Getting through the process is one thing and it is also not a day-to-day activity. You will be living your regular life on most days until an email from IRCC pops-up, and some excitement will begin. If you have reached the process where all your documents have been submitted, your passport was requested for visa – you should start looking into the items that you will be taking with you and all the things to do before you leave your home country.

Like I said, processing your application is just a task that you will be attending to. The real game begins when you receive your visa, your PR document and the instruction on what you need to do next. It is exciting but it can make you anxious too. Lets talk about things that you should keep in mind before catching that flight.

Accommodation:

If you know someone in Canada and would be staying with them initially – congrats! That is a bonus. This will save you a lot of money and hassle on finding a place and quite possibly will also save you from not getting scammed. Stay there for a few weeks, and then move into your own place. Do remember to not over-live your welcome period!

If you do not know anyone, Airbnb is the next best option. Now booking Airbnb’s can be a little tricky. If you are arriving during Summer months, everything will be fairly expensive since people really like travelling during those months. But don’t let that discourage you, try booking at least 2-3 months in advance. Chat with the owner and ask them for a discount – most will give you some. Make sure you do not book a place which is far from Transit stations or Downtown as initially you will be going there often for your documentation. Book the place, give your mind some peace and forget about it.

Flight:

Booking your flight would be another most important item on your list. Just like accommodation, book flight months in advance as it would cost you less as compared to booking a month before you plan to leave. Check for flight routes, timings and plan your itinerary accordingly. Looking up flights from Air Canada would help you plan your route as the final flight booking will also be finding options for your connecting flights.

Luggage:

You will have a lot of luggage space. It depends on you if you pack wisely or not. All you need is to bring enough clothes (warm) and a warm throw that can get you through the first season. Once you are here, you will know that most warm clothes that you brought with you will usually be used here during not-so-cold days – unless you are in Vancouver or Montreal. Do not forget to bring formal shirts and suit(s) with you. Jeans will not suffice, you need formal clothing for your interviews.

I did not bring any utensils with me and I would suggest you don’t do that either. There is a lot you can find here. There is also option to get used stuff in good condition, but of course if you are comfortable with that! Pack all clothes, heavy big stuff in the checked bags, including any lotions, perfumes, creams or sunscreen.

When it comes to clothing and basics, you can buy everything here and in great quality. However, as you are immigrating and possibly don’t have a job yet. It is better to get all your essentials from back home so that you do not need to start buying things as soon as you land here. Saving money will take you a long way.

Electronic Devices:

I keep saying this again and again because I actually want to put an emphasis on this – bring everything from home. It is exciting to get the latest iPhone or Samsung with no down payment, but the monthly payments actually put a dent in your budget. Bring your phone, laptop, tab – everything that you need from home and try not to spend money on these devices in your initial months.

These is most of the things to do that I can think of right now. The most important thing at the end would be to spend a lot of time with your loved ones. Once you are here, you will realize it is not as easy to plan your visits back home as you would have thought.