Getting your permanent residence is the milestone everyone talks about. What nobody prepares you for is the week you actually land, when you're standing in a new apartment with a suitcase and a list of things you don't fully understand yet. I've been the person with that suitcase. This is the guide I wish someone had handed me.
Here's what to do in your first 30 days in North York and Toronto, in the order that actually makes sense.
Get your Social Insurance Number first
Your Social Insurance Number (SIN) is a nine-digit number you need before you can legally work in Canada or access most government services. It is free. Service Canada issues it, and you can apply online, by mail, or in person at a Service Canada Centre with your passport and permanent resident documents.
If anyone offers to get you a SIN for a fee, walk away. Nobody charges for a SIN. Most newcomers get theirs within days of applying, and you cannot start a job, file taxes, or open certain accounts without it, so this is genuinely step one.
Apply for OHIP the same week
The Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) covers medically necessary doctor visits and hospital care at no direct cost. As of 2020, Ontario removed the three-month waiting period, which means your provincial health coverage can start from the day you arrive, as long as you meet the residency requirements.
You apply in person at a ServiceOntario centre. Bring three things: proof of your identity, proof that you live in Ontario, and proof of your immigration status. To qualify you generally need to make Ontario your primary home and be physically present in the province for at least 153 days in any 12-month period. Don't sit on this one. A single trip to the emergency room without coverage can cost thousands.
Open a newcomer bank account
Every major Canadian bank runs a newcomer banking package, and you can usually open an account with just your passport and immigration documents, no Canadian credit history required. RBC, TD, Scotiabank, BMO, and CIBC all offer these, and several let you start the process before you even land.
A Canadian bank account matters for more than holding money. It's where your pay gets deposited, and it's the start of your Canadian credit history, which you'll need later for a phone contract, a car, or eventually a mortgage. Ask specifically about newcomer packages that waive monthly fees for the first year and come with a no-annual-fee credit card, because building credit early is one of the smartest things you can do in your first month.
Get a local phone number
A Canadian phone number makes you reachable to employers, landlords, schools, and government offices, and it's often the small thing that quietly holds up everything else. You have two tiers of provider: the major carriers (Rogers, Bell, Telus) and the lower-cost brands they own (Fido, Koodo, Virgin, Freedom Mobile, Public Mobile).
If you're new and still building credit, a prepaid plan avoids a credit check and gets you a working number the same day. You can switch to a cheaper monthly plan once you're settled. Don't overpay in month one for a premium contract you signed before you knew your options.
Register your children for school
Public school in Ontario is free, and children aged 4 to 18 have the right to attend regardless of their own or their parents' immigration status. In North York and the rest of Toronto, that means the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) for public schools or the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) for Catholic ones.
To register, you go to the school nearest your home with proof of your child's age, proof of your address, and immunization records. If your child doesn't speak English yet, the board will assess their level and place them in the right support program. Register early. Spots and assessments fill up, especially at the start of a term.
Learn the TTC and get a Presto card
Toronto's public transit runs through the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), which covers the subway, streetcars, and buses across the city, including all of North York. A single adult fare gives you two hours of unlimited transfers across any TTC vehicle, which most newcomers don't realize and end up overpaying for.
The easiest way to pay is a Presto card, a reusable tap card you load with money or passes. You can also tap a credit card or phone now, but a Presto card is worth it if you'll ride often, and it's the same card that works on GO Transit if you commute beyond the city. North York is well served by the subway's Line 1, so getting downtown or to the suburbs is usually straightforward.
Use the free settlement services already paid for
Canada funds newcomer settlement agencies through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), and their services are free for permanent residents and protected persons. These agencies help with the exact list on this page: finding housing, enrolling kids, job searching, improving your English, and understanding how the system works.
Most newcomers never use them, which is a mistake, because it's help that already exists and costs you nothing. Look for a Newcomer Information Centre near you, or search for IRCC-funded settlement services in Toronto. Government-funded language classes (LINC) will also assess your English for free and place you in a class at your level, which matters if you're heading toward citizenship, where a language benchmark is required.
Your first 30 days, in order
If you want the whole thing as a simple sequence:
- Days 1 to 3: Apply for your SIN and set up a Canadian phone number
- Week 1: Apply for OHIP and open a newcomer bank account
- Week 2: Register your children for school and get a Presto card
- Weeks 3 to 4: Connect with a settlement agency, start a language assessment if you need one, and begin your job search or credential recognition
None of these steps is complicated on its own. The mistake is doing them out of order, or not knowing they exist, and losing weeks you didn't need to lose.
What a settlement plan actually looks like
When I work with a family that's just landed, we don't start with immigration paperwork. We start with the practical spine: is your health coverage active, is your credit history started, are your kids in school, and do you know which free services you're already entitled to. Getting these right in the first month makes the rest of your Canadian life easier, and getting them wrong quietly costs people money and time for years.
If you've just arrived in North York or Toronto and want a straight, personal walkthrough of your first month, book a consultation with Scholar Acha, RCIC-IRB. Same honest guidance, no guesswork, from someone who has actually made the move.
This article is for general information and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Program rules, wait times, and eligibility requirements change, so confirm current details against IRCC's official newcomer services guidance or the relevant provincial agency.
