First 90 days in Ontario: a newcomer's checklist for you, your spouse, and your kids

Arriving in a new province means a stack of forms and accounts to set up — and most of them ask for the same handful of details about you and your family, over and over. This checklist lays out what to do in roughly the order that works best, for you, your spouse, and your children, with links to step-by-step guides and to the official government pages where you should always confirm the current rules.

Start here: Before anything else, find a free, government-funded settlement agency near you. These services are free and often available in your language, and they help with almost every step below — SIN, housing, schools, health care, language classes, and finding work. Find one through the Government of Canada's newcomer services locator.

Your first-90-days checklist

A quick overview. Each item is explained in detail further down.

First week

• Apply for a Social Insurance Number (SIN) — you and your spouse each need one
• Connect with a free settlement agency
• Open a Canadian bank account
• Get a phone / SIM card

Weeks 2–4

• Find housing and sign your lease (Ontario Standard Lease)
• Register for OHIP (Ontario health card) — every family member
• Register your children for school and report their vaccinations
• Apply for the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) and GST/HST credit
• Exchange or apply for an Ontario driver's licence (within your first 60 days of driving)

Months 1–3

• Book a free language assessment and classes (if eligible)
• Start credential recognition and your job search
• Arrange child care if you need it
• Plan your first Canadian tax return — it keeps your benefits flowing
• Get a library card and set up home internet/utilities

You can store your family's core details once in my-id.ca and reuse them across all of these forms — more on that at the end of this guide.

Phase 1 — your first week

Social Insurance Number (SIN)

A SIN is the 9-digit number you need to work in Canada and to receive government benefits — including the child benefit and GST/HST credit below. Apply free through Service Canada (online, in person, or by mail). You and your spouse each need your own SIN, and children can get one too (a parent can apply for a young child; older children can apply themselves). The exact documents depend on your immigration status.

• Our guide: How to apply for a Social Insurance Number (SIN)
• Official: Apply for a SIN — canada.ca

Because the SIN is sensitive, store it carefully. We explain how my-id.ca protects it in Is it safe to store my SIN?

Open a bank account

You can open a basic Canadian bank account with acceptable ID — you don't need a job, a deposit, or Canadian credit history, and many banks offer no-fee newcomer accounts in your first year. A SIN helps for accounts that earn interest.

• Official: Opening a bank account — canada.ca

A phone and a settlement agency

A prepaid SIM is the fastest way to get a Canadian number (no credit history needed) — you'll need it for school, work, and forms. And if you haven't already, book an intake with a settlement agency; they build a personalized plan and can help with childminding, interpretation, and transportation so you can attend appointments.

Phase 2 — weeks 2–4

Housing and your lease

Most private rentals in Ontario signed since April 30, 2018 must use the Ontario Standard Lease. A landlord may ask for a rent deposit (applied to your last rental period — it is not a damage deposit), and rent can generally be increased only once every 12 months. Under the Ontario Human Rights Code, you have the right to equal treatment in housing.

• Guides: Ontario Standard Lease · Rentals, utilities and service sign-ups · Filing a tenant application at the Landlord and Tenant Board
• Official: A guide to the Standard Lease — ontario.ca

A fixed Ontario address makes the next steps — health card, school, driver's licence — easier.

OHIP — your Ontario health card

OHIP is Ontario's public health insurance. There is no longer a waiting period — if you're eligible, coverage can start right away — so apply as soon as you can at a ServiceOntario centre. Each family member registers individually and needs their own immigration document; you'll generally need documents proving your status, your Ontario residency, and your identity. (Ontario also has a physical-presence rule for ongoing eligibility — confirm the current details for your situation.)

• Guides: Ontario Health Card (OHIP) registration · Update your health card address
• Official: Apply for OHIP and get a health card — ontario.ca

Your children: school and vaccinations

Enrol each school-age child with your local public or Catholic school board (placement is by your home address). Boards typically ask for the child's proof of age, your proof of address, the child's immigration document, immunization records, and any previous school records.

Ontario's Immunization of School Pupils Act requires that children attending school be vaccinated on the provincial schedule (or have a valid exemption), and you must report your child's vaccinations to your local public health unit. Do this early — children can be suspended from school if records aren't on file.

• Official: Vaccines for children at school — ontario.ca
• If you have a new baby in Ontario: Register a newborn

Child benefits: CCB and the GST/HST credit

You can start receiving the tax-free monthly Canada Child Benefit (CCB) and the quarterly GST/HST credit even before you file your first tax return:

• If you have children, file Form RC66 (Canada Child Benefits Application). It also covers the GST/HST credit, so you don't need a separate form. Newcomers usually attach the RC66SCH schedule. See How to fill Form RC66.
• If you have no children, file Form RC151 to get the GST/HST credit for the year you arrived. See How to fill Form RC151 (newcomers).

Your immigration status decides when CCB can start. If you (or your spouse) are a permanent resident, protected person, or Canadian citizen, there is no waiting period — you can apply for the CCB right away, as long as you live with the child, are primarily responsible for their care, and are a resident of Canada for tax purposes. If you are a temporary resident (for example on a work or study permit), you generally must have lived in Canada for the previous 18 months in a row and hold a valid permit in your 19th month before you can receive the CCB; until then, your RC66 application is used only to register your children for the GST/HST credit and related programs. Confirm your eligibility on canada.ca.

To get paid faster, also set up direct deposit.

Driver's licence

New Ontario residents may drive on a valid licence from their former home for a limited time (generally up to 60 days) before needing an Ontario licence. Ontario has exchange agreements with many countries and all other provinces — if yours qualifies, you may be able to exchange for a full Class G without road tests. If not, you enter graduated licensing but may get credit for your driving experience. Bring proof of your driving history in English or French to speed things up.

• Guides: Apply for or renew an Ontario driver's licence · Change your address on a driver's licence · Register a vehicle
• Official: Exchange an out-of-province or out-of-country licence — ontario.ca

Phase 3 — months 1–3

Language assessment and free classes

Free, government-funded English/French classes (such as LINC) start with a language assessment that places you at the right level. Eligibility depends on your status — permanent residents and protected persons generally qualify, while citizens and many temporary residents do not, so confirm your eligibility. Many sites offer free childminding so parents can attend.

• Official: Language classes funded by the Government of Canada

Finding work and credential recognition

Canadian resumes are usually one to two pages, with no photo, date of birth, or marital status. If your career needs your foreign qualifications recognized, you may need an Educational Credential Assessment (for example through WES), and regulated professions and trades (nurses, engineers, teachers, electricians and others) require a licence from the relevant Ontario regulatory body — start this early, as it can take months.

• Guides: Newcomer job search in Canada · Turn your CV into a job-application profile · Job search — complete guide · Upload your CV and review
• Official: Foreign credential recognition — canada.ca

Child care

Ontario takes part in the Canada-wide early learning and child care system, which lowers fees at participating licensed providers for children under 6, and income-tested fee subsidies are available through municipalities. Spaces are limited, so apply and join waitlists early; confirm current rates and eligibility with your municipality.

Plan your first tax return

File your first Canadian tax return for the year you became a resident (generally due the following April 30). Filing is what keeps your benefits flowing — the CCB and GST/HST credit are recalculated every July from your prior-year return, and both spouses must file, even with little or no income.

• Official: Newcomers to Canada and the CRA

Settle into the community

Get a free public library card (books, computers, free internet, and often free newcomer and language programs for the whole family), and set up home internet and utilities.

For your spouse

Your spouse or common-law partner is not just "added" to your applications — several steps are their own:

• A separate SIN in their own name.
• Their own OHIP registration and health card.
• Their own driver's licence exchange, if they'll drive.
• Their own tax return every year — required to keep family benefits flowing.
• Their own credential recognition if they'll work in a regulated field.

Only one parent files the Canada Child Benefit application for the family, but it asks for both partners' details and income.

For your children

What each child generally needs in the first months:

• OHIP registration and a health card (children under 16 have simpler document requirements).
• School enrolment with your local board, plus immunization records reported to public health.
• Coverage under your Canada Child Benefit application — you'll need each child's proof of birth.
• A SIN if they'll work or to claim certain benefits.
• Child care arrangements for younger children, if needed.

The order that matters most

If you do nothing else in order, do this:

1. SIN (yours and your spouse's) — it unlocks work, banking, and benefits.
2. Settlement agency intake — free help with everything else.
3. Bank account and phone.
4. Housing — gives you the address the next steps need.
5. OHIP for every family member.
6. School + vaccination records for your children (time-sensitive).
7. Canada Child Benefit / GST-HST credit.
8. Driver's licence (within your 60-day window).
9. Language, credentials, child care, taxes — start these early; they run for weeks or months.

Step-by-step guides for each stage

Each item on this checklist has its own detailed guide:

Before you arrive

• Documents to bring when you move to Canada
• Certified translations and notarized copies in Canada

Your first weeks

• How to get a Social Insurance Number (SIN)
• Opening a Canadian bank account as a newcomer
• Getting your Ontario health card (OHIP) as a newcomer
• Renting your first apartment with no Canadian credit history

Your family

• Registering your kids for school and applying for child benefits

Working and driving

• Getting your foreign degree, licence or trade recognized in Canada
• Exchanging a foreign driver's licence in Ontario
• Newcomer job search in Canada

Staying organized

• Your first Canadian tax return as a newcomer
• Keeping your immigration documents safe

How my-id.ca helps with the paperwork

Notice how the same details repeat on almost every form above — your legal name, date of birth, address, SIN, immigration document numbers, and your spouse's and children's information. my-id.ca lets you store all of that once, then autofill it on web forms with the Chrome extension or on PDFs right in the app — so the tenth form takes seconds instead of starting from scratch. Your data is stored encrypted in Canada, and AI runs on my-id.ca's own servers, never sent to third-party AI providers. See Fill a PDF with your saved profile and Your data and privacy.

Common questions

Do I have to wait three months for OHIP? No — Ontario removed the OHIP waiting period, so eligible newcomers can be covered right away. Apply as soon as you arrive, and confirm the current rules and accepted documents on ontario.ca.

Can I get the Canada Child Benefit before I file taxes? Yes — you apply with Form RC66 (or RC151 if you have no children) without waiting for your first return. But you must then file a tax return every year to keep the payments coming.

Is there an 18-month waiting period for the Canada Child Benefit? It depends on your status. Permanent residents, protected persons, and citizens have no waiting period and can apply right away. Temporary residents (such as work- or study-permit holders) generally must have lived in Canada for the previous 18 months in a row and hold a valid permit in the 19th month before the CCB can start — until then, applying registers your children for the GST/HST credit only. Confirm your situation on canada.ca.

Does my spouse need their own SIN, health card, and tax return? Yes. Each adult needs their own SIN and OHIP registration, and each spouse files their own tax return — even with no income — to keep family benefits flowing.

Can I drive on my foreign licence? Usually for a short window (generally up to 60 days) after becoming a resident. After that you need an Ontario licence; many countries have exchange agreements. Confirm your situation at ServiceOntario.

Where should I get help in person? A free, government-funded settlement agency — find one through the Government of Canada's newcomer services locator. They can walk you through every step on this page.

Important: this is general information, not legal advice

This article is general information to help you get organized — it is not legal, immigration, tax, or financial advice, and my-id.ca does not provide legal or professional consultation. my-id.ca is not a government agency, law firm, or licensed advisor, and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Government of Canada, the Government of Ontario, IRCC, the Canada Revenue Agency, Service Canada, or ServiceOntario.

Rules, forms, fees, eligibility, processing times, and required documents change often and depend on your specific situation and immigration status — including federal versus Ontario requirements. Always confirm the current details on the official government sources linked throughout this guide (canada.ca and ontario.ca) before you act, and complete and submit every application yourself. For advice about your individual circumstances, consult a qualified professional or a government-funded settlement agency. If anything in this guide differs from an official source, the official source is correct.