jobop

We plan to land in Vancouver Canada early Sept this year, we will not have a perm address when we land and will be renting a holiday home for about 2 weeks first off. Hopefully this will be enough time for us to find our more permanent rental.

I know when we land I can provide an address online at a later date for our PR cards but what about the other items e.g. SIN, driving licence swap and bank account?

I have read online that you apply in person for your SIN card and then you should get it on the spot, but then they post the actual card after, within 10 days I read somewhere. So my question is do I apply for my SIN in the first 2 weeks of landing and risk the card arriving in time to our holiday rental or should I wait until we have secured our perm address?

Same with Driving licence, I am guessing they will need an address, and I have also heard they are combining this with your health card so again an address will be needed.

With regards to a bank account do they need an address too?

I guess the most important info that I need is will I need any of the above to get my perm rental, as in should I have a Canadian bank account in place or will showing them the funds in my UK account suffice in order to show them we are financial sound before getting a job?

We will not have jobs when we arrive so no employer address to send things to either, and we have no family or friends in Vancouver or anywhere else in Canada. Or should we perhaps book a holiday home for the first month in order to have an address to get any items posted? Or can we wait and apply for everything after we get a perm rental, providing having none of the following is not a hindrance to us.

JonboyE

You will need an address for most things. Use your temporary rental address. When you find a permanent rental get the Post Office to redirect your mail until you have informed everyone of your new address.

jobop

Good plan, that way we can use this address when landing too

With regards to re-direction of Canadian mail, does that mean only items of mail in our names is sent to us or all mail of the holiday home, just in case someone who stays there after us is getting something sent

Do you happen to know if I have to go into a post office in person to organise this or can it be done online?

Thanks for your reply

jobop

Found all the info on the Canada post website

fizzyo2

Hi
Just to say we were exactly in the same position as you (Didn't know anyone, no job etc) when we landed 8 weeks ago. We explained when we landed that we had no perm address and the nice immigration lady gave us a form which we could send to get out PR card when we had an address- We did have to make sure this was done within 120 days.
The SIN card- we applied for card at Service Canada, gave us our numbers then said they would post the cards to themselves so we could pick it up.
Bank was pretty much the same- we opened the account so we could transfer money, they held our cheque books etc at the branch and we collected them with proof of ID (passports)
The rental was more tricky. When we were being shown places the agents all said "as long as you can show money don't worry about not having the job" but when it came down to it they really needed a job offer in place (luckily the OH got one quite quickly) they were fine about credit history and no references after that.

pdarwin

When we came to Ontario I first lived in a hotel for 3 months, so set up a mailbox with Mail Boxes Etc and it looked just like a normal apartment address. I was able to use that to set up everything - banking, cell phone, etc. and nobody was the wiser. All your mail can be sent there and you just pick it up whenever you want.

vettemaster

Hello, we are interested in the mailbox option. Who did you use for your mailbox? I know UPS do them with a street address
http://www.theupsstorelocal.ca/396-b...-services.html

pdarwin

It would appear that 'Mail Boxes etc' is now known as the UPS store. I think this is a recent change in Canada.

vettemaster

Thats why I could not find them? Thanks for the information. I hope you are enjoying the Easter weekend

cushdee

Any idea how much this would cost? seems a great idea!

pdarwin

When we did it, it was C$ 48 a quarter (3-months). Probably more now.

mec

I'm doing a similar thing... I landed 3 weeks ago and have been using my temporary accommodation to get myself setup.

I'm interested in setting up a redirection to make sure nothing slips through the net when I move. I don't have a local credit card yet to do online, and Canada Post website says I need government issued ID to order a redirection in person.

Does anyone know if they'll accept my UK passport for this? Just want to check this doesn't assume Canadian ID that will prove my current address...?