A Newcomer’s Introduction to Canada

---

Getting ready — Before you leave for Canada

• Essential documents
• Important documents
• What you should know about health care
• What you can bring into Canada
• Getting ready to look for work
• Getting ready if you are a business immigrant
• Communities across Canada
• The Canadian climate: What to expect and what clothes to bring
• Schools and universities

---

Essential documents

When you travel to Canada, you will need to have the following documents with you:

• a Canadian immigrant visa and Confirmation of Permanent Residence for each family member travelling with you;
• a valid passport or other travel document for each family member travelling with you;
• two copies of a detailed list of all the personal or household items you are bringing with you; and
• two copies of a list of items that are arriving later.

Note: The lists should state how much your personal and household items are worth.

• You must also bring with you enough money to cover living expenses such as rent, food, clothing and transportation for a six-month period. You may be asked to show proof of your funds.

Do not pack your documents in a suitcase. You will need to have them available to show to immigration and customs officials.

TIP >
Make two copies of these lists — one for you to keep and one for the Canada Customs officer. You can get the Canada Border Services Agency form for this purpose from the Internet at www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/help-aide/topic-sujet/10-eng.html.

Important documents

Depending on your personal situation, you should bring the following important documents with you to Canada:

• birth certificates or baptismal certificates;
• marriage certificates;
• adoption, separation or divorce papers;
• school records, diplomas or degrees for each family member travelling with you;
• trade or professional certificates and licences;
• letters of reference from former employers;
• a list of your educational and professional qualifications and job experience (this is also called a résumé);
• immunization, vaccination, dental and other health records for each family member;
• driver’s licence, including an International Driver’s Permit;
• photocopies of all essential and important documents, in case the originals get lost (be sure to keep the photocopies in a separate place from the originals); and
• car registration documents (if you are importing a motor vehicle into Canada).

TIP >
If possible, get all of your documents translated into English or French by a qualified translator before you leave for Canada.

What you should know about health care

Canada has a public health-care system known as “medicare.” It provides insurance coverage for health-care services to all Canadian citizens and permanent residents. (You will be a “permanent resident.”) The federal government sets health-care standards for the whole country, but the programs are run by the provincial ministries of health. More information on the health-care system can be found in Your first few days in Canada.

TIP >
Apply for provincial health-care coverage as soon as possible after you arrive in the province where you plan to live.

Note: British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick have a three-month waiting period before you become eligible for medicare coverage. If you are planning to settle in any of these provinces, you should buy private health insurance coverage for the first three months. Insurance companies are listed in the Yellow Pages of all Canadian telephone books, under “Insurance.”

TIP >
Bring a supply of your medications with you to allow you time to find a family doctor in Canada from whom you will have to get new prescriptions.

What you can bring into Canada

There are strict laws about what you can bring into Canada.

Cars must meet Canadian safety and pollution control standards. Many cars are not allowed into the country. Contact Transport Canada for more information before you ship your car.

Transport Canada, Vehicle Importation
330 Sparks Street, Tower C
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N5

Telephone: 1 (613) 998-8616
(when calling from outside Canada)

1 800 333-0371
(toll-free, from inside Canada)

Website: www.tc.gc.ca
(follow the link to Vehicle Importation)

The following items cannot be brought into Canada:

• firearms, explosives, fireworks and ammunition;
• narcotics, other than prescription drugs;
• meat, dairy products, fresh fruits and vegetables;
• plants, flowers and soil;
• endangered species of animals or products made from animal parts, such as the skin, feathers, fur, bones and ivory;
• cultural property, including antique and cultural objects considered to have historical significance in their country of origin (you may, however, bring family heirlooms);
• more than 200 cigarettes (you must pay tax on the excess amount) per person over 18 years of age if you are immigrating to Quebec, Alberta, Saskatchewan or Manitoba, or per person over 19 if you are immigrating to Ontario or any of the other provinces; and
• more than 1.5 litres of wine or 1.14 litres of commercial alcohol (you must pay tax on the excess amount) per person over 19 years of age.

If you are not sure about an item, you can write to or telephone:

Canada Border Services Agency
Customs, Excise and Taxation
Information Services
2265 St. Laurent Boulevard
Ottawa, Ontario K1G 4K3

Telephone: (506) 636-5064 or
(204) 983-3500
(when calling from outside Canada)

1 800 959-2036
(toll-free, from inside Canada)

Website: www.cbsa.gc.ca

Getting ready to look for work

If possible, have your documents translated into English or French before you leave for Canada. Essential documents for looking for work include:

• a résumé of your education, work and volunteer experience, and your skills and qualifications;
• diplomas, degrees, certificates and other qualifications;
• letters of recommendation; and
• school records or transcripts.

TIP >
Improving your English or French before coming to Canada would be extremely beneficial.

Research the labour market in the part of Canada where you plan to settle. The following federally funded websites will be helpful:

• www.directioncanada.gc.ca: This website increases awareness of the opportunities, challenges and barriers awaiting prospective immigrants, so that they may better prepare for the labour market before coming to Canada;
• www.workdestinations.org: This website contains information on various jobs, working conditions, labour market trends, living conditions, and training and educational opportunities in different regions of Canada. It also lists regulated jobs in Canada. You can find out whether your job is regulated and what you will need to do to get a licence to practise.
• www.hrsdc.gc.ca: This website offers labour market information, which can help you search for work and make general employment, training and career decisions.
• The Workplace: This website offers practical information and links to Canadian newspapers’ online “Help Wanted” advertisements.

TIP >
To be better prepared to look for work in Canada, have your credentials evaluated and compared with the Canadian education system to make it easier for employers to determine whether you meet their job requirements. See International educational assessment services in Canada.

TIP >
Professionals in government-regulated occupations should contact the licensing body in their province of destination. See Employment in regulated professions and trades.

Getting ready if you are a business immigrant

If you are coming to Canada as a business immigrant, use the Internet to find out about sources of financing, business opportunities, export and investment services, self-employment assistance and information for small businesses. There are many rules for starting a business in Canada. The following Government of Canada websites will help you get a head start in your planning:

• www.cbsc.org: The Canada Business Service Centre’s website is your single point of contact for information on government services, programs and rules for business.
• www.strategis.gc.ca: This Industry Canada website has business information to help you find partners, do market research, find new technologies, and learn about financing opportunities and growth areas in the Canadian economy.
• www.bdc.ca: This is the website of the Business Development Bank of Canada. It provides financial and consulting services to Canadian small businesses, especially those in the technology and export sectors of the economy. It also offers information on how to start a business and make it succeed.
• www.strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/internet/incsbfp-pfpec.nsf/en/home: This is the website of the Canada Small Business Financing Program. The program can help you finance your own business.
• www.contractscanada.gc.ca: This website has information on how and what the Government of Canada buys (both goods and services).
• www.cic.gc.ca: This is the website of Citizenship and Immigration Canada. It describes the Business Immigration Program. You will find many answers to your questions at this site.

TIP >
When you are deciding how much money to bring into Canada, it helps to research the cost of living in the part of Canada where you plan to live. This information can be found on the provincial and territorial websites at canada.gc.ca/othergov-autregouv/prov-eng.html.

Communities across Canada

Most newcomers to Canada tend to settle in the three biggest cities — Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. But many newcomers and many Canadians choose to live in the medium-sized cities, which they feel have as much to offer as the larger cities with a better quality of life.

Among the medium-sized cities are St. John’s, Halifax, Québec City, Ottawa, Hamilton, London, Kitchener, St. Catharines, Oshawa, Windsor, Sudbury, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Regina, Calgary, Edmonton and Victoria.

All of the medium-sized cities have diverse, multi-ethnic populations ranging in size from approximately 150,000 to one million people, and all have the variety of public and private institutions and services found in the largest cities.

TIP >
To locate the medium-sized cities on a map of Canada, go to Map of Canada.

Some newcomers like the idea of living in smaller cities or towns like Moncton, Fredericton, Red Deer and Kelowna or prefer to live in a rural area. Depending on your skills or professional qualifications, some regions may have better job opportunities than others.

TIP >
Outside the larger cities, the costs of housing, higher education and services are often much lower.

If you use the Internet, visit the websites of each province and territory to see what each has to offer. To find these websites, visit canada.gc.ca/othergov-autregouv/prov-eng.html.

Each website has a list of government departments and agencies. In the bigger provinces, some government departments may have their own websites, with more detailed information. You may also find a directory of online services, a link to educational institutions, and a link to major cities and towns. Most of the websites also have a tourism section, where you can discover the special attractions of each province and territory.

The website www.directioncanada.gc.ca has links to information on the labour market and the housing market of communities across Canada. It also has useful tips and information about moving within Canada.

You can visit the website at www.directioncanada.gc.ca and click on the link Welcome to Canada for federal, provincial and municipal government information.

Francophone communities: French is the mother tongue of 6.6 million Canadians. Most Francophones live in Quebec, but almost one million live in Canada’s other provinces and territories. Check out interesting links to official language organizations at www.ocol-clo.gc.ca/html/links_liens_e.php.

TIP >
Research carefully the labour market trends or access to your profession in the province and city where you wish to live.

The Canadian climate: What to expect and what clothes to bring

Most of Canada has four distinct seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter. The temperatures and weather in each season can be different from one part of the country to another. Here is what you can expect.

Spring: Spring is a rainy season in most parts of Canada. Daytime temperatures rise steadily, but the nights remain cool. Average daytime temperatures are about 12°C in March, April and early May.

Summer: Summer officially begins on June 21, but July and August are summer for most Canadians. In summer, the weather is very warm in most parts of the country. In southern Canada, daytime temperatures are normally above 20°C and can sometimes rise above 30°C.

Autumn: The autumn season, or fall, as it’s often called, begins in September. The weather cools and the leaves on many trees change colour and fall to the ground. It can also be very rainy at this time of year. In some parts of Canada, especially northern or mountain regions, snow may begin to fall by late October. Average daytime temperatures are about 10°C to 12°C in most of the country. The autumn months are September, October and November.

Winter: During the winter months (December, January and February), the temperature in most of the country usually stays below 0°C, day and night. Temperatures in some parts of the country periodically drop below -25°C, while along the West Coast, the temperature rarely drops below 0°C. In most of Canada, snow will be on the ground from mid-December to the middle of March. The higher in elevation and the farther north you go, the longer and colder winter becomes.

TIP >
If you arrive in Canada in the winter, you will need warm clothing such as insulated, waterproof boots; an overcoat; a scarf for your neck; a hat that covers your ears; and gloves or mittens. If you come from a warm climate, buy some winter clothes before you leave for Canada, if possible. Or, be ready to buy winter clothes soon after arriving (note also that winter clothes are more expensive than summer clothes). You may wish to contact an immigrant-serving organization in your new community for help.

TIP >
You can find detailed weather information for each region of Canada on the Environment Canada website: weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca.

Schools and universities

There is no national school system in Canada. Schools and universities are run by the provinces; therefore, education varies somewhat from province to province. Most elementary and secondary schooling is public, meaning it is free and open to everyone.

Depending on the individual province, primary education starts at pre-kindergarten and continues to the end of grade 6 or 8. This is followed by secondary education or high school. In some provinces this may be divided into junior high (grades 7 to 9) and senior high (grades 10 to 12). Normally, students must complete the required academic courses in high school in order to be admitted to university or college.

The regular school year runs from late August or early September until mid- to late June. New students can usually be registered throughout the school year. Most schools are closed on national holidays. Also, all schools are closed between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day, and most are closed for a week in March for spring break. The longest school holiday occurs over the summer months of July and August.

Universities and community colleges hold their regular classes from late August or early September until April, although some courses are offered from January to April and a smaller number are available over the summer months. University and community college courses are not free and the costs vary among the provinces.

When you register your children at the local school or school board office, you must take with you:

• Canadian immigrant visa (permanent resident card);
• birth certificate or baptismal certificate;
• vaccination certificate;
• any previous school records.

Your children’s language and mathematical skills will be assessed, if necessary, and they will be placed in the program the school thinks is best for them.

TIP >
For information about the educational system in Canada, visit the website www.directioncanada.gc.ca and click on the “Studying” icon, or visit www.aucc.ca or www.accc.ca.

TIP >
Education in Canada is available in English and French. Many Canadian parents, even if they do not speak French themselves, believe it is good for their children to be able to speak both English and French. Some put their children in a French immersion program, where children learn most of the regular subjects in French.

 

<< contents | previous | next >>