What to Pack When Moving to Canada

Congratulations on your exciting move! Whether you’ve been accepted to move to Canada or you’ve applied and getting organized this will be super helpful in knowing what to pack when moving to Canada. Moving here has been the best decision I have ever made. Prior to living in Vancouver I lived and worked in Australia so I’m quite familiar with what’s important and what can be left behind. In comparison to the Australian work visa the process and getting set up in Canada is a little more involved. The climate in Canada – depending on where you are living, can be extreme. This post will shed some light on the process of moving, getting set up, guidance on what to pack and what you may need to purchase.

I’ve had issues with a few electronic devices not working over the years, due to the voltage so I will also speak about that! Luggage weight is crucial when moving countries so I want to make sure you just pack the necessities.

This in depth guide should tell you what to pack for you move to Canada. However please do reach out if you have any other questions, I know how daunting it can be. Especially so if this is your first international move!

Non-Negotiable’s when moving to Canada

Activating your visa can be a little overwhelming, so being organized and having everything in one place really helps to ensure a speedy journey through immigration.

Make sure you have:

  • A valid passport
  • Point of entry letter (POE)
  • Travel Insurance for the duration of your visa
  • Proof of bank account funds
  • Accommodation address of where you are staying
  • Money that is accessible
  • Drivers license
  • Any other documents that you may need during your stay (Birth certificate, marriage certificate, student transcript, letter of employment)

There is free WiFi in most airports I’ve been in within Canada however I always have these documents printed and in a folder just incase it doesn’t work. It’s a lot easier to give over all of your documents in one go then open up all the different folders. There are automated machines in YVR which you go to before immigration that essentially asks you how many days you’ll be in Canada. If you already know ahead of time when you’ll be leaving the country again I would work that out prior as well.

Moving to Canada, what to pack_1
Moving to Canada, what to pack_2

To organise prior to moving to Canada

Things to look at ahead of arriving so you can plan your time accordingly when you first get here.

A temporary place to stay

Finding long term accommodation ahead of coming to Vancouver isn’t recommended, as there are a lot of scams. In the UK we are very used to signing a lease for a place to live months ahead of time. However this is not the case in Vancouver, you will probably find somewhere and be able to move in a few weeks to a month. The turnaround is much quicker! The most affordable option I myself, and friends have done is to find an Airbnb for a month or so and view apartments, set up everything from there. You can also do the same with hostels and hotels if you’d prefer! Having a short term base initially will help you get bank cards, SIN numbers delivered etc. 

Finances

Banking is unfortunately not free in Canada. Most accounts have a monthly fee, however being a newcomer you will be eligible for deals so a lot of bank’s do offer to waive the fees for the first six months to a year. Sometimes this is listed on their website and other times it will be worth going in and asking them. Initially you will want to have a way to access your money using an international card and possibly having some Canadian dollars in cash. I personally would make a bank appointment on the day after you arrive to allow to the card to need to arrive in the mail. I have used Revolut and Monzo banks personally, coming from the UK. 

Unless you have a job confirmed ahead of time, you should budget to be able to live for a few months while job searching. Most 1 bedroom apartments will want you to sign a lease for 6-12 months depending on the place. Average apartment prices for a 1 bed have gone up to around $2,500 per month. Internet is likely to be around $75 a month and electricity is Hydro could be around $40 every 3 months depending on the place. You can live much cheaper than this in a shared house or apartment which people advertise on Facebook Marketplace. The studio and 1 bed, 2 bedroom apartments can be listed on Craigslist, Kijiji or Facebook Marketplace again. Alternatively a lot of the buildings have such high turn around they have ‘To Rent’ signs outside the buildings so walking around on foot around the area you’re interested in is also a good idea.

Update your resume

When you get there, there will be a lot of moving parts so making sure you’ve updated your resume beforehand would be a great thing to tick off before you arrive. I was in a great Facebook group called ‘Brits in Vancouver’ before moving and it was a great resource for SO many questions I had. You can also check out https://moving2canada.com/ for ensuring your CV is in a Canadian format. As a Graphic Designer, I reached out to temporary work companies such as, x and x before arriving too and took on little contracts while searching for a full time role.

Accommodation and employer references

Since you will have no Canadian experience or references it’s good to have references in mind before you will need them. Your new rental property will want previous references to reach out to. Ask references ahead of time for their contact information and if possible give email address as a preferred method of contact due to the potential time difference. 

Medication

If you’re taking medication regularly you will want to make sure you have 3-6 months worth when you come over. If you’re coming to BC you will be able to apply for MSP here it isn’t instant so just be prepared to potentially pay up to $100 for an appointment to see a doctor if you need to before you have the MSP approved. The contraceptive pill is recently now free of charge, it can take a few tries to find a suitable alternative.

what to pack when moving to Canada
what to pack when moving to Canada_2

Clothes and miscellaneous items for your move to Canada

Most airlines don’t include luggage when you purchase a flight anymore so keep in mind you’ll probably want at least one if not two suitcases when making the move over to Canada. Depending on the climate of the city you’re moving to will affect what you will need to bring. If you are planning on using the two year visa and only that, you will need to be realistic with what to bring. If you see this move as more long term and want to apply for Permanent Residency from the beginning it may be worth looking into getting things shipped.

If you’re a skier or snowboarder and have your own equipment some of the bigger airlines offer you to take this on complimentary, make sure to look into this when looking for flights as this could change over time. The outdoorsy things in Canada are cheaper to purchase due to the pound being so strong but if you do have hiking or camping stuff with you, I would consider bringing it. 

When I moved over here I had very basic/no outdoor gear really. I brought a checked suitcase bag, traveling backpack, a hand luggage sized carry on and a sewing machine. The sewing machine was a mistake, I would not recommend this.

In general, electricals don’t necessarily work that well if they’re not the same voltage. Canadian plugs are  120 volts, where as the UK is 240 volts. My GHD hair straightener worked perfectly, however some hair tools, depending on the brand may not. Using a plug adaptor will work fine for most things and even after 5 years there’s still a few things I use it for! That being said, high powered electronics such as a sewing machine or hair dryer, will put a big strain on the adapter and would break over time so best to purchase those in particular here! 

Clothing

  • Warm winter coat
  • Jumpers
  • Jeans
  • Dresses
  • Skirts & shorts
  • Tops & T-shirts
  • Leggings
  • Gym gear
  • Everyday shoes
  • Trainers
  • Hiking shoes
  • Going out shoes/heels
  • Hats, scarf, gloves
  • Umbrella
  • Swimmers
  • Handbags
  • Day rucksack
  • Sunglasses 

Toiletries

  • Skincare products
  • Toothbrush & toothpaste
  • SPF & suncream
  • Contraceptive pill (or other, if needed) 
  • Hairbrush 
  • Shampoo & conditioner
  • Make up
  • Make up remover
  • Body wash & lotions

Outdoor activities

  • Waterproof jacket
  • Lightweight puff jacket 
  • Backpack
  • Tent
  • Any other camping stuff

For the colder climates

  • Thermals
  • Base layers
  • Snow boots
  • Thick socks
  • Waterproof gloves

For skiing/snowboarding

  • Skis
  • Ski boots
  • Jacket
  • Ski pants
  • Goggles
  • Helmet
  • Face mask
  • Thick socks
moving to Canada_1
moving to Canada_2

Thanks for reading this what to pack when moving to Canada post!

I hope you’ve found this post useful and it’s given you an idea of what to pack when moving to Canada. If there’s anything I’ve missed or anything else you want to know, please reach out here!

Love, Chrissy x

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