Newcomer guides
Plain-language steps for your first months, with links to the official pages that set the rules.
These guides cover federal rules and Ontario. Quebec has its own rules for health, housing and driving, which these guides don't cover yet.
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- Get your Social Insurance Number (SIN)The 9-digit number you need to work in Canada and to get government benefits, and how to keep it safe.Last verified October 29, 2026
- Get your Ontario health card (OHIP)Who can get OHIP coverage, what to bring to ServiceOntario, and how to avoid paying for help you don't need.Last verified October 29, 2026
- Your first tax return and benefitsWhen newcomers file their first return, which benefits to apply for, and how to spot fake CRA calls.Last verified October 29, 2026
- Renting a home in OntarioThe standard lease, which deposits are allowed, how rent increases work, and where to get help.Last verified October 29, 2026
- Driving in Ontario with a licence from another countryHow long your foreign licence works, how to get an Ontario licence, and what to bring.Last verified October 29, 2026
- Getting help with immigration safelyYou don't need to pay anyone to apply. If you do pay, who is allowed to help, and how to check.Last verified October 29, 2026