Newcomers to Canada

• First 90 days in Ontario: a newcomer's checklist for you, your spouse, and your kidsA clear, step-by-step checklist for newcomers to Ontario — SIN, health card, banking, schools, child benefits, driver's licence and more — covering you, your spouse, and your children.
• Documents to bring when you move to CanadaThe documents newcomers need on arrival in Canada — identity, immigration, education, work, medical and family records — plus what to translate, what to certify, and what to keep digital copies of.
• How to get a Social Insurance Number (SIN) in CanadaWhat a SIN is, who needs one, which documents Service Canada asks for, how to apply online, in person or by mail, and what to do while you wait.
• Getting your Ontario health card (OHIP) as a newcomerHow newcomers register for OHIP in Ontario — the three-document rule, who is eligible, applying for your spouse and children, and what to do for coverage before your card arrives.
• Opening a Canadian bank account as a newcomerYour legal right to open a bank account in Canada, which ID banks must accept, newcomer packages, what a SIN is and is not needed for, and how to start building credit.
• Certified translations and notarized copies in CanadaWhat a certified translation actually means in Canada, who is allowed to produce one, when an affidavit is required, the difference between certified copies and notarized copies, and which documents to translate first.
• Getting your foreign degree, licence or trade recognized in CanadaHow credential recognition works in Canada — the difference between an ECA and professional licensing, which body to approach, what documents they need, and how to work while you qualify.
• Exchanging a foreign driver's licence in OntarioHow to trade a foreign driver's licence for an Ontario one — the 60-day rule, exchange agreements, the driving experience letter, graduated licensing, and car insurance for newcomers.
• Renting your first apartment with no Canadian credit historyHow newcomers rent in Ontario without a credit score — what landlords may and may not ask for, the Ontario Standard Lease, deposits that are and are not legal, and how to build a strong application.
• Registering your kids for school and applying for child benefitsHow to enrol children in an Ontario school as a newcomer, which documents the board requires, immunization reporting, and how to apply for the Canada Child Benefit and GST/HST credit.
• Your first Canadian tax return as a newcomerWhy newcomers should file a Canadian tax return even with no income, what residency for tax purposes means, which slips and receipts to keep, free tax clinics, and how filing keeps benefits flowing.
• Keeping your immigration documents safe — and replacing them if lostWhich immigration documents are irreplaceable, how to store originals and digital copies safely, what to do if a passport or PR card is lost or stolen, and how to recognize document scams targeting newcomers.