Opening Bank Account

Opening up a bank account in Canada for you is easy, you just have to choose which bank will give you a good offer, when you open an account with them. Go in person to the branch, bring photo ID and your SIN.

I will list down some of the offers on each bank

These offers are for Chequing Account

Chequing Account	Special Feature	Fee
Scotia One Account	10,000 SCENE or Scotia Rewards points Sign-up bonus + Earn rewards on each transaction	$0
Tangerine No-Fee Daily Chequing	Starting at 0.15% earn interest on any balance	$0
BMO Performance Plan	Unlimited self-service transactions	$15.95 waved with $4,000 min balance
TD US Daily Interest Chequing	0.01%-0.10% from balances $1,000-$60,000	$0
RBC Day to Day Banking	Earn 20% on Metro Points	$4

Chequing Account is meant for everyday transactions, like paying for gas, buying something in a store.

And these are good for Savings Account 

Bank Account	Interest Rates	Minimum Balance
Tangerine Standard Savings	2.75% for new clients, regular rate 1.10%	$0
Scotia Momentum Plus Savings Account	Up to 2%	$0
TD ePremium Savings	1.05%	$10,000
RBC High Interest eSavings	1%	$0
BMO Savings Builder	0.2% to 1.6%	$0

A high interest savings account is a type of savings account that pays higher interest than standard savings accounts. And are designed to save money in for a longer period of time.

Scotia and RBC uses android app so you can install it to your phone and get access to your banking anytime anywhere. 

Most of the banks if they know that you are a new comer they will offer you a Credit Card to start building up your Credit Score, which will help them evaluate how good you are in managing your credit and money. Paying bills is also included in calculating credit score. So that is why be on Top of your bills and never missed payment due, this will impact how bad or good you are. You will need at least 650 score to get a mortgage, but with it you will still get a fair interest, unlike if you are in 690-800 score you will get a good mortgage rate and offer lower interest.

After opening up an account ask for a Void Cheque print out, you will need it when you apply for work. This is one of their requirements so they can put you in their company payroll system.

Void Cheque 
contains your name, account no. branch, and institution no.

Important Things for New Comer!

First place to go is Service Ontario with all your documents like

• PERMANENT RESIDENT CONFIRMATION 
• PASSPORT with VISA.

The reason is you have to get your own S.I.N. (SOCIAL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER), After obtaining S.I.N. you will be able to get OHIP  or  (ONTARIO HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN or Government Health Insurance Plan ), open up bank account, get phone line, obtain driver's license and apply for JOB.

Important! Dont share your S.I.N. to stranger. Only deal with banks and creditors like when you apply for a Car Loan or Personal Loan where S.I.N. is required.

S.I.N. (SOCIAL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER) : is your key to access government services, pay tax, employment, Health benefits and any Loan to bank or outside lender.

OHIP (ONTARIO HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN)  health benefits for Ontarian's. They can access free medical services like surgery, knee replacement, cancer treatment, kidney removal/replacement, eye exam,
and free medication if the medicine is covered by it. Almost 90% is covered, especially children they get free health benefits even if they don't pay tax yet. This OHIP is covered when you pay tax.

there will be waiting period for the OHIP to take place and it will be 3 months, so anything happens to you with in that period is not covered and you have to pay the expenses coming from your pocket. So it is important to get a Term Health Insurance for 3 months.

One thing that stands out here is the HEALTH BENEFITS this is like Phil-health but more robust and accessible.

Departure to Arrival to Canada.

This blog is dedicated to give some information based from my experience para  makatulong sa mga Pilipino family na magtatravel or magrere-unite sa Canada from Philippines.

July 14 2017, nang umalis kami sa pinas noong nasa airport na kami sa NAIA ito ang steps na dinaanan namin: 

1. Bago pumasok sa Airport ipinakita sa guard ang passport at E-ticket namin.
2. Nagpunta kami sa Check-in Luggage at kinilo na nila doon ang mga bag namin at nilagayan nila ng TAG, iniwan na namin ang mga Bag doon sa check in luggage counter, at binigyan kami ng "Boarding Pass".
3. Meron kaming finill-upon na papers each of us bago kami pumasok ng immigration section. Yung mga details na ilalagay sa form is nasa Passport at Boarding Pass na binigay sa Check in luggage counter.
4. Pinakita namin ang mga passport namin with visa sa Immigration officer kasama iyong form na finil-upon namin.
5. Dumaan kami sa Security Scanner tinangal namin lahat ng may bakal sa katawan namin, sapatos at nilagay sa crate kasama ng mga hand carry bags namin at nag pass through sa scanner pero...

Marami akong nabasa sa internet na bawal daw magdala ng bottled water na more than 100 ml.  Pero iyong bottled water namin na more than 100ml naipasok namin sa loob ng waiting area hangang sa eroplano. (Maluwag ang security sa NAIA.)

6. Tapos naghanap kami ng upuan malapit sa boarding gate number namin.

We waited I think 4 hours for our flight. Andoon na ang kaba at takot sa heights pero kailangan labanan ang takot para mabuo ang pamilya, God is always there to comfort.

7.  Nag announce na sila for passengers na pumasok na designated waiting area for our flight we have to fall in-line at ipakita sa clerk ang passport at boarding pass namin at nag-hintay ulit kami ng another 2 hours and 30 mins.

8. Time is up nag-start na silang magpapasok sa aroplano but senior citizen 1st mga nakawheel chair after nila, tsaka kami pinapasok. Pinakita ulit namin sa flight attendant ang boarding pass namin para ma-assist nila kami at madirect sa upuan namin.

Hindi ko mapigilan nerbyus ko nung nagtake off na ang plane ramdam ko na umangat na iyong gulong sa lupa biglang nagdilim ang paningin ko at feeling nasa fairy's wheel or nag-slide ako pababa negative thinking na baka magcrash or magkaroon ng aberya while on air, while iyong mga anak ko tinitignan nila habang umaangat kami sa lupa, ako hindi ko magawang tignan ng matagal nalulula ako. 

But praise God okay naman  nakaka-experience din kami ng turbulence kaya nag-aannounce sila ng fasten your seat belt. para lang bus pag nasa taas na at ang ganda ng view.

after magtake off, 30 mins nagserve na sila ng mga pagkain, mostly mashed potato, salad, cake, milk, softdrinks, wine if gusto niyo ng wine, hindi maganda lasa ng pagkain sa eroplano para sa akin. mapapasabak kana sa pagsasalita ng english dahil english speaking ang mga flight attendant. 

almost 17 hrs kami sa taas before the stop over sa vancouver to clean the plane, mag-pagas at unboard iyong mga ibang passenger, it took us 1 hr and 30 mins.

Then another 5 hrs flight ulit going to Toronto Pearson Airport, 2 hours bago maglanding nagbigay sila ng paper to list down iyong mga dala dalang package, gaya ng mga dried fish, squid, at mga filipino delecasy na nasa luggage namin. Kelangan ideclare lahat iyong andoon para hindi kayo magkaproblema sa custom ng Canada. Ok lang magdala ng mga iyon as long as hindi siya pang commercial, for personal use lang siya, bawal ang Meat any kind of raw meat, fish. 

Commercial use: bundle bundle ang item na dala sa luggage para sa iisang item/my balak kayong ibenta sa Canada ang mga goods na dala nyo kaya marami. Iwasan nyo nalang magdala ng maraming goods.
Personal use: assorted na ibat ibang klase ng mga filipino delecasy.



Meron kiosk before kayo pumasok sa custom department  the same process then i-fifill up nyo siya sa computer declaring lahat ng mga goods na dala nyo, they took picture of me kasi ako ang matanda mga bata hindi na sila nag-picture, enter nyo details ng passport nyo doon then after that my print out na lalabas sa kiosk na iyon at ipapakita nyo sa custom desk kasama nung list na ibinigay sa inyo while you were in the plane.

"sa mga may mga USB or External Hard drive na pinaglalagyan nyo ng files nyo hindi naman nila inscan iyong sa amin, iyong USB hard drive ko kasi nasa luggage ko." 

"for my opinion puwede kayo magdala ng mga digital copy ng mga movies sa USB,but its up to you to take the risk. "

After custom ididirect nila kayo kung saan ang immigration department para ipakita lahat ng documents nyo like Confirmation of Permanent Residency, Passport w/ visa, at mag-iinterview lang ng konti ang immigration officer tungkol sa papers nyo, wag kabahan relax lang, after the interview lalagyan nila ng stamp at i-sasign ng officer ang papers nyo at okay na.

Then claim nyo na ang mga luggage nyo sa luggage claim area ipakita nyo ulit iyong boarding pass nyo para matrack down nyo kung anong area no. nyo kukunin luggage nyo.


WELCOME TO CANADA  KABAYAN!!!