, job searching, form filling, housing and connecting to your community for permanent residents and several other statuses.
Do I need a credit history to rent in Canada?
Landlords often ask, but many accept a newcomer without one if you can show proof of income, a job letter, or offer a co-signer. In Ontario, the only deposit a landlord may take is a rent deposit of at most one month's rent.
Official sources
- Service Canada — Social Insurance Number: how to apply
- Government of Canada — Health care for newcomers (provincial plans)
- Financial Consumer Agency of Canada — Opening a bank account
- IRCC — Find free newcomer services near you
- Canada Revenue Agency — Canada Child Benefit
Rules differ by province and change over time. This guide is general information, not immigration or legal advice — check the official sources above for your own situation.