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Settling into a new country is overwhelming. I know this. Maryam does too.

So, when Maryam and I decided to write the Canadian relocation guide, we hoped anyone who just landed in Canada or is planning to relocate here would come across this living, breathing doc and be better prepared for the mental and physical chaos that comes with immigration.

Reading this guide won’t make settling into Canada feel like sunshine and rainbows. However, you’ll at least know how to handle most of what our new home throws your way.

If you’ve found your footing already and there’s something you think we missed or should add, please leave a comment and I’ll be sure to reach out.

Plan for the weather. Are you travelling in winter, summer, or spring? Canada has four seasons — winter, spring, summer, and fall. Long-time Canadians will disagree and say we’ve got only winter and summer.

If your trip falls between May and August, expect warm weather most of the time. So, travel with comfortable, lightweight clothes you would typically wear on a hot day. You don’t need to over-plan if you are travelling during late spring and summer. Winter, however, is another story.

You still need to plan for winter gear, regardless of when you plan to arrive.

In cities like Calgary, it starts to feel cold around mid-September as temperatures begin to drop. However, the first noticeable frost can occur as early as late September or early October. Snowfall often arrives in October, signalling colder weather, but the winter chill sets in by November.

Winter officially starts in mid-to-late November and lasts until early March, with average daily temperatures below 3°C (38°F). January is typically the coldest month, with temperatures often dropping below -20°C (-4°F).

If you arrive during this period, bring your winter coats and boots.

Pro-tip: If you're coming from West African tropical climates, you’ll find these coats at thrift markets like Yaba (Lagos, Nigeria) or Kantamato Market (Accra, Ghana). Also, look for pieces with down material, and make sure your winter boots have good traction. Canadian roads are notorious for black ice during winter. And falls are dangerous because you can’t control yourself while falling, which can lead to life-changing injuries.

Pack right. Shrinking decades of your life into two or three bags isn’t easy. I would say that you prioritize essentials like toiletries or things you can’t do without over items like clothing. Why? You can easily replace clothing, but you might struggle to find a comforting spice or a local dish in your first few weeks.

When Maryam moved in 2020, dry food items made up most of her luggage. Make sure to check the official list of prohibited food items in Canada. You don’t want to haul your luggage through the airport to Canada and have a Canadian border official seize and destroy its contents.

Pro-tip: You may need to seal your bags with cellophane wrap to protect the integrity of the items you’re carrying. As long as you’re not transporting contraband or items that resemble contraband, you don’t need to worry about a luggage search.

Secure temporary accommodation before you land. In my opinion, the best choice is to find family or friends you can stay with for a few weeks. If you’re as lucky as I was, you’ll have someone who can house you for two months or until you can rent a place. If that’s not an option, an Airbnb is your best bet.

Start booking informational interviews. They are your best job-hunting hack because they expose you to the hidden Canadian job market. LinkedIn is a gold mine for informal conversations. Identify industry pros you want to talk to. Bonus points if you have a mutual connection. Then send them a DM asking for a virtual coffee chat. A polite one, of course. Platforms like 2StepCanada can also help you land informational interviews in your industry.

Exchange your money. It’s usually more convenient to convert your settlement funds into Canadian dollars in your home country. The airport bureau de change markups and commission fees can be steep. If you’re landing with more than CAN$10,000 (or the equivalent in foreign currency), you must declare this amount to a Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer.

If you need to transfer money from your home country to Canada, international transfer platforms like Expedier, Wise, Lemfi, Zole App, and Remitly are some of the best solutions to move money from your home country into your Canadian bank account.

Get your Social Insurance Number (SIN). Your SIN is a nine-digit number that lets you work in Canada and access government programs and benefits, such as Employment Insurance (EI). You’ll need a SIN if you’re a permanent resident (PR) or on a student or work visa. You can apply online or by mail.

Processing takes 5 to 25 days. You can get it faster by requesting online delivery by email. The Government of Canada website is the best place to find out what documents you need to provide. You can also start your online application via the same webpage.

Pro-tip: Your SIN is private and must not be shared unless absolutely necessary, as it can be used for identity theft and fraud. Some instances where it’s necessary to disclose your SIN include:

Find your provincial office. In some provinces, provincial offices or registries are where you can apply for your driver’s license, health card, parking permit, and most other documents you'll need during those early, confusing days. I recommend checking their website to see what services they offer and whether you can apply online.

Apply for your health card. While Canada does not have a universal national health insurance plan, each province offers individual health care programs that cover different services and products. For example, British Columbia has the Medical Services Plan (MSP), while Ontario has the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) for permanent residents, citizens and work permit holders of up to six months. British Columbia’s MSP pays for basic, medically required health services. These include some doctor visits, select medical tests, and treatments.

Not all health costs are covered. Here’s a highlight of benefits covered in each province. Your health card allows you access to healthcare services in your province.

Open your bank account. Canada’s banking system has traditional banks, credit unions, and online-only banks, or “neo banks.” If you moved to francophone areas, you’ll also come across caisses populaires. Most newcomers open a chequing or savings account with the Big Five—Canada's five largest banks. NerdWallet ranked BMO, CIBC, RBC, Simplii Financial, TD Bank, Scotia Bank, and National Bank among the best banks for newcomers, based on the perks and features they offer.

Apply for a credit card. Some banks offer a credit card when you open an account. If they don’t, you'll need to apply for one yourself. Canada is a credit-based economy, and your credit score affects your ability to rent a home, the interest rates banks or lenders offer if you need a loan or lease a car, and your eligibility for personal loans, mortgages, and other forms of financing.

It is recommended that you spend no more than 30% of your credit at a time. This adds to your credit score and shows lenders you’re not a high-risk spender. If you lose your card or suspect credit card fraud, call your bank immediately to cancel it.

Get your public transit pass. I love Uber, but those rides can rack up your monthly costs. Canada’s public transit is nothing close to what you’ll find in Europe, but it still works. In most provinces, you’ll find buses, streetcars, subways, light-rail transit, and ferries in the case of Atlantic Canada and British Columbia. Public transit systems often use a single pass that supports different fare types, monthly and annual passes, and mobile wallet integration in provinces like Ontario. You can purchase the transit pass at transit terminals, select retailers like Walmart, and online via the transit authority’s website.

If you’re an international student, check whether your school or region offers the Universal Transit Pass (U-Pass), a discounted or unlimited transit access program. If your school doesn’t offer the U-Pass program, check with the transit authority to see what student discounts you’re eligible for.

Start your graduated driver’s licence (GDL) process. The GDL program is a multi-stage process for new drivers in Canada. All newcomers (except those with North American driver’s licenses), regardless of previous driving experience, must complete at least two stages.

Most Canadian provinces permit you to drive with a license from your home country for up to three months after you land. After those three months, you’ll need a valid Canadian license to drive. The GDL has three stages:

Pro-tip: If you have never driven before, book a Beginner Driver Education (BDE) program with a certified driving school. Students who have completed BDE packages can qualify after seven months instead of the mandatory 12 months.

Getting your library card. Your library card allows you to borrow free digital and physical copies of films and books from your local library for up to two weeks. But in my opinion, the biggest benefits for newcomers are:

House hunting for your first place. You can find rental properties on platforms like Facebook Marketplace, Kijiji, Rentals.ca, and RentFaster. Or through a real estate agent on Condos.ca and realtor.ca. Finding your home yourself lets you find budget-friendly options on your terms. The downside, however, is figuring out the paperwork yourself and the risk of scams. Realtors help you avoid most of the downsides, but property owners often add the commission to the rent charges, which can be steep depending on the city.

For most rentals, a letter of employment with income information, proof of status in Canada, bank statements (proof of savings), and a reference form (from a co-signer) should suffice.

Other things to consider include:

Start planning for your first car. Compared to Europe, public transport in Canada is a struggle. So at some point, you have to budget for a car. When deciding what car to buy, consider your income, monthly expenses, and debt (you shouldn’t have any at this point). You can usually buy your car from:

Find a clinic. The clinic is your primary healthcare support for non-emergency health issues. Most clinics accept walk-in patients but prioritize patients with appointments. Canada’s medical staff shortages are well documented, so finding a clinic or doctor accepting patients can be difficult. Ask people in your community if their doctor is accepting new patients. Or contact your community health centre to see if they can help.

Public health insurance covers doctor visits for permanent residents and certain work permit holders (for example, in Alberta, your work permit must be valid for at least six months to qualify for insurance coverage). However, coverage and eligibility details can vary by province and territory.

Download the Canoo App. Not just for discounted or free access to cultural venues such as The Hangar Flight Museum in Calgary, Alberta, or the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia in Halifax. But because these sorts of experiences help you develop an appreciation for your new home and Canadian culture.

Network. The Canadian job market is big on referrals. So find people on LinkedIn. And book informational interviews. These 20-30 minute informal conversations can help you learn about your industry and build a network. I recommend asking your informational interviewee if they are open to introducing you to someone else within their network.

Prepare for your first job. I’m assuming you already signed an offer letter by now. Global workplace dress standards apply in Canada. So dress the part. Depending on the industry, you can opt for business casual (a crisp shirt and jeans) or something more tailored for formal industries.

Set up coffee chats with your team. A coffee chat works like an informational interview, helping you learn about the company and its culture.

Get your winter essentials. Canadian winter temperatures can be brutal for a first-timer. Prioritize the following:

Get your winter tires. Driving in snow with summer tires is dangerous, especially if you have never driven in the snow before. You can purchase and change to winter tires at your local dealership. Do this early (late October or early November, depending on when your city gets snow), or you might not be able to get your tires changed until later in the year. Spots get booked up fast. If you’re a DIY person, you can also watch YouTube videos on how to switch your tires.

Expect long waits if you use public transit in winter. Buses run late in winter because the roads are slicker, which increases wait times in the biting cold. Layer up, wear gloves, and use the right shoes so that you don’t end up in the emergency unit with a broken hip or a concussion. Use the Transit app or other local transportation apps to track bus times.

Stay healthy during winter. The colder air strips your skin of moisture and causes itching. I also posit that the air leads to balding or hair loss. I have no scientific evidence to back it up, except a mop of hair that keeps shrinking after every winter. Then there’s the seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression that hits due to reduced sunlight. So…

Read every contract before you lock yourself into one you regret. Many newcomers have stories for days about these kinds of issues. They sign a home internet contract or something similar and find out months later, when they want to switch providers, that they can’t break the contract without paying a substantial breakaway fee.

Don’t ignore your newcomer benefits. As a newcomer, you’re entitled to benefits like job search support at your local employment office, the GST/HST credit, the Canada Carbon Rebate (CCR), and more. Be sure to call your government office (e.g., Service Ontario) with questions about your entitlements.

Not asking for help. You aren’t being a burden when you ask for help. It's not a sign of a lack of independence. Heck, you moved across the Atlantic and probably have no family here. A hyper-independent mindset can set you up for a costly mistake (like hidden payments or a debt trap) that could haunt you for years. Think of asking for help as getting support from your community.

Not learning about your rights and entitlements. You have rights and entitlements as a Canadian resident, regardless of your status. Read more about your rights on Canadian Rights and Freedom here. You can also contact immigration lawyers like Infoplace Canada and Immproved for support or answers to questions about your rights and entitlements.

Delaying your healthcare registration. It’s convenient to dismiss healthcare registration if you don’t have health issues. However, delaying registration until an emergency arises can also delay access to free healthcare when you need it.

Learn more about credit scores in Canada

More reading about credit card fees, transactions, and interest rates

How to find the right internet plan for your devices or home

How car loans work in Canada

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