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Your first 30 days in Canada: a money checklist

Updated November 2026 · 5-minute read

Your first month sets up everything that comes after: getting paid, renting a home and building credit. Use this checklist to stay on track. Tick items as you go; your progress is saved in this browser.

Before you fly

Pack your passport and immigration papers (your Confirmation of Permanent Residence, or your work or study permit letter) in your carry-on.
Plan how to bring your savings. If you carry $10,000 or more in cash or similar instruments, you must declare it at the border.1
Download a copy of your credit report from home. Some Canadian lenders accept foreign reports from certain countries.
Check whether your province has a waiting period for health coverage. British Columbia, Manitoba and Quebec can make permanent residents wait up to three months; Ontario doesn’t.4 If you’ll wait, buy private insurance: some insurers require you to buy it within five days of arriving.4

Week 1

Get a Canadian phone number. Banks, employers and landlords will ask for one.
Apply for your Social Insurance Number (SIN). You need it to work, it’s free, and you can apply online.2 Keep it private.
Open a bank account. Banks must open a basic account when you show acceptable ID, such as a foreign passport plus a second document.3

Week 2

Apply for your provincial or territorial health card.
Update your address with your bank and your home-country bank, so no bill or card goes missing.
Find free settlement services near you. Government-funded organizations help with jobs, housing and language classes.6 In Quebec, these services are run by the Quebec government.

Week 3

Apply for your first credit card: a newcomer card from your bank, or a secured card if you’re declined. Read our guide to credit in Canada.
Put one small monthly bill on the card and set up automatic payment of the full balance. Paying on time is the most important part of your credit score.5

Week 4

Write a simple monthly budget: rent, phone, transit, food and what you send home.
Compare transfer providers by the amount your family receives. Read the real cost of sending money home.
Start a small emergency fund, even $25 a paycheck.

Before next spring

File your first tax return, even if you had little or no income. It can make you eligible for payments like the GST/HST credit and the Canada child benefit.7

This checklist is general information, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Rules can change; check the official sources below.