Free guide · Canada

Moving to Canada: your first weeks of paperwork

Your SIN, provincial health coverage, your driver's licence, and a bank account, in the order they come up. This page picks up the day your status document is in hand.

Moving WITHIN Canada? Different rules apply to an interprovincial move, and mixing the two is how people miss a deadline. Moving to a new province →

What this guide does not cover

This guide covers paperwork after you arrive, with your status document already in hand. For any question about your immigration status itself, speak to a licensed immigration consultant or lawyer. IRCC: settling in Canada →

First: your Social Insurance Number (SIN)

To work in Canada or access government programs and benefits, you need a 9-digit identifier known as a Social Insurance Number (SIN). It is the first thing an employer will ask for, which is why it leads this page.

There is no fee to apply for a SIN

You can apply online, in person, or by mail. If you apply in person and everything is in order, you will get your SIN during your visit and you will not need to part with your documents.

The document you bring depends on which one you hold

Permanent residents

A Permanent resident card, a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) within 1 year, or a Record of Landing issued before 2002. A Verification of Landing or Verification of Status also appears on the list.

Temporary residents

A work or study permit that says you "may work" or "may accept employment" in Canada, or a visitor record authorizing you to work.

SIN: documents you need →

Provincial health coverage

Health coverage is provincial, and the rules for someone arriving from abroad are not the same as the rules for someone moving from another province. Four provinces are covered in full below.

Ontario (OHIP): no wait

There is no longer a waiting period for OHIP coverage. If you are eligible, you will have immediate health insurance coverage.

One of the newcomer routes covers people who are in Ontario on a valid work permit and are working full-time in Ontario, for an Ontario employer, for at least 6 months. Apply for OHIP →

British Columbia (MSP): there is a wait

Coverage begins after the rest of the month you become a resident of British Columbia, plus two more months.

If you arrive from outside Canada, contact a private insurance company. You should arrange health insurance before you arrive. MSP: coverage wait period →

Alberta (AHCIP): possibly immediate

Arriving from outside Canada, you might be eligible for coverage from the date you established residency. Register at an Alberta registry office with your IRCC entry document.

Qualifying entry documents are listed as:

·Visitor Record
·Work Permit
·Study Permit
·Permanent Resident Card or document

This is the from-abroad rule. Someone moving from another Canadian province follows a different one, set out in the interprovincial guide. AHCIP: moving to Alberta →

Québec (RAMQ): up to 3 months

Your health insurance coverage starts after a waiting period of up to 3 months after you register.

This applies even if you hold Canadian citizenship, but does not apply to children under age 18. RAMQ: register →

The other six provinces: each runs its own plan with its own start rules, and this guide does not state them. Start from your provincial plan directly. Provincial health plans by province →

Driving on your foreign licence

Ontario: 60 days

When you move to Ontario, you can use a valid licence from another province, state or country for 60 days.

Ontario has exchange agreements with some jurisdictions, and what you need depends on where your licence was issued. If your licence is not covered by an agreement, the published route runs through the graduated system and includes waiting at least 12 months before attempting the G road test. Check the official list →

British Columbia: 90 days

After moving here, you have 90 days to switch your valid licence to a B.C. driver's licence.

With some licences, you can exchange your current licence for a B.C. licence without additional testing. Otherwise the route is a knowledge test and a road test. Check the official list →

Other provinces: every province sets its own deadline and its own exchange agreements. Check yours before the deadline passes. Licence exchange deadlines by province →

Opening a bank account

You have a right to open a personal bank account. You can open one even if you: do not have a job, do not have money to put in the account right away, or have been bankrupt.

The bank must be able to confirm your identity through proper identification. FCAC: opening a bank account →

Free official help

Free newcomer settlement services

IRCC funds free services including language training, employment services, community connections, and credential-recognition support.

Free newcomer services →

Arriving with children?

The Canada Child Benefit is administered by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). This guide does not cover it.

Canada Child Benefit (CRA) →

Build your own list

Guidepost

Before we begin

Generating: newcomer paperwork

Guidepost generates document templates and step-by-step process guides based on your answers. We are not a law firm, and nothing we provide is legal advice.

The documents you receive are templates designed to cover typical situations and meet standard provincial requirements, but every situation is different.

If your situation is complex, a dispute, unusual circumstances, or significant money is involved, consult a lawyer or notary in your province before completing the transaction.

By continuing you acknowledge that Guidepost provides informational document templates only, and that you are not receiving legal advice.

Common Questions

What paperwork do I need first after arriving in Canada?

Your Social Insurance Number (SIN). To work in Canada or access government programs and benefits, you need a 9-digit identifier known as a Social Insurance Number. There is no fee to apply, and if you apply in person and everything is in order, you will get your SIN during your visit.

Is there a waiting period for health coverage when I arrive?

It depends on the province. In Ontario there is no longer a waiting period for OHIP coverage. In British Columbia, coverage begins after the rest of the month you become a resident, plus two more months. In Alberta, arriving from outside Canada, you might be eligible for coverage from the date you established residency. In Quebec, coverage starts after a waiting period of up to 3 months after you register, though that does not apply to children under age 18.

How long can I drive on my foreign driver's licence?

In Ontario, you can use a valid licence from another province, state or country for 60 days. In British Columbia, you have 90 days to switch your valid licence to a B.C. driver's licence. Both provinces have exchange agreements with some jurisdictions, and what you need depends on where your licence was issued.

Can I open a Canadian bank account without a job?

Yes. You can open a bank account even if you do not have a job, do not have money to put in the account right away, or have been bankrupt. The bank must be able to confirm your identity through proper identification.

There is no downloadable SIN application form: you apply online, in person, or by mail through Service Canada.

Official sources

Last updated: August 2026

Guidepost is not a law firm and is not a licensed immigration consultant. This is general information about paperwork after you arrive, not legal or immigration advice. Verify current requirements with the issuing agency. Full disclaimer.