Your Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) is your original record of immigration. Please keep in mind the following points about your COPR:

• An immigration officer has signed and dated it.
• The information is correct and complete.
• Keep it in a safe place for life long.

(1) If you find incorrect information or if any information is missing on the document after landing, you may request to fix the mistakes. Please contact the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) call center at 1-888-242-2100 or visit IRCC Request to Amend COPR. 

(2) If you lost your COPR, please fill out the Verification of Status form to replace your document. To download the form and instructions, please visit IRCC: Verification of Status.

1. Here are several websites where you can find information on available rental properties:

• rentfaster.ca
• rentboard.ca

1. When renting a property, you may be asked to pay for the cost of utilities, such as water, heat, and electricity. Sometimes, the cost of utilities is included in the rent. To open an account for the utilities, please call 3-1-1 or 4-1-1 to ask for the contacts of service providers.
2. If you have a problem with the landlord, read the rules in the Residential Tenancy Dispute Resolution Service (RTDRS). For more information, please visit information for tenants.

For most newcomers, the SIN is the first document to apply for. Visit a Service Canada office to apply. To look for office locations and application details, please visit Service Canada – Apply for a SIN

New immigrants can apply for the AHCIP at a registry office. You must provide supporting documents that prove:

• Alberta residency (such as a rental agreement)
• Identity (such as a passport)
• legal entitlement to be in and remain in Canada (such as a permanent resident card or confirmation document or letter)

1. To learn more about the ACHIP and the application process, please visit AHCIP
2. To learn about which medical services are covered and which are not covered under the AHCIP, please visit

• AHCIP-covered
• AHCIP-partially covered
• AHCIP-not covered

3. To look for a registry office location, please visit Registry Office

The Calgary Language Assessment & Referral Centre (CLARC) is funded by the government and provides free language tests to immigrants and refugees. Listening, speaking, reading, and writing are all assessed. For more information, please visit  English Testing & Classes

If you have a school aged child, you need to have them registered with a school board after landing. There are two school boards in Calgary: the Calgary Board of Education (CBE) and the Calgary Catholic School District (CCSD). Both school boards provide education to students from kindergarten to grade 12.

1. For the Calgary Board of Education (CBE) Kingsland Reception Centre contact information, and to find more information about registration, please visit CBE-School Registration

• For more information about Calgary Board of Education programs, please visit CBE-Program Options

2. For Calgary Catholic School District (CCSD) St. John Reception Centre’scontact information and to learn about the registration process and documents required to register, please visit

 

 

 

You can ride a bus or the C-train to travel around the city. A ticket or a pass is required to use the public transit system. A ticket is valid for 90 minutes for transferring between buses and C-trains in any direction. A pass will allow you to use the transit system as much as you need to for the day or month printed on the pass. Adult and youth Day Passes are only available for purchase at ticket vending machines at all CTrain stations. Seventh Avenue in downtown is a free fare zone. You do not need a ticket or a pass to use the C-train in that zone.

Visit and browse following site to see how you can get to all the attractions on public transit: Calgary Transit – Home Page

It is a good idea to learn about Canadian currency, exchanging foreign money to Canadian currency, sending money to Canada, and opening a bank account.

Image source: Bank of Canada

To open a bank account, you usually need to go to a bank and provide an acceptable form of identification.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has prepared related information for new immigrants. For detailed information, please visit

Money – Canada.ca

Banking – Canada.ca

 

 

There are non-profit-organizations that provide employment preparation programs to help internationally educated professionals with job searching. For detailed information, please visit 

Employment, Training and Career Services Directory:

http://www.humanservices.alberta.ca/services-near-you/2433.html

and the employment resources on our platform employment resources: Start Here – Immigrant Services Calgary

 

1.  GST/HST Credit is a tax-free quarterly payment made to eligible individuals or families. If you are a resident of Canada for income tax purposes and 19 years of age or older, you may be eligible for the GST/HST credit.

New residents of Canada can apply for the GST/HST credit by completing the Application for Individuals Who Become Residents of Canada( Form RC151, GST/HST Credit Application for Individuals Who Become Residents of Canada) for the year that they  become a resident of Canada.

For more information please visit CRA-GST/HST Credit

 

2. Canada Child Benefit (CCB) is a tax-free monthly payment made to eligible families to help them with the cost of raising children under the age of 18. If you are a resident of Canada for income tax purposes and primarily responsible for the care of your children under the age of 18, you may be eligible for the benefit. New immigrants or Returning Residents of Canada need to fill out and sign “Canada Child Benefit Application” formand include “Status in Canada/Statement of Income” form  (RC66 Canada Child Benefits Application includes federal, provincial, and territorial programs – Canada.ca) with their application. The completed application forms and supporting documents proving the immigration status and proof of birth for each child should be mailed to the  tax centre corresponding to the province of residence. 

For more information, please visit Overview of child and family benefits – Canada.ca

 

3. Employment Insurance (EI) is a temporary financial assistance to unemployed Canadians and permanent residents who have lost their job through no fault of their own while they look for work or upgrade their skills. The individual needs to have worked enough insurable hours to be eligible for EI. Canadians who are sick, pregnant, caring for a newborn or adopted child, caring for a family member who is seriously ill with a significant risk of death, or caring for their critically ill or injured child may be assisted by Employment Insurance. For more information, please visit: Service Canada – Canada.ca

 

4. Alberta Child and Family Benefit | Alberta.ca (ACB) is a non-taxable amount paid to lower-income families in Alberta with children under 18 years of age. ACB payments are made quarterly in August, November, February and May. Families need to file income tax return to receive the benefit, but there is no working income requirement. For more information, please visit ACB

 

5. Alberta Family Employment Tax Credit (AFETC) is a tax-free amount paid to families in Alberta that have working income and children under 18 years of age. You need to file income tax return and there is a minimum working income requirement to be eligible for the benefit. Payments are made in July and January. For more information, please visit AFETC

 

6. Alberta Child Health Benefit (ACHB) provides health benefit coverage for children under 18, and 18-19 year old dependents living at home and attending school. The intent is to ensure that children from lower income families have equal access to extended medical services. For more information, please visit: Alberta Child Health Benefit | Alberta.ca

 

7. Alberta Adult Health Benefit (AAHB) provides support to low-income Albertans who are pregnant or have high ongoing prescription drug needs. The intent is to ensure that eligible adults have access to prescription drugs, dental services, optical services, emergency ambulance and diabetic supplie For more information, please visit: 

 

8. The Calgary Board of Education waives school fees for low-income Qualified parents/guardians can also apply for waiver of Transportation Fees, Music Instrument Rental Fees and Lunch Supervision Fees. For Fee Waiver application forms and more information, please visit: Central Fee Waiver – Fees & Waivers – CBE

 

9. Calgary residents in financial need can apply for Calgary Transit Low Income Transit The purchase price will be assigned based on a sliding scale pricing system. Applicants are required to submit Fair Entry application form and provide proof of address and household income. For more information, please visit: Low Income Monthly Pass (calgarytransit.com)

 

10. City of Calgary Recreation Fee Assistance Program offers low income Calgarians subsidized access to facilities that are registered with the City of Calgary and other programs offered by the Fee Assistance Partners.

To search for an immigrant-serving agency in Calgary, please visit: Find free newcomer services near you (cic.gc.ca)