Are you immigrating or planning to immigrate to Canada? Welcome to the land of maple leaves and maple syrup! You must be very excited! Before you come, keep in mind that immigrating can bring a huge change to your lifestyle so make sure you plan things ahead. Not sure what to plan? Don't worry, we've got you covered. In this post, we have gathered the top 5 things to consider when immigrating to Canada. Whether you are relocating for work or personal reasons, these tips can ease your transition to Canada.
Guide to Immigrating to Canada
Who can immigrate?
The first thing you need to know is if you're eligible for immigrating. There are many ways to immigrate to Canada. Some of the most common ways are express entry, family sponsorship, start-up visa, and self-employed, just to name a few. Express entry means immigrating as a skilled worker through one of the three Express Entry Programs - Federal Skilled Worker Program/Federal Skilled Trades Program/Canadian Experience Class and you are expected to contribute to the Canadian economy. Family sponsorship means you are sponsored by your relatives as spouse/ partner/children/parents/ grandchildren, etc. You can live, study, and work if you become a permanent resident of Canada. Do note that the sponsor must be over 18 years old and a Canadian citizen/person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act/permanent resident of Canada. Start-up visa means immigrating by starting a business and creating jobs, or supporting innovative entrepreneurs. Last but not least, self-employed means immigrating as a self-employed person in cultural or athletic activities. For more details, visit the Government of Canada website.
Pick a city
If you're eligible to immigrate, it's time to pick a city. Canada is a large country with many places to live, each with its own specialty. If you like a large city, Toronto is definitely the best choice for you. It is one of the three largest cities in Canada. You don't necessarily need to know French and it doesn't have extreme weather. Especially if you have kids who will be attending schools, Toronto has the best schools. What's even better? It has so many great restaurants to fulfill all your cravings! Who doesn't love food right?
Healthcare
You may apply for public health insurance when you become a permanent resident of Canada. That way you don't have to pay directly for most health care services. Instead, you will share with all other Canadians to pay for them through taxes. You must show your health insurance card to the hospital or medical clinic when you use public health care services. You should apply for a health insurance card from your provincial or territorial government
as soon as possible after you arrive in Canada. You can get an application at a doctor’s office, a hospital, a pharmacy or an immigrant-serving organization. For example, if you're in Ontario, you will need to apply in person at a ServiceOntario centre.
Employment
Most of you probably need to find a job when you arrive in Canada. You can get a job offer even before you arrive in Canada. First thing first, to work in Canada, you’ll need a Social Insurance Number (SIN). You should apply for a SIN as soon as you come to Canada. Just like how you normally look for a job, you can search for jobs directly on the website of the company you wish to work for. You can sign up for the Canadian Job Bank for free where hundreds of Canadian employers look for talents like you or use similar services like Indeed and LinkedIn. You can also take advantage of the resources provided to new immigrants. An example would be resume writing workshops offered by immigrant-serving organizations.
Housing
One of your first needs after arriving in Canada is a temporary place to stay until you can rent or buy a long-term home. If you do not have family or friends in Canada that you can stay with, you may want to search for temporary housing. You should look for furnished accommodation so you can move in right away when you arrive. Avalon offers extended stay accommodation so you can take your time to find your dream home. All our premium suites at Avalon are fully furnished with a fully equipped kitchen and all the amenities you need. Our suites have 2x more space than your average hotel room and you get the entire place by yourself. We have 5 types of suites ranging from studios to 2 bedroom suites so just pick one that accommodates your needs. A studio may be a good choice if you're by yourself! Each studio has a queen-size bed with a private bathroom (with a bathtub!) If you're with your entire family, our 2 bedroom suites can accommodate up to 5 people. Each of these has 2 separate bedrooms with 2 queen size beds and a large sofa bed, 2 private bathrooms with a bathtub and a study area. We even have a washer/dryer in all our suites. With all these features, staying in any of our suites will definitely make you feel at home. We're located in the heart of Toronto's most upscale neighbourhood at the corner of Yorkville & Avenue Rd. Just a few minutes walk away from TTC, one of our major transits. We're also super close to University of Toronto and Ryerson University! We offer a 5% discount for extended stay plus a 13% discount on the HST for booking over 28 days! To learn more, visit our website or call us at 416.731.1372.
I hope you learned more about immigrating to Canada after reading this post. Please keep in mind this is just a short list of things you need to know. You may want to read this document prepared by the Government of Canada to get more details. If you are looking for extended stay accommodation to stay after arriving in Toronto, come stay with us at Avalon! To make a reservation, contact us at 416.731.1372 so we can give you a discount! Welcome to Canada and we wish you all the best on your new journey to Canada!