Expat Moving Checklist

35-step interactive roadmap covering 5 phases — from pre-departure preparation to long-term settlement in Canada.

Provincial Health Coverage Gap: Ontario (OHIP) and Alberta (AHCIP) have no waiting period — coverage starts immediately upon landing. British Columbia (MSP) and Quebec (RAMQ) have a 3-month waiting period. Always purchase private visitor health insurance before arriving in BC or Quebec.

✈️ 3 Months Before Departure

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Confirm passport validity — must remain valid for at least 6 months beyond your permit/visa end date.

Apply for International Driving Permit (IDP) in your home country — serves as an official translation of your license.

Request an official Driving History Extract / Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) from your home country licensing authority to fast-track Canadian license processing.

Collect and organize originals of educational degrees, transcripts, and professional certifications for Canadian Equivalency Assessment (WES ECA if required).

Translate any documents not in English or French using a certified professional translator.

Gather marriage certificate and children's birth certificates (apostilled if required for immigration use).

Obtain reference letters from previous employers documenting job title, start/end dates, and responsibilities (for Express Entry or job searches).

Set up a Wise (formerly TransferWise) or equivalent multi-currency account for low-cost international money transfers from your home country.

📦 1 Month Before Departure

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Pre-open a Canadian newcomer bank account remotely — RBC, TD, Scotiabank, CIBC, and BMO all offer online pre-arrival banking packages.

Purchase private expat/visitor medical insurance to cover the provincial health coverage waiting period (up to 3 months in BC, Quebec, and Manitoba).

Secure short-term furnished accommodation for the first 2–4 weeks (Airbnb, furnished apartment, or hotel near your workplace/school).

Research school boards in your target city and confirm the enrollment process for any school-age children.

Research and compare Canadian mobile carrier plans — Freedom Mobile, Koodo, Fido, and Public Mobile offer budget newcomer SIM plans from $15/month.

Confirm your work permit / study permit / PR COPR documentation is printed and easily accessible for CBSA at the port of entry.

Organize all COVID-19 / international health documents if required by current IRCC policy (verify canada.ca for latest arrivals requirements).

🇨🇦 First Week in Canada

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Apply for your Social Insurance Number (SIN) — visit a Service Canada office with your work permit and passport. SIN is required to work and file taxes.

Activate your pre-opened Canadian bank account, pick up your debit card, and deposit initial funds from your international transfer account.

Purchase a Canadian SIM card with data. Bring your unlocked phone — BYOD plans save significantly vs buying a new device.

Apply for provincial health coverage online: OHIP (Ontario — immediate), MSP (BC — 3-month wait), AHCIP (Alberta — immediate), RAMQ (Quebec — 3-month wait).

Visit a provincial licensing centre to initiate your driver's license exchange process: DriveTest (ON), ICBC (BC), Registry Agent (AB), SAAQ (QC).

Register your mailing/residential address with Canada Post to ensure mail and government correspondence is delivered correctly.

Apply for the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) My Account online to access your tax records, benefits, and direct deposit information.

📅 First Month in Canada

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Apply for Canada Child Benefit (CCB) if you have children under 18 — use CRA My Account or RC66 form. 2026–27 maximum: $8,157/year per child under 6, $6,883/year per child aged 6–17 (for families under $38,237 net income).

Open a TFSA (Tax-Free Savings Account) at your Canadian bank — all Canadians 18+ earn $7,000 in annual TFSA room ($7,000 for both 2025 and 2026). Cumulative room if never contributed since 2009: $109,000 as of 2026.

Enroll children in the local public school board — contact your district school board directly. Public education is free for PR and many temp resident children.

Sign up for a rental reporting service (Borrowell RentAdvantage or Landlord Credit Bureau) to immediately begin building Canadian credit history using your rent payments.

Apply for a newcomer credit card (Scotiabank StartRight, TD New to Canada, or RBC Newcomer Package) to begin building Canadian credit from day one.

Contact an IRCC-funded settlement agency (ACCES Employment, YMCA, Catholic Crosscultural Services) for free newcomer services including language assessment and job search support.

If you are an internationally trained professional (engineer, nurse, accountant, teacher), research provincial licensing bodies and bridge training programs.

File your first CRA tax return (T1) for the year of arrival — even if you only worked part of the year, filing unlocks CCB, GST/HST credit, and other benefits.

🌟 Longer-Term Settlement (3–12 Months)

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Apply for your provincial health card once processing is complete — OHIP (green card), BC Services Card, Alberta health card, or RAMQ card.

Upgrade your driver's license from novice/provisional class to full class after completing the required road test(s).

Open a First Home Savings Account (FHSA) if you plan to purchase your first Canadian home — contribute up to $8,000/year tax-free (lifetime max $40,000).

Track your physical presence days in Canada if applying for citizenship — you need 1,095 days in the last 5 years as a PR before applying.

Renew your work/study permit or PR card at least 6 months before expiry — apply online through your IRCC secure account (Portal).

Overall Progress

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Key Canadian Government Resources

🏦 SIN: servicecanada.gc.ca
🏥 OHIP (ON): ontario.ca/ohip
🏥 MSP (BC): hibc.gov.bc.ca
🏥 AHCIP (AB): alberta.ca/ahcip
🏥 RAMQ (QC): ramq.gouv.qc.ca
💰 CRA My Account: canada.ca/cra
📋 IRCC Portal: ircc.canada.ca
🚗 DriveTest (ON): drivetest.ca
🚗 ICBC (BC): icbc.com

Documents to Carry at Border

Always carry original documents in your hand luggage when crossing into Canada: work/study permit confirmation, COPR (if landing for first time as PR), passport, and all supporting documents. Do NOT pack these in checked baggage.