Service Canada — Social Insurance Number (SIN)
Your SIN is the 9-digit number that lets you be paid, file taxes, open a bank account, and access government programs. Apply in person at any Service Canada office on arrival — usually issued same day.
- Bring: passport, work permit, and a Canadian address (a hotel works)
- Service Canada offices in Surrey, Burnaby, Vancouver, and Langley
- No appointment needed — walk in. Free.
- If your SIN starts with "9", that's normal for temporary residents
BC Services Card & MSP enrolment
Your BC Services Card is your provincial ID + MSP (Medical Services Plan) health card. Critical: there is a 3-month wait period. Purchase private interim health insurance before you fly — premiums are modest.
- Apply at any ICBC Driver Licensing Office (combines with driver's licence)
- Bring: passport, work permit, BC address, SIN
- Photo and signature captured same visit
- Card arrives in 2–3 weeks
- Interim insurance options: Manulife, Sun Life, BestQuote (recommended)
ICBC — Driver's licence & car insurance
ICBC is BC's public insurer — they handle both driver licensing AND auto insurance. Good news: the UK is on the reciprocity list. Your UK Class B (Category B) exchanges directly for a BC Class 5 — no road test required.
- Bring: UK photocard licence + paper counterpart, passport, work permit, BC address
- Surrender your UK licence (they keep it — order a replacement from DVLA later)
- Car insurance is mandatory before you drive. Basic coverage averages CAD $1,400–$2,200/yr for a new resident
- 90-day deadline from arrival — don't miss it
- Pro tip: pass the optional Knowledge Test for a free "experienced driver" record
Banking — opening a Canadian account
All five major banks offer free "newcomer" packages: no monthly fees for the first year, free debit, simplified credit history. You can apply before you arrive in many cases.
- RBC Newcomer Advantage — popular with international physicians
- TD New to Canada — strong online + branch network
- Scotiabank StartRight, BMO NewStart, CIBC Smart for Newcomers
- Bring: passport, SIN, work permit, proof of BC address
- Apply for a credit card immediately — Canada is a credit-history country
CRA — Canada Revenue Agency & tax
As a GP in BC, you're an incorporated business (most doctors are) or self-employed. You'll file with the CRA federally + BC provincially. Two practical steps day one:
- Register for "My Account" with the CRA (online portal for all tax matters)
- Apply for the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) if you have kids — tax-free monthly payments
- Get a Canadian accountant in your first month — most charge CAD $1,200–$2,500/yr for incorporated physicians
- BC has no UK-style stamp duty; property transfer tax is 1–3%
Enrolling your children in school
Public school is free for residents of BC (you qualify as soon as you have a work permit). Register directly with the local school district — not the school. Catchment area is determined by your home address.
- Surrey School District (SD36) — Canada's largest, strong programs
- Langley (SD35), Coquitlam (SD43), Maple Ridge–Pitt Meadows (SD42)
- Bring: child's birth certificate, your work permit, proof of address, immunisation records
- Private & IB options widely accessible at GP income (CAD $18k–$32k/yr)
- School year: September → June, with two-week winter and spring breaks
Housing — renting then buying
Most physicians rent for 6–12 months before buying, to learn the neighbourhoods. Furnished short-term lets while you settle are common.
- Rent: detached house in Surrey/Langley CAD $3,500–$5,500/mo; townhouse CAD $2,800–$4,000
- Buy: foreign buyer ban ended for work-permit holders — you can purchase. Mortgages available at 20% down once you have credit history
- Main sites: realtor.ca, rew.ca, Craigslist Vancouver
- Tenant protection is strong; deposits capped at 1/2 month's rent
- We connect you with a relocation-friendly realtor who has worked with our doctors
Mobile phone & home internet
Canadian mobile + internet is more expensive than the UK. Use the discount carriers — same networks, half the price.
- Mobile (discount): Public Mobile, Fido, Lucky Mobile — CAD $40–$60/mo unlimited
- Mobile (premium): Rogers, Telus, Bell — CAD $80–$120/mo
- Home internet: Shaw/Rogers, Telus, or local resellers like TekSavvy (cheaper)
- Number portability works — bring your existing number if you've a Canadian one
- Roaming UK → Canada is extortionate; get a local SIM immediately on arrival
Your 30 / 60 / 90 day checklist
We send this to every UK doctor before they fly. Print it, tick boxes, ignore the noise.
Land & legal
- Apply for SIN at Service Canada
- Open Canadian bank account
- Apply for BC Services Card + buy interim health insurance
- Get a Canadian mobile SIM
- Sign short-term rental (Airbnb / furnished sublet)
- Register at CPSBC for college fees (if not done already)
Drive, study, work
- Exchange UK licence for BC Class 5 at ICBC
- Buy or lease a car, arrange ICBC insurance
- Enrol children in school (school district direct)
- Begin clinic supervised practice
- Apply for credit card (build credit history)
- Open CRA "My Account" online
Settle & plan
- Apply for Canada Child Benefit (CCB) if applicable
- Find a long-term rental in your chosen neighbourhood
- Engage an incorporated-physician accountant
- BC Services Card delivered → MSP active
- Apply for permanent residency planning meeting
- Family doctors registered (irony noted — most physicians need one too)
Need someone to walk you through this in person?
We sit down with every doctor in their first week to tick every box together. No surprises.