Settling In Canada As An Approved Immigrant during COVID-19
Imagine this.
You’ve hired a qualified ICCRC consultant to advise you through your immigration process, you’ve finished your Canadian Visa application and the time is finally here!
No more waiting, no more worrying.
Get ready to pack your bags and make your way over to the beautiful Canadian lands!
What comes next?
It's time to settle into your new home and new life.
Welcome to Canada!
Here are some pre-arrival tips for Canadian settlement:
Vaccination Protocols
Vaccination protocols for immigration to Canada are becoming more and more strict as a result of the COVID-19 global pandemic. Proof of vaccination has become mandatory for Canadian immigration and travel.
Travellers who fail to provide proof of vaccination will not be permitted to cross the Canadian border.
For more details on vaccination requirements for immigrants to Canada, check out our blog, All You Need To Know About Travelling To Canada 2021.
Arranging Housing
Living arrangements are one the most important details to cover when first immigrating to Canada. You may choose to stay with a family member who is a permanent Canadian resident until you have had time to seek housing on your own.
However, this may not be a possibility for you.
Landlords will be checking your credit score before renting their property to you and signing any sort of agreement. However, as a newcomer, you may not have a Canadian credit score. Some landlords may accept proof of credit score from your home country.
For further proof that you are a trustworthy tenant, you may also want to be ready to provide prospective landlords with other forms of verification. For example, this may include transcripts of your education, your resume, birth certificate, or driver’s license.
In the case that you enter Canada unvaccinated against the coronavirus due to medical complications, you will be required to complete a 14-day quarantine. In this case, you need to establish where you will stay during the quarantine before your arrival.
One of the best ways of seeking landing housing is through real estate offices or online searches in your desired region. While you are still in your home country, it may be a good idea to seek temporary housing to have a safe place to stay for the first while after arriving in Canada.
Once you have arrived and have established the basis of your Canadian settlement, then you may choose to upgrade your housing to a permanent residence.
Here are some post-arrival tips for Canadian settlement:
Calculating Your Finances
Financing in every country varies, so it is very important to meet with a bank advisor upon your arrival to understand how you can begin building your financial foundation in Canada.
Soon enough, you will likely need loans for matters such as vehicle and home purchases. Having a good credit history will help you settle in as quickly and as easily as possible. A credit card will help keep track of your record.
Once you have spoken to a bank advisor who will help you open the bank account that is best suited for you, you may then want to begin budgeting your finances according to your assets.
Between car payments, mortgages, insurance plans, utility bills, and other daily expenses, it is a good idea for you, as an immigrant to Canada, to set budgets for such expenses. This will help you keep track of your assets and build a good credit score for long-term growth.
Obtaining Your Provincial Health Card
Health is always a number one priority.
Fortunately, whether you are a Canadian immigrant or citizen, healthcare in Canada is a government-funded service.
This means that any time you will require medical attention from a doctor or hospital, you will not have to pay for it out of your pocket. As long as you have a valid health card, everything will be paid for by the government.
In Ontario, this health card is known as the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) card. It’s also important to understand what medical services are/are not covered by OHIP. For example, while OHIP covers annual eye exams, dental services are not covered. Dental services may or may not be covered by your insurance provider.
Access to medical coverage varies from province to province. Some provinces may grant access to medical attention right away while others may require a 3 month waiting period. So, it's very important that you understand the terms of your health care card, and apply for one right away to ensure that your medical needs will be attended to in the case of an emergency.
Obtaining your SIN (Social Insurance Number)
Alongside your health card, you will also need a social insurance number post-immigration to Canada. This will grant you the ability to seek employment, pay taxes, and will make you eligible to apply for interest-earning bank accounts and investments.
Employment Services
Finding a job as a new immigrant to Canada may seem daunting at first but luckily, there are many employment services available to help match you to a job that is well suited to your qualifications.
For example, ACCES Employment and Humber Employment Services are online platforms that connect employers to qualified employees in the Toronto, Scarborough, Mississauga, Brampton, North York, Markham, and Newmarket regions of Ontario.
Such employment services act as middlemen between employers who are looking to hire workers and job seekers who are facing difficulty integrating into the Canadian job market.
Settling In Canada
Open a Bank Account
Opening up a bank account upon your arrival to Canada will help you keep track of your finances and begin building your credit score for future reference. For example, this may include car loans, rent agreements, and some job opportunities.
Open Up A TFSA (Tax-Free Savings Account)
As a new immigrant to Canada, you may want to consider opening a tax-free savings account (TFSA). This account will allow you to directly invest in assets such as stocks, ETFs, index funds, and mutual funds tax-free.
This is a great way to begin trading in the Canadian and American markets as a Canadian permanent resident. However, there are contribution limits to every TFSA, of which you are fined for exceeding.
For more detailed information, you may want to consult bank advisors to inquire about how you can open a TFSA as well as what the contribution limit is.
Find a Job
When you apply for any job, it's a good idea to have your education, experience, and credentials assessed for you to be matched to a job that is well suited for your qualifications. In some situations, it may take time for you to find the job that is most suited to your qualifications as you may not yet be aware of the available opportunities.
You may want to consider working a temporary job soon after you arrive so that you can begin building your presence and professional history in Canada. You will also need to start covering your expenses as soon as possible. If you are in this situation, working a temporary job may be the best option for you until you have been matched with a job that is more suited to your qualifications.
We know that immigration can be hectic. But that’s why we are here to help!
We have helped thousands of immigrants complete their Canadian immigration process, and have helped them settle into their new environment. We know that it can be overwhelming, but we will help guide you through your journey, step-by-step.
Contact us today for more information on your immigration and settlement process!
