Pre-Arrival

Pre-arrival services are offered by the Government of Canada to immigrants selected to become Permanent Residents before coming to Canada.  They are FREE and help newcomers prepare for their move, settlement and employment in Canada.  Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada will often provide information on your eligible pre-arrival services in an invitation letter.

•   Planning for Canada
•   S.U.C.C.E.S.S. - AEIP
•   Settlement Online Pre-Arrival (SOPA)

Or see more options

Existing documents to bring with you:

• Passport, visa and any related immigration documents
• Health information, such as medical conditions and history, vaccination records
• Documents related to an adult’s education, professional certifications and work skills
• School documents for children
• Driving records, international driver license, letter from insurance company, driver abstract
• Marriage certificates; adoption, separation or divorce papers; birth certificates
• Settler’s effects list: prepare two copies of a list of all the goods you plan to bring into Canada.  Where relevant, show each item’s value, make, model, serial number. Divide the list into two sections, goods you’re bringing with you and items that are arriving later, and their money value
• Jewelry, describe jewelry or precisions ornaments on your list of goods.  Use wording from your insurance policy or jeweler’s appraisal, include photographs, and it can be helpful to know how much you paid for the items or have a receipt.

Preparations

• Find temporary accommodation for your first 2-8 weeks. You can stay in a hotel or Airbnb, but that can be expensive, so try to find one with a good monthly rate.  You may want to find a furnished apartment rental (kitchen, bathroom, sleeping space for all members of your family, telephone and internet).  Singles or couples can find a furnished room in a shared house for $500-900 per month; hotels, apartments, and homes to temporarily accommodate a family can start at $2000 per month.
• Determine how you will get from the airport to your accommodation, Saskatoon has taxis at the airport and you can also use Uber. Visit the YXE airport website for more transportation details, including a map with taxi fares from the airport to different areas of Saskatoon HERE.
• Learn about public transit and decide when you might need to rent or purchase a vehicle.
• Plan how you will eat for the first few days.  Grocery stores have international food options. We also suggest you pack a small amount of your family’s favourite food and snack items to help with the transition or be available in case of hunger and no immediate access to food. Foods you can bring include: Dried and packaged food (anything packaged or canned from a grocery store, basically) and cooked food (such as bread, cookies, and sandwiches).  Be aware that fresh fruits and vegetables, seeds and nuts, and animal and fish products are among the list of restricted items.  
• Regarding cash, it's a good idea to obtain from a bank before you leave, or you can also withdraw from an ATM or money exchange in the airport. Having Canadian cash ($100-$1000) can help in any situation where your debit or credit card is rejected.