Life without PR card and credit history

[wyho007]

Landed for 3 weeks, these are the inconvenience found without a PR card/credit history:

1. Cannot open some online bank accounts to earn higher interest on savings, some banks require 6 months of credit history.
2. Cannot get Costco membership since it requires Canada gov't issued ID. It doesn't even take my rental contract as proof of residence.
3. The new comers package at big banks say they offer unsecured credit cards for new immigrants, that's not true. I still need to put a secure deposit getting a credit card.
4. Without PR card, I only have my passport as identification. Anywhere/Anything that needs 2 IDs will turn me away. I once picked up my new credit card at the bank (since staying at temp residence and doesn't want mail to be sent there) and they require 2 pieces of IDs. I needed to almost make a scene there before they let me collect my card.

I have yet to find out more, not too optimistic when I start my job search frankly.

 

[kh]

Can't you use your home-country driver's license as a second proof of ID?

 

[torontosm]

Landed for 3 weeks, these are the inconvenience found without a PR card/credit history:

1. Cannot open some online bank accounts to earn higher interest on savings, some banks require 6 months of credit history.
2. Cannot get Costco membership since it requires Canada gov't issued ID. It doesn't even take my rental contract as proof of residence.
3. The new comers package at big banks say they offer unsecured credit cards for new immigrants, that's not true. I still need to put a secure deposit getting a credit card.
4. Without PR card, I only have my passport as identification. Anywhere/Anything that needs 2 IDs will turn me away. I once picked up my new credit card at the bank (since staying at temp residence and doesn't want mail to be sent there) and they require 2 pieces of IDs. I needed to almost make a scene there before they let me collect my card.

I have yet to find out more, not too optimistic when I start my job search frankly.

1. Go to a bank branch and open the account there
2. Go to your local Service Ontario or equivalent (depending on your province) and ask them for a Govt. ID card. They will provide it to you and it works.
3. Go to a different bank. Scotia and CIBC definitely offer this service.
4. See number 2.

 

[xpressentry]

1. Go to a bank branch and open the account there
2. Go to your local Service Ontario or equivalent (depending on your province) and ask them for a Govt. ID card. They will provide it to you and it works. How long does this take to get issued?
3. Go to a different bank. Scotia and CIBC definitely offer this service.
4. See number 2.

 

[torontosm]

It takes 4-6 weeks, according to the Service Ontario site:

https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontario-photo-card

 

[CDNPR2014]

Landed for 3 weeks, these are the inconvenience found without a PR card/credit history:

4. Without PR card, I only have my passport as identification. Anywhere/Anything that needs 2 IDs will turn me away. I once picked up my new credit card at the bank (since staying at temp residence and doesn't want mail to be sent there) and they require 2 pieces of IDs. I needed to almost make a scene there before they let me collect my card.

a pr card is not needed to get a driver's license or provincial id in Ontario, and some other provinces.

 

[bellaluna]

a pr card is not needed to get a driver's license or provincial id in Ontario, and some other provinces.

Yeah, I wasn't asked for COPR or PR card or even proof of residence when I applied for an Ontario driver's licence, my foreign passport was enough, and it took 2 weeks after application/testing to get my licence mailed.

 

[wyho007]

Can't you use your home-country driver's license as a second proof of ID?

They want "Canadian government issued ID".

 

[wyho007]

1. Go to a bank branch and open the account there
2. Go to your local Service Ontario or equivalent (depending on your province) and ask them for a Govt. ID card. They will provide it to you and it works.
3. Go to a different bank. Scotia and CIBC definitely offer this service.
4. See number 2.

1. Online banks offers better interest rates. Just landed without a job yet, everything bit of income counts. Say, TD offers 0.5% on a high interest savings account with requirement of at least $5000 balance, EQ banks offers 2% with no minimum balance needed.
2. Don't know about Ontario, BC doesn't accept COPR as ID so not willing to issue any ID with the passport issued by country of origin.
3. It happened at TD and it's under the "newcomer" package.

 

[wyho007]

a pr card is not needed to get a driver's license or provincial id in Ontario, and some other provinces.

Not BC, unfortunately. If one is just landed, you can still go sit for the written test and road test with your foreign passport and COPR but you'll only be issued a no-photo temporary paper stating you are legal to drive (if you passed). But again, this paper won't be accepted as ID anywhere.