Moving to Canada - an overview for newcomers to Toronto

• Canadian citizens, including dual citizens, can live and work in Canada without any permit, but need a valid Canadian passport to fly in; they cannot use an eTA.
• Permanent residents can live, work and study anywhere in Canada and need a valid PR card (or a PR travel document) to return by plane.
• Everyone else needs a permit to work or study: a work permit, a study permit, or permanent residence. Entering visa-free is only for visits.

To travel to Canada, citizens of visa-exempt countries need an electronic travel authorization (eTA) when they fly ($7 in 2026), and citizens of other countries need a visitor visa ($100 plus $85 for biometrics in 2026). US citizens need neither. See Visas, work permits and study permits in Canada.

• Work: an employer-specific work permit (usually with a job offer, and often a labour market impact assessment by your employer) or an open work permit in certain situations.
• Study: a study permit for a designated learning institution, with a letter of acceptance, in most cases a provincial attestation letter and proof of funds.
• Permanent residence: skilled workers usually apply through Express Entry (Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades programs), sometimes with a provincial nomination. Family sponsorship and refugee protection are other routes. See Permanent residence in Canada.

• A passport valid for your whole stay, and your eTA or visa.
• Your permit approval (port of entry letter) or Confirmation of Permanent Residence.
• Originals and certified English or French translations of birth and marriage certificates, diplomas and transcripts, and children's school and immunization records.
• Your driver's licence and proof of driving experience; you can use a foreign licence in Ontario for 60 days after becoming a resident.
• Health insurance if you will not be covered by OHIP, for example as an international student or visitor.
• A budget: Toronto's average two-bedroom asking rent was $2,660 a month in Q1 2026 (Statistics Canada), plus a deposit of up to one month's rent.

1. SIN from Service Canada, to work and receive benefits.
2. Bank account: newcomers can get a no-cost account in their first year at participating banks.
3. OHIP at ServiceOntario: there is no waiting period if you are eligible.
4. A home with the Ontario Standard Lease.
5. School registration and the Canada Child Benefit for families.

Canada has no general address registration: you give your address to each organisation and update it when you move. See Your first 30 days in Toronto.

Canadian prices in shops are usually shown without sales tax, which is added at the till. Income tax is deducted from your pay, and you file a return each spring; your first return is due by April 30 of the year after you arrive. In Ontario the general minimum wage is $17.95 an hour from October 1, 2026.

English and French are Canada's official languages. Toronto works mainly in English, and Ontario also has French-language public schools. Language test results matter for permanent residence, so it is worth preparing early.