1. What is the living cost roughly in Toronto?
One of the biggest concerns of new immigrants is how much is going to cost everything!
Food
1. Eating out can cost around $5 for breakfast, $10 for lunch and $10 for dinner, eating ok but without going
to a restaurant. For example, eating somewhere like Subway, KFC, Tim Hortons, etc. Eating in a nice,
but not really expensive, restaurant can cost around $25 per head.
2. Eating at home can cost around $400 for a family of 4 with kids between 4 and 14 years old. If you have
babies, add $100 for diapers and baby food; older than 14 years old add $100 more. And $50 more for ever
extra kid between 4 and 14 years old.
Car
1. Gas is around $200 per car per month.
2. Insurance will vary according to the expertise but goes between $100 and $450. With a G licence it
can start a $180 and go down to $120 after a year.
3. With a G1 or G2 licence it would cost from $250 to $450 a month, depending of the company and
in that order.
Housing
1. Renting a house just outside of Toronto (driving 20 to 30 minutes to the city), 3 beds, around $150
+ basemen and garage, it would cost in a nice area, $1600 a month, plus hydro and gas, for a total
of $1850.
2. Renting in Toronto it would cost at least $300 more.
3. If you want to buy a house, you would need to have an initial of 35% if you are a newly landed immigrant,
or 5% initial if yo have a year of good credit in the country.
4. To buy the house I used for the renting example it would cost around $300,000; so with the 35% initial,
mortgage, taxes and utilities, you are looking to pay around $1290 a month.
Transportation
1. A car can cost around $20,000, paying $260 a month, and you can buy it or lease it, depending of
the necessities.
2. Public transportation in Toronto (TTC) costs $110 a month per person, and public transportation living in
the outskirt would be $245 a month + TTC.
Education
Free until you graduate from high school and you can get help from the government to pay for the university
and you pay them after you graduate and start to work.
Clothing
$600 a year per person, so around $200 a month for a family of 4.
Phone and Internet
Each celular phone: $50
VoI: $40
Cable: $40
Internetl: $40
Entertainment and others
$400
2. What documents should I carry with me when I migrate to Canada?
It is important to carry following documents at the time you arrive in Canada:
1. A valid passport with Permanent Residence for yourself and each family member travelling with you.
2. Two copies of a detailed list of all the personal or ousehold items you are bringing with you, including
total values ofsuch items.
3. Two copies of a list of items that are arriving later (that you may shipped, etc) including total values
of such items.
4. Enough money to cover living expenses such as rent, food, clothing and transportation for a six-month
period. You may be asked to show proof of your funds. Do not pack your documents in a suitcase.
You will need to have them available to show to immigration and customs officials.
Following documents are not requirement at the time of landing, however, it is important to have these
documents for future reference.
1. Birth certificates.
2. Marriage certificates
3. School records, diplomas or degrees for each family member travelling with you
4. Trade or professional certificates and licences inlcuding letters of reference from former employers
5. A list of your educational and professional qualifications and job experience
6. If possible, Immunization, vaccination, dental and other health records for each family member
7. Driver’s license, including an International Driver’s Permit
8. Photocopies of all essential and important documents, in case the originals get lost
(do not keep with originals)
9. Abstract from your last vehicle Insurance Company detailing safe driving record (if appli
3. What should I do after landing in Canada?
You should apply for following documents ASAP, as it takes time, roughly, 30-45 days to get
all necessary documents in hand.
- Have a mailing address where all below documents can be sent or used for processing.
Once you have a permanent address, make sure you intimate to all ministries.
- Permanent Resident Card (PR card) - Applied at Airport at the time of arrival. You get this in post
in around 30 days.
- Social Insurance Number (SIN card). Visit to your nearest Service Canada centre.
- Open Bank A/C to deposit your money and to have residential address.
- Health Card such as Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP), etc. Without proof of address you can
not have apply for health card.
- Temporary private, health insurance coverage, as on your health card you will be covered after 3-months
from the date of applying.
- Look for a long term accommodation. (visit various websites, search in individual apartments, contact
buiding managment offices such as MetCap, etc)
- Visit various government funded organisation such as JVS, VPi, Human Resources centre, Libraries,
to get information on how to apply for job, prepare Canadian style resume, job search tips.
- Your first Canadian Driving License (G1). This is a theory exam comprising of traffic rules and
signsquestions. Visit
- Membership at the library, where you can also avail internet services.
- If you have children, find an appropriate school for them in the proximity of your home.
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