Bureaucracy in Canada

The paperwork that starts the moment you land: entry rules, health registration, tax residency, and the long road to citizenship.

Getting in the door

Roughly 50 nationalities — the US, UK, most of the EU, Japan, South Korea, Australia — can fly in visa-free but still need a $7 CAD eTA (Electronic Travel Authorization) before boarding; it’s usually approved within minutes. Everyone else needs a full Temporary Resident Visa ($100 CAD plus $85 CAD biometrics), which can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months depending on where you’re applying from.

At the airport, new permanent residents land with a Confirmation of Permanent Residence; work and study permit holders usually have their actual permit printed at the border, even if it was approved online in advance. That landing date is the one to remember — it typically starts your tax residency clock and, eventually, your citizenship clock.

Your first month

A bad accident in month one, uninsured, is the single most expensive newcomer mistake in this guide — the gap insurance line above is not optional advice.

Taxes, driving, and staying legal

Canadian tax residency is decided by the CRA, separately from your immigration status — for most newcomers it simply starts the day you move in. File a return even in a partial first year; it unlocks benefits like the GST/HST credit and Canada Child Benefit. Driver’s licence exchange rules are set province by province: Ontario, for instance, waives the road test entirely for licences from about 18 named countries, but gives everyone else credit for at most 12 months of foreign experience before requiring the full graduated system.

Permanent residency and citizenship

Once approved, your PR status has one ongoing rule: be physically present in Canada at least 730 days in every rolling five-year window. Citizenship itself requires 3 of the last 5 years physically present (part-time credit for pre-PR time, capped at 182 days), tax filings for 3 of those 5 years, a language test (CLB 4) and a 20-question civics test for anyone 18–54. Budget 10–14 months for a straightforward application.