Your first month in Canada: SIN, mobile and a credit history from scratch
Your first month in Toronto is mostly about numbers: a Social Insurance Number, a Canadian mobile number and, slowly, a credit score, because the one you built up in the UK doesn't follow you.
The short version
- Get your Social Insurance Number (SIN) first. You need it to work, to be paid and to reach most government programmes and benefits. It's free, and you can apply online [1].
- Open a Canadian bank account early. Most big banks have newcomer packages, and you'll need an account for your salary and rent.
- Get a Canadian mobile number, but keep a cheap UK number alive for bank security codes.
- Canada's two main credit bureaus are Equifax and TransUnion. Your UK history isn't on either, so start building from day one with a credit card you pay off in full [2].
- Apply for your Ontario health card as soon as you're eligible: there's no longer a waiting period for OHIP [3].
Week one: the order to do things in
Some of this depends on something else, so the order matters. Here's the sequence that tends to work:
| Step | What you need | Why it comes here |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Social Insurance Number | Passport, work permit or PR document | Your employer and bank will ask for it |
| 2. Bank account | Passport, immigration document, address, often your SIN | Salary, rent and bills |
| 3. Mobile plan | ID and a bank card or credit card | Many plans want a credit check or a deposit |
| 4. Ontario health card | Three original documents, including proof of address | Cover from the day you're eligible [3] |
| 5. Credit card | Bank account, SIN usually | Starts your Canadian credit history |
| 6. Driving licence exchange | UK photocard licence | See our driving guide |
Before you fly, set up the UK side: tell HMRC you're leaving (usually with a P85), sort your UK bank, and redirect your post. Our moving abroad checklist covers the lot.
Your Social Insurance Number
The SIN is a 9-digit number you need to work in Canada or access government programmes and benefits [1]. Think of it as your National Insurance number, but guard it more carefully: employers, banks and the Canada Revenue Agency use it, and very few others should ask.
- It's free. There's no fee to apply [1]. Ignore any website that charges.
- Apply online for speed, or in person at a Service Canada centre. Have your documents ready, because if you make a mistake you can't go back and edit the application, you have to submit a new one [1].
- No plastic card. Service Canada no longer issues SIN cards. Once you have a number you can view and print it through My Service Canada Account [1].
- Temporary residents get a SIN starting with 9. If you're on a work permit or working holiday, your SIN expires with your status. When you extend your permit, apply to extend the SIN too [1].
- Children. Anyone 12 or over can apply for their own SIN, and parents can apply for younger children [1]. Children will need one for an RESP (education savings) and some benefits.
Keep the SIN letter somewhere safe. If you think your SIN has been misused, Service Canada has a fraud page and you should act quickly.
A Canadian mobile plan
Canada has a reputation for pricey mobile plans, and newcomers often grumble that they paid more than back home. The market is dominated by three big networks, Rogers, Bell and Telus, plus their cheaper brands and some regional players. Plans are sold as monthly postpaid contracts, often bundled with a phone on a two-year deal, or as prepaid. Prices change all the time, so compare current deals rather than trusting a figure in a forum post.
Practical tips:
- Start with prepaid or an eSIM while your credit file is empty. Postpaid plans may need a credit check or a deposit.
- Bring a phone that isn't tied to your UK network and you'll have more choice.
- Watch out for long-distance and roaming. Calls home to the UK and use in the US may not be included.
- Keep your UK number. Many UK banks still send one-time codes by text, and some won't send them to a Canadian number. A cheap UK SIM-only plan or eSIM kept just for codes is the usual answer. Our guide to keeping a UK mobile number and address explains why.
You'll also need a home internet connection once you've found a flat. Toronto condo buildings often have one or two approved providers, so ask your landlord or building manager before you sign up.
Building a Canadian credit history
This is the bit that frustrates Brits most. You may have had a spotless credit record for 20 years in the UK, but in Canada you're starting from zero.
Canada's two main credit bureaus are Equifax and TransUnion [2]. Your credit score comes from your credit report and shows how likely you are to repay a loan [2]. Landlords, mobile companies, car finance firms and mortgage lenders all check it. Toronto landlords in particular may ask newcomers with no Canadian credit for a bigger upfront payment, a guarantor or proof of income and savings instead. See our guide to renting in Toronto for what to expect.
How to build it:
- Get a credit card in your first month. A newcomer card from your bank, or a secured card backed by a deposit if you're refused. A low limit is fine.
- Use it lightly and pay it off in full every month. Set up a direct payment from your current account (here a "chequing account").
- Keep your oldest account open. Length of history counts.
- Put a bill or two in your name. Some utility and mobile accounts help show you're reliable.
- Check your report. You can get your credit report free online from both Equifax and TransUnion. Equifax gives your score free across Canada, and TransUnion's score is free if you live in Ontario or Quebec [2]. Checking your own report doesn't affect your rating [2].
Watch for sites offering "free" credit scores that are really after your data. The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada suggests researching any company before you hand over personal or financial details [2].
Meanwhile, keep your UK credit file ticking over if you might come back one day. Our guide to your UK credit file while you're away explains how.
The rest of the first-month paperwork
A few more jobs worth ticking off early:
- OHIP. Ontario no longer has a waiting period for health cover, so register at ServiceOntario as soon as you're eligible [3]. Our guide to OHIP lists the documents.
- Travel insurance until then. The UK and Canada have no reciprocal healthcare agreement, so keep private cover running until your health card is sorted [4].
- Register with the British Consulate-General? There's no formal registration, but note the consulate's details. It's at 777 Bay Street, and public access is by appointment only.
- A TTC card. Get a PRESTO card or pay by contactless bank card on the TTC; our transport guide covers fares.
- Tax. Canada taxes you from the day you become resident. You'll file your first return the following spring.
It's a lot, and it's a faff, but most of it is done in four to six weeks. If you're stuck on any step, our community group for Brits in Canada is a good place to ask someone who did it last month.
Sources
- Government of Canada (Service Canada): Social Insurance Number – apply
- Financial Consumer Agency of Canada: Getting your credit report and credit score (updated 4 November 2026)
- Government of Ontario: Apply for OHIP and get a health card (updated 21 July 2025)
- GOV.UK (FCDO): Living in Canada (updated 11 December 2025)