We applied online 6-7 weeks before we were scheduled to leave for Canada. (To apply, go to the ScotiaBank StartRight Program site) The branch that we chose mailed us our "Welcome Package", consisting of some brochures and also our account information. You have an option to either wire your money (up to CAD 50,000, one time only) or deposit it when you arrive at Canada. We opted to just get a CAD bank draft in BPI and deposit it when we arrive. (We were told by someone, I forgot who, that if you … [Read more...]
Canada New Immigrants: How to Apply for Child Care Tax Benefit and the GST/HST Credit
One of the very first thing that we did (after getting our Social Identification Number) after landing in Vancouver as a new immigrant is to apply for the Child Care Tax Benefit (CCTB) and the GST/HST credit. The CCTB is "a tax-free monthly payment made to eligible families to help them with the cost of raising children under age 18." while the GST/HST credit is "a tax-free quarterly payment that helps individuals and families with low and modest incomes offset all or part of the GST or HST … [Read more...]