Canada government paperwork, step by step.

Most residents file a T1 income tax return each spring. The T1 is Canada's personal income tax return. The deadline is April 30. For self-employed people, it is June 15. File even if you have no income. The Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB), the Canada Child Benefit, and other payments only start once you file. NETFILE-certified software walks you through the return. It sends the return straight to the CRA. First-year residents file a part-year return for the time they were resident.

9 steps · 1–3 hours with software2026-Latest

CRA My Account lets you see your Notice of Assessment. It also shows your RRSP and TFSA contribution room, and your benefit payments. Most important, it has Auto-fill My Return. This imports every slip the CRA already holds. Register with your SIN and one of three ways to prove your identity. Full access needs a one-time code. The CRA mails it to your address.

7 steps · 20 minutes + up to 2 weeks for the mailed security code2025-Latest

Employees who work from home can deduct home office expenses. But they need a signed T2200 from their employer. The detailed method claims a share of your rent, your utilities, and more. The temporary flat rate was $2/day. It ended in 2022. The detailed method remains.

7 steps · 1–2 hours2025-Latest

A T5 reports investment income over $50. It covers bank interest, dividends, and capital gains distributions. Each box maps to a specific line of your T1. And the dividend tax credit means eligible dividends are taxed at a lower rate in the end.

7 steps · 30–60 minutes2025-Latest

New permanent residents get their first PR card automatically after they land. You do not need to apply for it. The first card is free if you send your photo and address within 180 days of becoming a PR. Renewals and replacements use form IMM 5444, usually completed online through the Permanent Residence Portal (paper only if you cannot apply online). They cost $50 and take about 30 days for a first card and about 40 days for a renewal. You must be in Canada to apply, and you must be in Canada to get the card.

7 steps · About 30 days (first card) / 40 days (renewal); check current times2025-Latest

Express Entry manages three PR programs: Federal Skilled Worker, Canadian Experience Class, and Federal Skilled Trades. You build a profile with your language test results and an education assessment. You get a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. Then you wait for an invitation from a draw. Category-based draws can pick people below the general cutoff. The categories are French, healthcare and social services, STEM, trades, transport, education, physicians, researchers, senior managers, and skilled military recruits.

11 steps · 6 months to 1+ years from profile to PR2026-Latest

You can apply for citizenship after 3 years (1,095 days) of presence in Canada in person as a PR, within the last 5 years. You must also have filed taxes for 3 of those years. The process includes a test for adults 18–54, taken online or in person. It also includes an interview. At the end, there is a ceremony. You take the oath there and get your citizenship certificate.

8 steps · About 1 year from application to ceremony2025-Latest

Canadian work permits come in two types. An employer-specific permit ties you to one employer and an LMIA. An open permit lets you work for any employer. Open permits include post-graduation, spousal, and IEC working holiday permits. You apply online through the IRCC portal. You need your employer's offer details: the LMIA number, or the LMIA-exempt category. You also need biometrics, and proof that you will leave at the end.

8 steps · Varies by stream and country — check current times on canada.ca2025-Latest

Canadian citizens and permanent residents 18+ can sponsor a spouse for permanent residence. They can also sponsor a common-law or conjugal partner. There is no minimum income requirement. This is unlike parent sponsorship. Choose inland if your partner is already in Canada. Your partner can get an open work permit while you wait. Choose outland for easier travel in and out. Budget about $1,260 in IRCC fees. These fees have been in force since Apr 30, 2026. Add $85 for biometrics. Plan around IRCC's 12-month service standard. But actual processing is running longer: ~15–18 months outland, and ~21–26 months inland, as of late 2026.

7 steps · ~12 months (service standard; actuals often longer)2026-Latest

A SIN is your 9-digit Canadian work and tax ID. You can apply online, in person at a Service Canada office, or by mail. Online is the fastest. In person is usually same-day. Newcomers need a main ID, like a passport, plus proof of their immigration status. You get the number on a paper letter.

10 steps · Same day (in person) to about 20 business days (by mail)2026-Latest

You can apply online (renewals only), by mail, or in person at a passport office or Service Canada point. Adults pay $122.50 for a 5-year passport or $163.50 for a 10-year passport, plus fees (2026). Is this your first passport, or are you a new citizen? You need a guarantor and proof of citizenship. Renewals are simpler.

6 steps · 2–8 weeks (service varies by season)2026-Latest

Each province runs its own licence system. Ontario, BC, Alberta, and the others all differ. New drivers go through a graduated program. In Ontario, that is G1, then G2, then full G. Newcomers from exchange countries can swap their licence directly. People from some other countries only get credit for past driving experience. This makes the waiting periods shorter.

7 steps · 8–12 months (new drivers) / days (recognized exchange countries)2025-Latest

Provincial and territorial vital statistics offices issue birth certificates. The federal government does not. Order online or by mail from the province where the birth was registered. You pay roughly $25–$85. The price depends on the province and the service. You get the certificate in 2–8 weeks. New parents must register the birth first. The hospital does not do it for you.

6 steps · 2–8 weeks depending on province2025-Latest

The big five banks (RBC, TD, Scotiabank, BMO, CIBC) all offer newcomer packages. They come with fee waivers. Some even give you a credit card with no Canadian credit history. You can open an account before you have a job or credit history. You need your passport and your immigration document. Later, you add your SIN for interest reporting.

6 steps · 1–2 hours (same-day account)2025-Latest

A renewal uses a simplified application. You need no guarantor and no citizenship documents. You need your old passport, a new photo, two references, and the fee. Apply by mail, or at a Service Canada passport office. Standard service runs about 2–8 weeks. Passport offices also offer urgent and express options.

5 steps · 2–8 weeks (service level dependent)2026-Latest

Report the loss to the Passport Program. Then apply for a replacement with a general application, not a simplified renewal. You need proof of citizenship, a new photo, and a guarantor. A lost or stolen passport is cancelled right away once you report it. It can never be used again.

6 steps · 2–8 weeks (urgent options available)2026-Latest

Renewing a driver's licence in Canada is provincial. Ontario renews every 5 years (~$90), through ServiceOntario. BC renews every 5 years (~$75), through ICBC. Other provinces set their own cycles and fees. Most provinces allow online renewal, if your photo and details are current. If not, visit in person for a new photo. Driving on an expired licence risks fines and insurance trouble. A drivers licence renewal is the same process in every province: check your expiry, renew online or in person, and carry proof while the new card is mailed.

5 steps · 2–6 weeks by mail2026-Latest

Provinces run Canada's health coverage, not the federal government. Apply as soon as you arrive, or as soon as you move. Waiting periods differ. Ontario no longer has one for newcomers. Your coverage starts on your landing day. BC makes you wait the rest of your arrival month, plus two more months. You need documents that prove where you live and your status. Then your health card arrives by mail.

6 steps · Same-day application; coverage after waiting period2025-Latest

The CCB is a tax-free monthly payment. It goes to families with children under 18. The maximum is $8,157 per child per year for a child under 6. For ages 6–17, it is $6,883. These amounts are for the July 2026–June 2027 benefit year. The payment goes down as family income goes up. Temporary-resident newcomers apply with Form RC66, plus the RC66SCH supplement, after 18 months of residency with a valid permit in the 19th month. Permanent residents and protected persons can apply on arrival (also with Form RC66 + RC66SCH). Everyone else applies through CRA My Account.

6 steps · 20 min application; first payment within 8 weeks2026-Latest

Employment Insurance (EI) is Canada's unemployment insurance. It pays 55% of your average insurable earnings, up to a yearly maximum. It pays when you lose a job through no fault of your own. You need 420–700 insurable hours in the last 52 weeks. The exact number depends on your region's unemployment rate. Your employer issues a Record of Employment. You apply online through My Service Canada Account. Apply right away. A delay can cost you weeks of benefits.

6 steps · 28 days for first payment typical2026-Latest

CPP is the pension based on earnings. You paid into it through work. OAS is the pension based on residency, for seniors 65+. CPP can start at 60, with a reduced amount. Or you can wait until 70, for an increased amount. OAS is often automatic, but not always. Apply through My Service Canada Account, up to a year before you want payments to begin.

6 steps · Apply up to 12 months ahead2026-Latest

EI maternity benefits give the birth parent 15 weeks at 55% of earnings. Parental benefits then give either parent 35 weeks at 55% (standard), or 61 weeks at 33% (extended). Shared between both parents, the totals are 40 weeks (standard) or 69 weeks (extended), including 5 standard / 8 extended weeks available only when shared. You need 600 insurable hours in the last 52 weeks. Apply through My Service Canada Account as soon as you stop working. Decide standard or extended before the first payment. The choice is locked in.

6 steps · Up to 18 months combined2026-Latest

The Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB) is a tax-free quarterly payment. It is for low-income and modest-income Canadians. There is no application. Filing your tax return is the application. The CRA works out your eligibility automatically each July, from your return. Newcomers file their first return to trigger it, even with little income. The CGEB replaced the GST/HST credit in July 2026. Eligibility and structure are the same. Amounts are 25% higher through 2031.

5 steps · Automatic after filing2026-Latest

Registering a business in Canada is fast. First, choose your structure: sole proprietorship, partnership, or corporation. Next, pick federal or provincial registration. Federal protects your name across Canada. Provincial is cheaper and faster. Then reserve a name and file online. The CRA then gives you a business number. You add GST/HST and payroll accounts to it.

7 steps · 1–5 business days for registration2025-Latest

In Canada, the standard home equity product is the HELOC. It is a revolving line of credit, secured by your home. You can repay it and draw from it again, like a credit card. Federal rules cap the HELOC itself at 65% of your home's value. Total mortgage-plus-HELOC borrowing is capped at 80%.

6 steps · 2–4 weeks from application to funds2025-Latest

A personal loan in Canada is usually unsecured. It has a fixed rate and a fixed payment. The term is 1–5 years, up to 7. Banks and credit unions serve people with strong credit. Online lenders approve a wider range of people, at higher rates. Newcomers can qualify by building Canadian credit history first. Or they can use newcomer banking programs, which lend based on foreign credit references.

6 steps · Same-day to one week from application to deposit2025-Latest

Canada's flagship small-business loan is the CSBFP. The federal government guarantees up to 85% of a loan made by a bank. The limit is up to $500,000 for most uses, and $1M for real estate. This lets 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

Canadian rules vary by province. But the core steps are the same. Make the scene safe. Call 911 for any injury. Exchange details. Report the collision. In Ontario, damage over $5,000 means a Collision Reporting Centre visit within 24 hours. The threshold was raised from $2,000 on Jan 1, 2025. Any injury also means a visit. Notify your insurer within 7 days, even if you will not claim. In no-fault provinces like Ontario, your own insurer handles your injuries and your vehicle damage. This is true no matter who caused the crash.

7 steps · Claims take weeks to months2026-Latest

You need an acceptance letter from a Designated Learning Institution. You also need a provincial Attestation Letter (PAL/TAL). This has been required since 2024. And you need proof of $23,448, plus your first-year tuition. This is for one person, for applications on or after 1 September 2026. The figure is from IRCC, reported by Hindustan Times. Apply online through the IRCC portal. If you are approved and you are abroad, you get a letter of introduction. If you need one, you also get a visa to travel.

7 steps · 4–12 weeks (varies by country)2025-Latest

Student aid is provincial. Ontario runs OSAP. Other provinces run their own programs. All of them combine federal loans and grants with provincial parts. Apply as soon as applications open, in spring for fall study. Funding is based on income. The CRA checks your tax return, and your parents' returns too. So file your taxes first.

6 steps · 1 hour application; 4–6 weeks processing2025-Latest

Canadian citizens who are 18+ can register online with Elections Canada. It takes about 10 minutes. Or you can just 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

Local police services run police record checks, not the RCMP directly. Most jobs need a basic criminal record check ($25–$50, often same day). Work with children or vulnerable adults needs a vulnerable sector check. It includes a deeper search, and it takes longer.

5 steps · 1–3 weeks (same day in some detachments)2025-Latest

Auto insurance is mandatory everywhere in Canada. But who sells it depends on your province. BC, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba run public insurers (ICBC, SGI, MPI). Ontario, Alberta, and the rest use private companies. Compare at least 3–5 quotes. Understand the mandatory minimums in your province. Newcomers should bring a driving history letter from home. It can cut premiums a lot.

6 steps · 1–3 days to compare and bind2026-Latest