Canada paperwork, step by step.
Canada
28 guides
182 steps
129 documents listed
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Taxes
Tax returns, refunds, tax IDs, and self-employment tax basics
6 guides
Immigration
Visas, permanent residence, citizenship, and status paperwork
4 guides
IDs & Licenses
Passports, driver's licenses, national ID numbers, vital records
8 guides
Benefits & Health
Public health coverage, disability and income benefits
2 guides
Business
Company registration, tax IDs, and starting a business the right way
4 guides
Students
Student visas, study permits, loans, and study paperwork
2 guides
Civic Life
Voter registration, jury duty, and records requests
2 guides
All Guides
Every CAN guide, start to finish
Each guide includes a document checklist, a step timeline, official links, and answers to the questions people actually ask.
Taxes
6 guides
How to File Your Taxes in Canada (CRA Return)
Most residents file a T1 income tax return each spring (deadline April 30; self-employed June 15). Even with no income you should file — the GST/HST credit, Canada Child Benefit, and other payments only flow once you file. NETFILE-certified software walks you through it and sends directly to the CRA.
7 steps · 1–3 hours with software2025-Latest
How to Register for CRA My Account
CRA My Account lets you see your Notice of Assessment, RRSP and TFSA contribution room, benefit payments, and — critically — Auto-fill My Return, which imports every slip the CRA already holds. Register with your SIN and one of three identification routes; full access needs a one-time code mailed to your address.
7 steps · 20 minutes + up to 2 weeks for the mailed security code2025-Latest
How to File Your First Canadian Tax Return as a Newcomer
You become a tax resident of Canada from your landing date, and you must file a return for your first (part) year even with little or no income — it unlocks the GST/HST credit, Canada Child Benefit, and creates your CRA record. Free certified software walks you through it; the deadline is April 30.
6 steps · 1–2 hours with software2025-Latest
How to File a T1 Tax Return in Canada (Step by Step)
The T1 is Canada's personal income tax return — due April 30 each year (June 15 for self-employed, but taxes still due April 30). Free CRA-certified software files it electronically in about an hour.
7 steps · 1–3 hours2025-Latest
Immigration
4 guides
How to Apply for a PR Card (Permanent Resident Card)
New permanent residents get their first PR card automatically after landing — no application needed. Renewals and replacements use paper form IMM 5444, cost $50, and take about 3 months. You must be in Canada to apply and to collect the card.
7 steps · 8–12 weeks (first cards) / 10–14 weeks (renewals)2025-Latest
How to Apply for Permanent Residence via Express Entry (Canada)
Express Entry manages three PR programs (Federal Skilled Worker, Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Trades). You build a profile with language tests and an education assessment, receive a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score, and wait for a draw invitation. Category-based draws (French, healthcare, STEM, trades) can pull candidates below the general cutoff.
10 steps · 6 months to 1+ years from profile to PR2025-Latest
How to Apply for Canadian Citizenship
After 3 years (1,095 days) of physical presence as a PR in the last 5 years — plus tax filings for 3 of those years — you can apply for citizenship. The process includes an online or in-person test for adults 18–54, an interview, and a ceremony where you take the oath and receive your citizenship certificate.
8 steps · About 1 year from application to ceremony2025-Latest
How to Apply for a Canadian Work Permit
Canadian work permits are employer-specific (tied to one employer and LMIA) or open (any employer — post-graduation, spousal, IEC working holiday). The online application through the IRCC portal needs the employer's offer details (LMIA number or LMIA-exempt category), biometrics, and proof you will leave at the end.
8 steps · 3 weeks (employer-specific online goal) to 6+ months2025-Latest
IDs & Licenses
8 guides
How to Apply for a SIN (Social Insurance Number)
A SIN is your 9-digit Canadian work and tax ID. You apply at a Service Canada office (same-day in most cases) or by mail if you cannot visit. Newcomers need a primary ID like a passport plus proof of immigration status, and the number arrives on a paper confirmation.
7 steps · Same day (in person) to 10+ business days (by mail)2025-Latest
How to Apply for a Canadian Passport
Apply online (renewals), by mail, or in person at a passport office or Service Canada point. Adults pay $130 (5-year) or $160 (10-year) plus fees in 2025. First-time applicants and new citizens need a guarantor and proof of citizenship; renewals are simpler.
6 steps · 2–8 weeks (service varies by season)2025-Latest
How to Get a Driver's Licence in Canada (Newcomers)
Licensing is provincial: Ontario, BC, Alberta, and others each run their own system. New drivers pass a graduated program (G1/G2/G in Ontario, for example), while newcomers from exchange countries can swap directly. Some countries only get credit for prior experience, reducing the waiting periods.
7 steps · 8–12 months (new drivers) / days (recognized exchange countries)2025-Latest
How to Get a Copy of a Canadian Birth Certificate
Birth certificates are issued by provincial and territorial vital statistics offices, not the federal government. You order online or by mail from the province where the birth was registered, pay $25–$50, and receive the certificate in 2–8 weeks. New parents register the birth first — the hospital does not do it for you.
6 steps · 2–8 weeks depending on province2025-Latest
Benefits & Health
2 guides
How to Apply for Provincial Health Insurance (OHIP and Equivalents)
Canada's health coverage is run by provinces. Apply as soon as you arrive (or move) — most provinces had waiting periods eliminated or reduced (Ontario no longer has one for newcomers; coverage starts your landing day). You need documents proving residence and status, then a health card arrives by mail.
6 steps · Same-day application; coverage after waiting period2025-Latest
How to Apply for the Canada Child Benefit (CCB)
The CCB is a tax-free monthly payment to families with children under 18 — up to about $648 per child per year for the 2025 base period (indexed yearly), reduced as family income rises. Newcomers apply with Form RC66 plus the RC66SCH supplement after 18 months of residency; everyone else applies through CRA My Account.
6 steps · 20 min application; payments start in 8–11 weeks2025-Latest
Business
4 guides
How to Register a Business in Canada (Federal or Provincial)
Registering in Canada is fast: choose sole proprietorship, partnership, or corporation; pick federal (Canada-wide name protection) or provincial (cheaper, faster); reserve a name; and file online. The CRA then issues a business number you extend into GST/HST and payroll accounts.
7 steps · 1–5 business days for registration2025-Latest
How to Get a Home Equity Loan or HELOC in Canada
In Canada the standard home equity product is the HELOC — a revolving line of credit secured by your home, repayable and re-drawable like a credit card. Federal rules cap the HELOC itself at 65% of your home's value, with total mortgage-plus-HELOC borrowing capped at 80%.
6 steps · 2–4 weeks from application to funds2025-Latest
How to Get a Personal Loan in Canada
A personal loan in Canada is usually unsecured with a fixed rate, fixed payment, and a term of 1–5 years (up to 7). Banks and credit unions serve strong credit; online lenders approve wider ranges at higher rates. Newcomers can qualify by building Canadian credit history first — or through newcomer banking programs that lend on foreign credit references.
6 steps · Same-day to one week from application to deposit2025-Latest
How to Get a Business Loan in Canada (CSBFP, BDC, and Banks)
Canada's flagship small-business loan is the CSBFP: the federal government guarantees up to 85% of a bank-made loan (up to $500,000 for most uses; $1M for real estate), letting banks finance startups and small businesses they would otherwise decline. Established businesses add BDC and bank term financing.
6 steps · 2–6 weeks for most business loans2025-Latest
Students
2 guides
How to Apply for a Canadian Study Permit
You need an acceptance letter from a Designated Learning Institution, a provincial Attestation Letter (PAL/TAL — required since 2024), and proof of $20,635 plus first-year tuition for yourself. Apply online through the IRCC portal; approved applicants abroad get a letter of introduction and, if needed, a visa to travel.
7 steps · 4–12 weeks (varies by country)2025-Latest
How to Apply for Student Financial Aid in Canada (OSAP and Provincial Aid)
Student aid is provincial: Ontario runs OSAP, other provinces run their own programs, and all combine federal loans and grants with provincial portions. Apply as soon as applications open (spring for fall study) — funding is income-tested on your (and parents') tax returns, so file taxes first.
6 steps · 1 hour application; 4–6 weeks processing2025-Latest
Civic Life
2 guides
How to Register to Vote in Canada
Canadian citizens 18+ can register online with Elections Canada in about 10 minutes, or simply show up at a polling station with proof of address and register on the spot. Permanent residents and temporary residents cannot vote in federal elections.
5 steps · 10 minutes online2025-Latest
How to Get a Police Record Check in Canada
Police record checks are run by local police services, not the RCMP directly. Most jobs need a basic criminal record check ($25–$50, often same day); working with children or vulnerable adults requires a vulnerable sector check, which includes a deeper search and takes longer.
5 steps · 1–3 weeks (same day in some detachments)2025-Latest
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