DaleBoy

Hi All,

any information on opening a bank account when first arriving in Canada without a address or potentially before arriving?

cheers

Novocastrian

Without an address and before you arrive can be done through HSBC, although you need to meet certain criteria.

rivingtonpike

We used HSBC and had everything in place long before we landed permanently.

Davita

Same here..... but ours was with Royal Bank of Canada.

Edo

If you don't have a Canadian address then how are you going to have your PR card mailed to you?

rivingtonpike

use cunning and guile....

suzeandmatt

We opened ours with scotiabank online before we left the Uk. We just put in a UK address and it worked fine.
Before we flew we called & made an appointment in the bank- then Day 1 in Canada we went to the bank for our appointment- signed the paperwork, changed our address though at that point we still didn’t have a permanent address so gave the hotel address and just changed it a few days later when we were sorted. We also showed them my husband’s job offer letter and they issued us with a credit card based upon the income it said he’d receive.
Was super easy.

DaleBoy

work address

Engineer_abroad

+1, I did this when I first arrived.

Edo

The do the same for bank account as well - after you arrive.

Unlike the UK your credit history is not linked to your address in Canada. Its linked to your DoB and SIN. So the bank should not bother with your address especially since you will be a new immigrant.

Aviator

Credit agencies use your address. They like to use DOB and SIN, however this is not required information when applying for lots of credit products or is declined by the applicant. The few times I have used consumer credit, I have given neither. Most credit applications have a question for your address and any previous addresses in the previous 5 years.