What is the first thing I need to do to travel to Canada?

Five things to do before traveling to Canada

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You are probably very close to arriving in Canada to fulfill your dream of living, working and/or studying in this first world country, you have already packed your bags, closed cycles in your country of origin and have your eyes set on the new horizon that awaits you, but do you already know how your arrival will be in a destination completely different from your own, are you really ready for the trip or are there still things to do at home?

As daily advisors to many immigrants who want to come to Canada, we have realized that the preparation for this long-awaited trip must be careful to avoid unnecessary problems or delays once you are here. We have even divided in order of importance your tasks or errands to be done before arriving in Canada, at the Canadian airport and within Canada. In total, we have compiled twenty (20) tasks.

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In this article, we will share the first five (5). Read on to follow the step-by-step and, if necessary, record each one in your logbook.

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1. Search for housing!

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If your visa has already been approved, then start looking at where you would like to live. Visit the websites listed below and explore the options that best suit your expectations. Here are some of the alternatives we recommend:

• Kijiji.ca: here you will find an extensive list of apartments, condos and houses for rent in the different provinces of Canada.
• Marketplace Canada: this site is very popular for finding housing and much more, but remember to be cautious of scammers. If the offer is too cheap to be true, it could be a scam! For example, a large house with more than five bedrooms, green areas, good location, etc., for $1000 CAD, may be a scam!
• Immiland Settlement: many of our housing services are free, we have even created a free 15 minute free slot with a specialist from our Settlement department so you can tell us about your needs and requirements so we can advise you with the best settlement options according to your objectives. 

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If you would like to write to us to receive information about your settlement options in Canada, you may write to settlementcanada@immilandcanada.com.

• You can also search for housing through real estate agencies of your choice. 

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2. Open a bank account

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Although it is not mandatory to open a bank account before arriving in Canada, Immiland does recommend you to start depositing your money and mobilize the account, this way you will have funds when you arrive in the country and, in addition, the bank will see your economic availability, and when you receive your credit card and use it paying each installment without delays, you will begin to build your credit history in Canada, which will be useful if you want to buy a house, apartment or car. This is important, it is not the salary you earn that gives you the best chance of getting a loan, but your credit score, so take it into account! 

Immiland Canada helps you build the foundation of your credit history to make the road easier and more bearable. If you would like to learn about our support and request a free quote, click on Credit History.

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At which Canadian bank can you open an account?

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At Immiland, we have agreements with two banks that make it easy for you to open an account so you can start sending your savings. Here are the two banks and why we recommend them:‍

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Desjardins Bank: we recommend this bank for the province of Quebec, as it has 7.5 million members and clients, which gives it a greater regional presence in the province. 

• To open an account with Desjardins Québec from your home country, you must present your visa approval letter.
• In this link, you will find the instructions to fill out the account opening form.

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Simplii Financial: we recommend this bank for the rest of the provinces because you can:

• Have a welcome bonus of 50 $CAD thanks to our agreement with the institution. 
• With the New to Canada program, you have the opportunity to make transfers from your home country up to $50,000 CAD.
• You can apply for the Simplii Visa Cash Back credit card without having a Canadian credit history.
• There are no fees for opening your bank account.
• You can make bank transfers from your home bank to your Canadian account without Simplii charging you any additional fees.
• You can open your bank account from your home country if you have your approved student permit or if you are already in Canada. You can also open your bank account if you are an international worker.

If you wish, click here to fill out the account opening form.

Remember that to open your account in a Canadian bank, you will need to present your passport, visas, permits, proof of residence and your SIN.

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3. Ask for the Canadian telephone number

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Imagine you have already arrived in Canada and you have to call a family member, a friend or request a service, from which number will you do it? To avoid unnecessary complications, Immiland recommends requesting an electronic sim card from your country so you can get a Canadian number to communicate and have Wi-Fi from the airport onwards.

In Immiland, we have this service, know the advantages of requesting your Canadian number with us. If you wish, click here to purchase a line.

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4. Register your children in publicdaycare (if you have children from 0 to 5 in your care).

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Taking into account that the trip to Canada can be made by a parent for work reasons and that he/she may have to join the family as soon as he/she arrives, and also considering that he/she has saved money that must be managed very well until he/she stabilizes, immiland advises you to save time and expenses by registering your child in the waiting lists of public daycare centers, which are more economical. You can also register your child in a private daycare, but do this because in Canada, daycare vacancies may be limited for newcomers. 

Waiting lists in the province of Quebec can be found at Laplace0-5.com; however, it is important that you look for information on waiting lists in other provinces yourself. For example, in the province of Ontario, you can find information on daycares and early learning and child care support programs: A-Z List of Licensed Child Care Centers and Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC), which supports quality, accessibility, affordability and inclusion in licensed child care.

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5. Register your children over 5 years of age at the school board nearest to your residence.

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After 5 years of age, children have access to free education, but they must be previously registered in school or high school. So, if you have already completed the first task and have established your residence, then register your child with the commission in the area where you will be living so that they can be assigned to a school close to home. It is important to remember that it is not you who chooses your child's school, it is the government and it is based on where you live, so follow the first tip: Look for housing!

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6. Looking for a job (in the case of students or partners of students).

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To take this important step, the first thing to do is to make a good Canadian resume, so you are sure to have a contract when you arrive in Canada and you can start working at once, instead of looking for a job from there. We recommend the Youtube video How to make a good Canadian resume and the article A successful work experience to familiarize yourself with this process now. If you don't manage to get a job from home, don't get discouraged and keep trying because there are many opportunities in Canada, you just need to be well prepared with every step you take. Visit our job board.

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So far we have shared these five tips. Don't miss the next article because there I will tell you what to do once you land at the airport in Canada.

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With love,

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Immiland

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