Things to do After You Land in Canada

Transport
 

You will need to organize transport from the airport to your destination, and depending on if you have traveled alone or with your family, you will need to organise transport. If you are on your own a day pass will be fine for you to use and you can use the bus. If you are with your family you will need to use a taxi or a cab as you will have more luggage. While you are in the airport connect to the Wi-Fi and search for a taxi cab on the Yellow Pages website. Be sure to indicate that you will need larger transport to fit all your luggage in. you can use the Google Hangout app to call these services if you do not have a SIM card set up yet. This app is free.

Renting and Temporary Accommodation
 

Where you live will determine your ability to use the public train station so when planning your accommodation try to find a place that is close to your metro station. Most flats and apartments that are rented out will start their lease on the 1^st of July and it will end on the 30^th of June.  You may be able to find holiday apartments, short term rentals or sublets while you look for something more permanent. You will also have to do a credit check, which will be done by either a landlord or an agency. You will need to prove that you are financially stable and that you will make the payments on time. Walk Store is a website that will help you calculate the distance that you would have to walk to your place. The website is very helpful and even advertises flats and apartments that are up for rent.

SIN
 

Before you can do anything in Canada you will need to get your SIN – Social Insurance Number. Without out your SIN, you will not be able to do anything in Canada, you will be a person without an identity. You will need to visit Service Canada to apply for your SIN, get there early and you won’t have to wait too long. We recommend that you do this as soon as you land in Canada. Once you have your SIN you will be able to apply for jobs, get government assistance and credit. But remember to keep your SIN secure, the only people that you should give it to is your employer or the bank.

Medical Registration
 

Something else that you should apply for as soon as you have arrived in Canada is your medical coverage. You must apply in the province that you are in, but remember it can take up to three months until it is activated. During this time, you will be responsible for any medical issues that you may have. Some provinces require that you pay towards the fund. Depending on what company you work for, some businesses will pay this fee as part of your package.

Bank Account
 

There are many banks in Canada, you just need to decide which bank has better options for you. When choosing a bank, take into account where they are located, their trading times and the package options that they have for newcomers. Many of the banks have special packages for new immigrants to Canada; RBC Welcome To Canada, BMO NewStart Banking Plan, TD Canada New To Canada and Scotiabank’s StartRight For Landed Immigrants. One thing that you must remember in Canada is that building up your credit and maintaining it is very important. We hope that these few pointers will help you when it comes to your time arriving in Canada. We found an article on CanadaVisa.com’s Forum about landing in Montreal that we have referenced.