Visit the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Newcomer site for valuable resources on renting or buying a home, cmhc.ca/ourhome.
You will need a Social Insurance Number (SIN) to w ork in Canada and to file an income tax return. Make plans to apply for a Social Insurance Number for you and members of your family as soon as you arrive. For more information on obtaining a SIN card, please visit servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/sc/sin/index.shtml.
You should apply for a health insurance card as soon as you arrive in Canada.
Each member of your family, even babies, must have their own health insurance card. All Canadian citizens and permanent residents/landed immigrants are eligible for Medicare.To apply for a health insurance card, contact the Ministry of Health in the province or territory where you live.
Public education is run by the province and territories and is paid for through your taxes. Public education is free and available to every child in Canada. Parents must register children at the local school or school board office. School boards are listed in the blue pages of the telephone book.
Canada has hundreds of organizations that help newcomers settle into life in Canada. Many of them represent a number of different multicultural agencies and associations, so they can help you in several ways.They may provide language training, or help you find housing or look for a job.Visit Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s listing of organizations at servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/home.shtml.
A valid driver’s license is required to operate a vehicle in Canada.Your foreign driver’s license may be valid for only a short time. More information can be obtained from your Provincial Motor Vehicle Licensing Agency.
Language instruction for newcomers to Canada is a program available across the country for permanent residents/landed immigrants. For more information please visit servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/goc/linc.shtml.
Most people who plan to come to Canada to settle permanently and who wish to enter the labour force will need to know the value of the education, training, and experience they have acquired outside Canada. The Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials (CICIC) is a central source of information about the services and organizations around Canada that can help with the accreditation of internationally acquired skills. For more information, please visit the website at cicic.ca.