Essential Checklist

To help you plan your trip to Canada, we’ve compiled a list of essential items that we recommend you arrange prior to your departure, as well as a list of things to consider packing for Canada.

Things you need to organize:

Some of the items in this section can take some time to organize. It’s good to review this well in advance of your departure, so you can be getting prepared in the weeks and months before your flight.

You can also save yourself time and money by getting your travel insurance (a mandatory requirement to receive a working holiday visa in Canada) and resume arranged early. See our guides for more:

• Where to buy travel insurance for Canada
• Find out about the resume format in Canada

We also recommend you keep up-to-date with latest immigration developments – as anyone will tell you, changes happen regularly that can affect your move.

You can do this by downloading our Getting Started Guide to get our free immigration and settlement guide, which will opt you in for free, relevant updates into your inbox.

• Visa or work permit
• Flights to Canada
• Travel insurance for Canada
• Make sure your passport is valid and up-to-date
• Bank statements to serve as proof of funds. Depending on your bank, this could take a week or two to arrange, so be organized.
• Resume (Many people do not realise how crucial this is to your success in Canada, so read our Resume format in Canada section, download a good template, and get working on it).
• Arrange a place to stay, for at least the first night. Learn more about finding accommodation in Canada.
• Accommodation reference from your previous landlords.
• Reference from previous employers (or at least, a contact for someone who will agree to provide this if required while you’re in Canada).
• Ask previous insurers to supply you with a “no claims” letter, to serve as proof of driving history.
• If your driving experience pre-dates the issue date on your home licence, you may need a letter from your home licencing authority to prove how long you’ve been driving. Learn more about getting a driver license in Canada.
• Tax forms relating to the termination of your employment. This will prove useful if you’ve overpaid tax in your home country and need to claim this back at the end of the tax year.
• If you plan on bringing your pet with you to Canada, see our advice and information on what animals can come to Canada with you, and what they need to have with them.
• Don’t leave it until the last minute to terminate your contract with your mobile phone provider, as some contracts will have a cancellation period.
• If you need to get your phone unblocked in order for it to work with other networks, arrange this early.

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Items you need to bring:

Some of these will need to be taken out from your luggage quickly at the airport, so put them somewhere they can be accessed quickly as you begin packing for Canada.

• Passport
• Visa or work permit documentation
• Bank balance letter
• Evidence of travel insurance (e.g. a printed copy of your policy)
• The address of a place to stay (e.g. a hostel or a friend’s place)
• Driver’s license or some other form of ID for bars and clubs. Avoid having to use (and lose) your passport.
• Resume. E-mail it to yourself or bring an electronic copy that you can print when you need to.
• Accommodation reference letter.
• Motor insurance letter. Having a “no claims” letter from previous insurance companies may reduce your insurance premium costs.
• Copy of student transcripts
• Prescriptions (if necessary)

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Items you might like to bring:

• Some Canadian currency, so you don’t have to wearily look for an ATM at the airport.
• A power bar / extension cord, so you can run multiple devices from home using just one Canadian adaptor.
• If your home bank uses a card reader (pictured) for online banking, don’t forget to pack this as you’ll most likely need to complete transactions occasionally while you’re away.
• Chargers for phones, cameras etc.
• Home treats, like tea bags or chocolate bars.

When you arrive, here are the 7 things you need to do during your first week in Canada.

And if you’re looking for work, Outpost Recruitment finds great jobs in Canada for suitable candidates. Since 2012, we’ve helped people get work across civil, infrastructure, and buildings projects. Visit Outpost Recruitment for job postings.