The New to Canada Blog 🇨🇦
Immigration
Discover in under 48 hours if you’re eligible to immigrate to Canada!
Complete Immigration.ca’s online questionnaire and receive in 1-2 days a FREE assessment of your qualifications for Canadian Permanent Residence under the Express Entry System, the Quebec Immigration Program, and Provincial Nominee Programs.
Since 1994, Immigration.ca’s Lawyers & Consultants have successfully represented over 150,000 immigration cases. They now have a combined social media following of 1+ million.
- Get evaluated for FREE
Fill in our Free Evaluation Form and Start your application to Canada!
We will advise you of your immigration options within 1-2 business days.
- Immigrate to Canada
Start your Canada Immigration journey with ease.
Relocating to Canada? Let us guide you! Prairie Relocation is a concierge-style relocation and destination services company expertly welcoming and settling newcomers in Manitoba.
Prairie Relocation guides you through every aspect of the moving process to eliminate hassle and stress so that you can enjoy the journey.
Their services include:
- Immigration Network to secure your pathway to Canada
- Pre-arrival Preparation
- Airport Pick-Up
- Temporary Accommodation & Welcome Groceries
- Home Purchase or Rental Search
- School & Daycare Search
- Canadian Banking
- Local Registrations (SIN, Health, Drivers, etc.)
- Settling-In Services
- Connections, Connections, Connections!
Founded by Diane Bergmann (podcast guest S3 Ep 15)
Learn more: prairierelocation.com
Finances
This is what I use to transfer money to & from the UK. It’s super easy to use, very secure, and MUCH cheaper than banks. Sign up using this link and get a fee-free transfer up to 800 CAD.
A better way to move money across borders: Helping people manage their money internationally more cheaply, quickly, and transparently.
Wise believes in 3 things about transferring money:
- It should be low-cost and fair.
- It should be easy.
- It should be fast.
Sign up for your free account and start saving:
A Canadian credit history is essential for starting your life in Canada, for things like finding employment and a home. How do you do that as a newcomer? Credit Canada’s FREE e-learning program will teach you.
Credit Canada is Canada’s longest-standing non-profit credit counselling agency. They have launched the ‘Building Credit from the Ground Up: A Program for Newcomers to Canada’, an online multi-lingual program aimed at empowering newcomers to establish a strong credit foundation in their new home.
This FREE e-learning program will teach you everything you need to know about building a credit foundation in Canada. (Available in 8 languages.)
Do a lot of online shopping? Honey is a FREE browser extension that automatically scans and applies coupon codes at checkout with a single click. No brainer, right?!
Whenever you shop on your computer, your free Honey browser extension will automatically look for every coupon code available on the internet and apply the best one to your cart. I regularly save 10-30% at my favourite stores! You even earn points, or Honey “gold”, which then translates into gift cards.
Unlocking the potential of your UK state pension while residing in Canada can seem like a daunting task, but don’t worry, because The Canadian Alliance of British Pensioners (CABP) is dedicated to assisting people in Canada who have a current or future UK state pension entitlement.
CABP can help you learn how to maximize the benefits you earned while working in the UK. Whether you’re already retired, or planning for the future, CABP can be an invaluable resource. Their experts have created guidance that can help you through the necessary steps and paperwork, ensuring you get the most out of your British pension entitlement.
They are a not-for-profit, volunteer-based organization, with a membership fee of CAD $25 per year. They have two goals:
- To educate and assist people who have worked in the UK regarding the UK state pension which they might be entitled to receive.
- To lobby the UK Government to end their policy of non-indexation of pension payments based on a pensioner’s country of residence.
Read our blog post for more information: Click here
Education
Welcome to Home on Native Land, a FREE self-guided course (including videos, cartoons, and lessons) about Indigenous justice in Canada — with Anishinaabe comedian Ryan McMahon.
Join Anishinaabe comedian Ryan McMahon in conversation with leading First Nations thinkers, artists, and legal experts. This free series of videos and lessons is essential knowledge for anyone who is committed to living in a fair country. If you are ready to open your mind and have a good laugh while you do it, jump in and explore “Home on Native Land”.
Let’s be fair: most of us didn’t learn this stuff in history class. In a lighthearted, conversational and occasionally very funny series of videos, we’ll take a tour through the laws of this land we call Canada, and discover the good, the bad and the ugly about Indigenous-settler relationships.
Business / Career
In French, Devant means “to get in front of” and that is exactly what they help their community of 20,000+ job seekers to do. They help you to get ahead of the competition and in front of employers so that you can confidently enter the Canadian workforce.
Work 1:1 with Devant’s professional career coaches to organise and excel your job search:
- Career Coaching:
Connect virtually with a job search expert to discuss your Canadian career strategy, assets, and goals.
- LinkedIn Profile Audit:
Receive a personalized video from a career coach detailing their feedback for your profile and a breakdown of their recommendations to increase your visibility and best highlight your skills.
- Resume and/or Cover Letter Writing Services:
Receive a professionally written resume within 5 days that showcases your experiences, achievements and skills to fit your preferred industry and Canadian standards.
ACCESS Community Capital Fund is a registered charitable organization that helps individuals facing financial barriers achieve sustainable livelihoods through entrepreneurship and employment by offering microloans, education and mentorship.
Read the full blog post.
Read the full blog post.
They offer the following services specifically for Canada’s newcomers:
- Foreign Credential Recognition Loans: Up to $15,000 for career-related expenses for licensure and credentialing etc.
- Small Business Loans: Between $5,000-$10,000 for business startup costs.
- Women’s Business Accelerator Program: A FREE 6 weeks online business training and coaching program for newcomer women with business ideas and interested in starting businesses in Canada.
- Small Business Accelerator Program: A FREE 6 weeks online business training and coaching for individuals in early business ideation or launch phase.
Lifestyle
Discover the best of Canada for free! The Canoo app provides newcomers to Canada with free VIP access to over 1,400 of our country’s most exciting cultural and outdoor experiences.
Canoo is offered to Permanent Residents of Canada within their first 5 years of receiving permanent residence status, or new Canadian Citizens in the first 12 months of citizenship. You must also be over 18 to use Canoo.
It’s your compass to the best of Canada!
Connect to your community with handpicked recommendations of the best things to see and do locally – from museums and parks to volunteer opportunities.
Turn your weekend plans into realities with exclusive offers and rewards from Canada’s best brands, such as Via Rail, Sheraton, Fujifilm, Air Canada, and more…
Thinking of buying a second-hand car in Canada? Kiwiz provides the only Canadian inspection that guarantees your vehicle after purchase.
Book a Kiwiz mechanical inspector to check out the second-hand / used car that you have your eye on!
They have years of experience in the field and will provide you with an unbiased and detailed report, with no incentive to sell or repair.
This service is for you if:
- You want an independent, trusted third-party opinion so you can buy with confidence.
- You want an expert recommendation that will help you make the right choice.
- You don’t want to waste time going to a garage and waiting there.
- You are making a purchase remotely and need a trusted eye on site.
Available across Canada:
- Ontario: GTA and Ottawa
- British Columbia: Vancouver
- Alberta: Edmonton and Calgary
- Nova Scotia: Halifax
- Quebec: Greater Montreal, Quebec, Sherbrooke and Gatineau
PsyMood is an online platform that connects you with online mental health specialists keeping your language and cultural background in mind.
When it comes to mental health, we speak your language.
We believe finding a specialist to help with your mental health should be tailored around who you are as a person. That is why we created PsyMood. You can find mental health support based on the language you speak, your culture, religion, and more.
PsyMood allows you to match with a specialist who will understand you and how you are feeling. Throughout the signup process, you will answer a few questions to help us find the specialists that are best for you.
We are a small but mighty team that is passionate about ensuring you feel your best self. Together, we will get you the mental health support you deserve.
English Language
Need to take your IELTS Test? Save 20% on the IELTS 3 Keys Online Course which 100% guarantees to increase your test score!
IELTS expert and podcast guest Jessica Beck (S3, EP 6) has hooked us up with a 20% discount on her IELTS online course “3 Keys” which includes study plans, templates, strategies, video lessons, practice tests, and more. Just use promo code ‘FLUENT’ at checkout.
Best of all? It has a 100% guarantee that it will increase your test score. So if you’re stressed about your IELTS, this investment is so worth it to ensure you do your absolute best when it comes to test day.
Use promo code ‘FLUENT’ at check-out 👇
Introducing ELSA: The English Language Speech Assistant!
This unique app invites you to speak English in short, fun, real-life dialogues – Then, it uses AI technology to give you feedback on your pronunciation, fluency, and intonation.
This unique app invites you to speak English in short, fun, real-life dialogues – Then, it uses AI technology to give you feedback on your pronunciation, fluency, and intonation.
Imagine if you could have an English teacher in your pocket…
Someone to take with you everywhere you go, who could listen to your English and then offer instant feedback and ways to improve…
ELSA Speak is an app that does just that! It prompts you to read out loud different phrases in English, and then its artificial intelligence instantly pinpoints your mistakes and scores you on your pronunciation, fluency, and intonation, compared to a native speaker.
Not only that, the app also has 1,600+ lessons and 40+ topics for you to practice your English, as well as great community features for you to learn from people all over the world.
I’ve hooked you up with a FREE 7-day trial so you can test it out. Then, if you decide to become a member, you can also get 85% off on lifetime membership and 40% off on 1 year by clicking here.
Happy learning!
Newcomer Small Businesses
Jemima is a British expat living in Canada who creates personalised gifts, cards, apparel and offers graphic design services! Get 10% off with promo code ‘TheNewcomerCollective”
After being stuck without visiting her home country (UK) for a long time during COVID, Jemima developed personalised greeting cards to send home specifically for expats.
2 years later, she has been able to quit her job to pursue her dream of working for herself full-time.
Get 10% off Jemima’s personalised gifts, cards and apparel with promo code “TheNewcomerCollective”