I'm going to Calgary soon to validate our Visas prior to moving over in August. I've been advised to open a Canadian Bank account when we visit next month but am aware that I can open an account through my current bank, HSBC. Is there any advantage in opening one once we get there?
Thanks

If you open an account through HSBC it is one less thing you need to do on your visit. This might be a good thing, or not, depending on your plans.

IMO, apart from CIBC who I wouldn't touch with your bargepole, Canadian banks are pretty much of a muchness. If you know where you will live it might be an idea to pick one with a convenient local branch. If you don't know yet it might be a good idea to open an account with a downtown branch.

Whichever you choose to do, once you get here you are likely to have to shop around several banks to get a deal that suits you. It is quite likely that you will change banks shortly after you come to Calgary to live.

We lost all of our good credit rating when we came over and had to start from scratch - it seems to be the norm from what others have told me? I wonder if HSbC can validate your rating in the transfer?

Works on a totally different system apparently, we too, had to start from scratch, affected our initial mortgage rate etc............

OH! Can't you get a printout of your rating from the UK system and send it to ours - Equifax and Transunion? Probably not - systems and procedures rule!

Things may have changed, ours was almost 11 years ago........ worth asking i'd say..............

I don't believe there's a way to simply transfer your records over.

What you can do is ask an individual lender to take your UK history into account in deciding whether to approve you.

If you could persuade HSBC to issue you a Canadian credit card based on your history with them, that would certainly be a help. Amex used to do that, and probably still do.

Once you have one account that reports to the Canadian bureaux, you can start building up your Canadian record.

Oooh, do tell.

I can't. Sorry.

We moved over 2 years ago (well in 14 days time) and carried on with HSBC because of the credit rating etc. They issued accounts and cards whilst still living in the UK so once we landed we contacted the local branch and started the process of standing orders etc. It was just one job less to do and they were so helpful at setting up various accounts for Sterling and US and CD $'s.
They also answer the phone quite promptly also !

Thanks for the help and I think we'll stay with HSBC.