Step by step guide to life in Canada

What you need to arrange after your arrival to Canada?

There are several things that you have to arrange on your own when you arrive to Canada and which we can’t help you with from your home country. You can always visit our Information Planet office in Vancouver and take part in Info Day where you’ll be advised how to take care of yourself and be offered our services. But if you are in a different city or you wish to arrange everything on your own, read bellow our Step-by-Step Guide.

How should I start?

1) Transportation

You’ll be travelling a lot in you new city and buying a single ticket every time is expensive. Therefore, you should buy a Monthly Pass at the first place. FareDealers are usually 7-eleven stores, Safeway, London Drugs.

• More about transportation in Vancouver
• More about transportation in Toronto
• More about transportation in Calgary
•  More about transportation in Montreal
• More about transportation in Ottawa

Hot Tip! In some of the cities, you can buy Fare Pass only 1^st day of the month.

2) Mobile Phone Provider

You’ll need to find an accommodation, you will need to reply to job offers and you will need to be in touch with your new friends, so you have to have a Canadian Mobile Phone Number. There are dozens of companies, which offer several different contracts. However, if you plan to be in Canada temporarily, choose one of the companies with Pre-Paid Plan. These companies for example are:

• Mobilicity
• Fido
• Chat-r
• Wind Mobile
• Good2go

The cheapest plan offers Mobilicity ($25/month), followed by Chat-r, but your choice depends on individual needs you have. The most expensive plan has Fido, but offers free international text messages.

Hot Tip! If you are owner of iPhone, Mobilicity and Wind Mobile SIM cards won’t be compatible. Be carefully, some sellers are not aware that other providers (like Chat-r, Fido) works with iPhone without any troubles.

3) Bank Account and Debit Card

Canada has 6 biggest banks and opening bank account in one of them is really easy. Widely used banks in Canada are: TD Bank, CIBC, RBC, BMO. For opening a bank account you will need:

• Passport with valid visa,
• Another piece of ID such as driving license,
• Minimal deposit.

You don’t need to have a Permanent Address or Canadian Mobile Phone Number; these details can be submitted later. Together with new Bank Account, you will get a Debit Card and Internet Banking Access.

Hot Tip! CIBC Bank has a special program for “newcomers to Canada”. It offers opening of bank account for FREE with no charges of transactions.

4) SIN Number

Social Insurance Number is a nine-digit number that you need to work in Canada and also to have an access to government programs and benefits. Your future employer will need SIN to pay taxes for you. To get a SIN number you have to:

• Visit Service Canada centre,
• Bring passport with valid Work Permit,
• Have address where SIN card can be send,
• Fill-in simple form (your full name, full name of your mother and father).

After you fill-in basic form, one of the officers will invite you to his office, he will give you advise about finding a job in Canada and issue you a SIN. From this moment, you are permitted to work in Canada. You’ll receive card with SIN number in 10 days.

Hot Tip! Nearest Service Canada centre to our Vancouver office is at 757 West Hastings Street.

5) Finding an accommodation

Finding an accommodation requires a bit of patience. You can talk to your friends, teachers and employers if they have any accommodation offers but most likely you will have to start searching on the internet.

The best site for finding accommodation is Craigslist. You can find there rentals or share accommodation and postings from people who are looking for roommate.

Hot Tips!

Be patient. It takes some time to find a place that suits you. If you can’t find a place to stay, you can always extend Homestay or Residence arranged by school, or you can find a place at hostel or contact our office in Vancouver, which offers IP Homestay.

Don’t even look at postings without photographs.

Try not to go to viewings alone in the evening.

6) Finding a job

Finding a job in Canada is similar to finding a job anywhere else. You just have to be patient, pro-active and flexible. Don't expect to get a job in management or other leading positions, be open-minded and you'll get a job which is maybe not career driven, but will definitely help you with integration to Canadian society, with meeting new people and your financial situation.

Search on:

• www.craigslist.ca
• www.jobbank.gc.ca
• www.monster.ca
• www.jobs.gc.ca
• www.workopolis.com

Or go to IP Work Seminar, where you can review your CV, resume and talk about your possibilities with our counselors.