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Just because you’ll be a newcomer in Canada, doesn’t mean you should shop like one. You’ll most likely want to save every penny as you get settled in your new home. Your life in Canada doesn’t have to be pricey when you know where to get the best deals.
In this article, we’ll share the best places to get the best deals for different items ranging from appliances to saving money on groceries.
We’ll also share a few ways to move to Canada, that way you’re armed with the knowledge on how to immigrate to Canada and make your money stretch once you’re there!
Best Newcomer Bank Accounts in Canada
Scotiabank StartRight Program
As a newcomer, you’ll have access to a free chequing account for 12 months, credit cards, savings, personal loans and several others. The StartRight Program caters to foreign newcomers who have been in Canada for zero to three years. The perks of opening a Scotiabank Chequing account are as follows:
- No monthly fees for 12 months (costs $16.95 after the first year) or it can be waived after the first year if you maintain a minimum balance of $4,000.
- 1 free withdrawal a month from a non-Scotiabank ATM.
- Up to $139 fee waived on Scotiabank credit cards in the first year.
- Unlimited debit and Interac e-Transfer transactions.
- Free credit scores.
- Earn rewards on every debit transaction via the SCENE or Scotia Rewards program.
- Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay.
RBC Newcomer Advantage
The RBC Newcomer Advantage is a program offered to international students and permanent residents in Canada. As a newcomer, you’re able to open an RBC No Limit Banking account or RBC VIP Banking account and pay no monthly fees for 12 months. After your first year, you will be charged $10.95 or $30 per month.
The perks of the RBC Newcomer Advantage program are as follows:
- Two free international money transfers per month for 6 months.
- Access to credit cards, mortgage, car loans, business bank accounts, and investments.
- No RBC fee to use another bank’s ATM in Canada.
- Transfer internationally to over 120 countries.
- Easy and secure transfers through RBC Online Banking or the RBC mobile app.
TD New To Canada Banking Package
This package is for anyone who is a permanent or temporary resident and has been in Canada for two years or less. If you open a TD Unlimited Chequing Account, you’ll receive:
- No monthly fees for 6 months, and then $16.95 per month thereafter. This can be waived with a $4,000 balance.
- Unlimited transactions for debit and Interac e-Transfers.
- No TD fee on any ATMs in Canada.
- $20 discount off select TD credit cards for the first year only.
- 1 free international money transfer per month for a period of 6 months.
Cheapest Places To Live in Canada
| Cheapest Places to Rent in Canada | ||
|---|---|---|
| Place | 1 bedroom in City Centre | 1 bedroom outside of City Centre |
| Sherbrooke, Quebec | $472 | $405 |
| Moncton, New Brunswick | $734.29 | $642.08 |
| Thunder bay, Ontario | $925.00 | $818.7 |
| St Catharines, Ontario | $998018 | $905.56 |
| Kitchener, Ontario | $1,168.33 | $957.14 |
| Abbotsford, British Columbia | $1,050 | $962.50 |
| London, Ontario | $1,060.87 | $908.33 |
How to Get the Best Deals in Canada
Once you get settled into your new home, there’ll be many items you need for your new house to feel like a home. Often people can’t bring everything along with them when moving to Canada, so finding ways to buy items for less is always a great idea.
- Dealnews - this website has daily deals and coupons for many stores. There are many deals available which increase the chance of you finding what you need. Items range from hardware tools to kitchen appliances.
- Red Flag Deals - this website is owned by the Yellow Pages group and is filled with information about discounts, sales, promotions and deals in Canada. The range in items varies from beauty and wellness to groceries.
- Tasty Rewards - this website is more for coupons specifically for groceries. You’ll need to sign up to be able to use the coupons which are both digital and printable.
- Smart Canucks - is another great website that can help simplify your life in Canada when searching where to get the best deals. This is because you can get coupons but also flyers and search for items by brand or store, ensuring you get the best deals possible.
- Valpak.com - this website is specifically designed to send your coupons for places in and around your area. The coupons can be anything from grocery or restaurant coupons to service coupons.
How Can I Move to Canada?
Express Entry
The Express Entry is an online immigration system that manages three federal programs for skilled immigrants coming to Canada as permanent residents. The three federal programs are as follows:
- Federal Skilled Workers Program
- Federal Skilled Trades Program
- Canadian Experience Class
The Express Entry system is known as one of the biggest entry points for Canadian immigration. For the year 2021, the government has set a quota of inviting 105,500 immigrants to work and live in Canada as permanent residents. This goal works hand-in-hand with the government wanting to welcome over 1.2 million foreigners by the end of 2023.
The Express Entry system has many benefits including being able to apply without having a job offer, having the entire immigration process taking as little as six months and be able to stay within the Express Entry pool if you aren’t successful the first time.
How do I apply through the Express Entry system?
Once you have determined that you have met all Express Entry requirements, you may start with your online profile. Good to know, that once you start with the online profile, you’ll have 90 days to complete and submit it. The following is needed to complete your profile:
- Passport or travel document;
- Education credential assessment report;
- Language test results;
- Certificate of qualification in a trade occupation issued by a Canadian province or territory (if you have one);
- Proof of work experience(if you have); and
- Provincial Nomination (if you have one)
After completing your online profile you’ll be placed into the Express Entry pool along with other eligible candidates. You’ll be given a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score which determines your ranking, as well as if you will receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA). Receiving an ITA means that you now have the opportunity to apply for Canadian permanent residency. Each Express Entry draw has its own CRS score to qualify for.
What is a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS)?
The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) is a points-based system used by the government, within the Express Entry system, to assess and score applicants. Which ultimately determines their ranking in the pool. This means the higher your CRS score the more likely you are to receive an ITA.
The maximum score you can achieve is 1,200 points, this is made up of two sections. The core set of 600 points and the additional set of 600 points as well. All applicant’s scores are based on factors such as age, education, language proficiency and more.
Life in Canada
Canada has the reputation of being one of the friendliest countries in the world. So you are bound to find many more ideas of where to get the best deals, from both locals and other foreigners who have made Canada home. Along with the best deals, you’ll also experience the safety and security of the country, great medical care and the successful future Canada has to offer.
Click on the link to see which of the over 100 immigration programs you qualify for!
