When I immigrated to Canada I was unprepared and unaware of helpful tips. Even with all of my research and planning, I still found some surprises along the way. Here are five tips that I think all newcomers should know before moving to Canada.
1. Free Pre-arrival Settlement Services Help You Prepare for Life in Canada
Many newcomers to Canada are unaware of free pre-arrival services and available programs. If I had known about them before my move to Canada, I would have jumped at the chance to participate. Yes! They are free and funded by the Canadian government so you know they are legitimate. In addition, these government-funded training programs are well respected by major employers in Canada.
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Settlement services can help you with many decisions before moving to Canada.
2. There are Resources to Help You Get Organized Before You Move to Canada
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One of the biggest mistakes would-be immigrants make is immigrating to Canada unprepared. They leave behind critical documents that can help them settle in Canada faster. They may forget to purchase travel and medical insurance to cover them while they travel. Or they choose to leave so much behind and then face large when they arrive.
The good news is you don’t have to figure it out alone. These pre-arrival checklists will guide and organize you as you pack up.
3. You Can Open a Bank Account Before You Immigrate to Canada
This step would have made bringing my savings to Canada much easier. By opening a bank account before you move to Canada, you can transfer your money directly into your bank account. This is also safer when you don’t need to carry a large amount of cash with you when you travel.
Opening a bank account is useful when you show proof of funds to an immigration officer when you land in Canada.
Finding your ideal job in Canada can take time, so you should prepare to start small and work your way up to your dream job. The trick is to stay positive and keep working towards your goal. Research how to adapt your job search strategies for the Canadian job market to give yourself the best chance of finding a great job in Canada.
5. You Need to Arrange Short-Term Accommodation Before You Immigrate to Canada
It’s best if you arrange short-term housing a few weeks before you immigrate to Canada. After you arrive, you can begin your search for a longer-term, or permanent rental. You can search for something that will best suit your needs in terms of location, cost, and even the type of housing that you need.
Our Rentals for Newcomers site is a practical and easy-to-navigate site to help you find housing and make an easier transition to life in Canada! And you can even determine the average cost of rentals in each city. This is helpful since rental prices change often. You’ll also find great articles about housing in Canada.
David Singh moved to Canada from India 6 years ago. He loves sharing his experiences with other newcomers to Canada in the hope that they are able to settle here with ease.
A credit card can be helpful when you arrive in Canada. You’ll need to apply to get a card with a credit limit. The limit won’t be high because your credit profile will still be thin. Until your finances are stable, you will likely start with one card.
How you use this credit card will affect your credit rating from day one, so you must avoid common bad habits that can damage your credit score. The first thing to know about building credit in Canada is that you should use your credit card and then pay it off in full each month. If you follow this golden rule you will set yourself up for long-term financial success in Canada.
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Also, avoid these common mistakes to ensure that you build a strong credit history in Canada!
1. Only Making the Minimum Monthly Payment on Your Credit Card Bill
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Issuers of credit cards make it easy to repay your balance by allowing minimum payments. However, when you only pay the minimum payment each month it increases the amount of time it takes to pay off your balance as well as the interest you pay on your credit card. It also means that you will likely never pay off the full amount of your card. This means that the item that you bought months ago you’re still paying interest on.
2. Missing Payments
If you miss a payment date you will have to pay a late payment fee. And late payment fees can add up quickly. To avoid late payment fees, you can set up an automatic payment to your debit card. Remember, if you can you should pay off the full balance each month. If you fall behind in your payments your credit score will begin to suffer a great deal. By meeting your monthly payments, you show banks that you can manage your money well.
3. Not Reading Your Monthly Statement
If you don’t open your credit card billing statement, you risk missing your payment due date or paying less than you should be. Ignoring your statement could cause you to miss important announcements about changes to your credit card terms. You should also review the payments that you’re making, this can alert you to any fraud that is taking place.
If you lose your card, the first thing that you should do is report it to your financial institution. The longer it takes you to report a lost or stolen credit card, the longer the thief has to charge up your account.
If you report your missing card before any fraudulent charges are made, you’ll have no liability for the charges. Report a missing card as soon as possible to limit your liability for fraudulent charges.
5. Maxing Out Your Credit Card
As a newcomer, in your first few weeks, there will probably be some surprising things that you need to pay for that you did not budget for. A credit card can be a short-term solution but you should never max out a card and keep the balance at full on a month-to-month basis.
Charging beyond 30% of your credit limit is dangerous to your credit score. Getting close to your credit limit puts you at risk for over-the-limit fees and penalty interest rates you’ll have to pay when you exceed your credit limit. Maintain a low balance on your card for a healthy credit score and manageable payment amount.
Building good spending habits when you arrive in Canada will help you to reduce financial stress and build strong credit.
David Singh moved to Canada from India 6 years ago. He loves sharing his experiences with other newcomers to Canada in the hope that they are able to settle here with ease.
When it comes time to attend the Settling in Canada Online fair you will want to make sure that you are using your time wisely. Many newcomers who have attended our previous fairs have had great things to say about the fair.
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Leandra: “The online fair was really informative and helpful. It has enabled me to learn more about various organizations across Canada and even let me network related to settling, banking and studying. I am delighted to know to be among those who have won one of the $100 gift cards!”
Karan: “The Settling in Canada Online Fair was very helpful, it not only gave me a broader perspective for my initial settlement here in Canada but also opened the door for my new employment opportunity. My overall experience in terms of platform interface was good; navigation to all both’s and webinars was seamless. The $100 gift card is no less than cherry on the cake.”
Register Now for the next fair for your chance to win a $100 gift card of your own!
So how do you make the most of your time at the Settling in Canada Online fair?
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Visit as many booths as possible
Make sure that you check out all of the booths. There is valuable information and downloadable resources on everything from settlement services to employment tips. You should also take the time to visit the government-funded programs that are in attendance. Remember, there is no cost to any of these services, as a newcomer you’re entitled to these opportunities so don’t miss out.
To learn more about how you can find a job in Canada, join us at the upcoming Settling in Canada Online Fair. You’ll learn all about the careers and government-funded training that is available for newcomers to Canada just like you.
Speak with exhibitors
In the booths, there will be exhibitors that you can chat with live. This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with settlement experts so that you can get answers to your questions about settling in Canada.
Attend webinars in the auditorium
Don’t miss out on the webinars that we have in the auditorium section of the fair. These are a great way to learn all about settling in Canada and to get some direction on what you need to do to improve your chances of employment.
David Singh moved to Canada from India 6 years ago. He loves sharing his experiences with other newcomers to Canada in the hope that they are able to settle here with ease.
There is a new scam out there that many Canadians have fallen victim to. Many scammers will target recent immigrants to Canada as they are less likely to identify a scam as they are exposed to so many new things every day. For this reason, it is very important to stay on your guard. Everyone has heard of phishing scams that try to get your personal information via email. Usually, the scammers will masquerade as a financial institution, the police, or immigration officials asking for personal details. But, have you ever heard of vishing?
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Vishing: what does that even mean?
Vishing can happen in only a few seconds over the phone. You can reveal a lot of personal information to a scammer, even without meaning to. The name “vishing” comes from a blend of the word ‘voice’ with ‘phishing,’ This is a telephone scam to tricks people into revealing critical financial or personal information that can be used for identity theft. It is vitally important that you are aware of these scams and actively protect yourself at all times. It can be easy to give out information over the phone when you’re distracted.
How it works
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You receive a call from a scammer, it will typically be an obviously computer generated voice or recording. This voice will then tell you any number of lies to get you to volunteer information or to call them back. They may state that your identity has been stolen, that you need to pay money for your immigration to remain valid or even something as simple as an approval for a credit card. These vishing scams are carefully targeted. As a newcomer, you will be expecting calls from your bank as you set up an account, so it is important to verify who you’re speaking with.
You need to remain calm and not provide any personal information. If you suspect that the call is a vishing attempt, simply hang up. You should never call the number they say. If they claim to be from a financial institution or the government, look online for their official website and call the number you find on the site to confirm.
The key thing to remember is that you need to do your research on any company or business that you are going to provide your personal information to. The internet is your friend here, you can google the phone number and see if anyone else has had negative experiences with calls from this number. The same can be said for any type of scam. Never let yourself be pressured into anything without doing this research. It only takes a moment to do your due diligence. So, make sure that you do not rush into giving your name, date of birth, or anything else to someone without first know exactly who you’re dealing with.
David Singh moved to Canada from India 6 years ago. He loves sharing his experiences with other newcomers to Canada in the hope that they are able to settle here with ease.
