Things to do before departing for your new home
1. Make the decision whether to sell your house or to rent it out and finish paying off your bond, then to sell.
2. Make the decision whether to ship all your belongings across or to sell up and buy everything new once there.
3. Get three or four removal companies in to give you quotes.
4. Choose which one you will use.
5. Start throwing away things that you had horded for years. Keep only what is going in the container. This takes longer than you think so start early. Work room by room.
6. Make an inventory of everything in your house (with values) that's going with you to Canada. (You should even take photographs of the contents of each room before they start packing - open your cupboard doors and photograph your clothes, CDs, DVDs etc). Take this with you on the plane.
7. Do some research on as to what you can and can't take.
8. List the serial numbers of all valuable items in your house (TV, PC etc). Take it with you on the plane.
9. Clean perfectly all items like garden equipment, vacuum cleaner, camping and fishing equipment. If done by a professional then tape the cleaning invoice to the item.
10. Beds in Canada are extremely expensive as is linen. All Canadian King and Queen size beds are extra length (203cm) - that means if you buy a new bed in Canada, your old linen (fitted sheets) will be too short. Consider replacing your linen with extra length before you leave.
11. Keep all receipts for your relocation costs (medicals, etc). In some cases you may be able to claim it from your tax.
12. Make sure your passport is not in the container!
13. Keep the keys for everything that is locked inside your container with you - customs will request it.
14. Make the decision whether to take your pets with you or not.
“Shutting up Shop” process
15. Change postal address of all accounts to a reliable friend or family member two months before you go (so you can see which companies did not make the change, and you have enough time to sort it out before you go. Things like telephone account, DSTV & MNET, City Council, Security company, insurance (both short term and life), Bank (all accounts - some bank's you have to change it for each account!), Medical Aids, Shopping Cards, Memberships, Doctors, Specialists etc.)
16. Set up a free email account like gmail and start using it two months before you leave. Then you can see who is still emailing your old email address. Put an auto-forward on your old email address directing all mail to your new address. Remember when you cancel your ISP you will lose your email address.
17. Get a reference letter and client code from your bank. Get your bank branch's SWIFT code.
18. Sign a fax indemnity with your bank. This allows you to give faxed instructions for transactions etc.
19. If you don't already have internet banking, get it set up and test it.
20. Get a reference letter from your short term insurance detailing your no claim bonus etc.
21. Cancel Telephone account (Do this in writing and keep proof - applies to all cancellations)
22. Cancel cell phone contracts (all three VC, MTN, Cell C contracts may require 3 months notice).
23. Cancel ISP
24. Cancel DSTV / MNET
25. Cancel Security Company
26. Make the decision whether or not you will continue paying your policies (Life Insurance, Annuities etc) from Canada. Speak to your broker about the effects of early cancellation.
27. Cancel your medical aid (read the fine print - they may require 3 months notice)
28. Close your store accounts.
29. Cancel all membership debit orders etc that won't continue.
30. Get all you kids' immunizations up to date and have it recorded on their immunization cards. (To attend school in Canada it has to be up to date).
31. Get a letter of membership and involvement from your community center. Advise them that you are leaving.
32. Get a reference letter for your family if you were involved in volunteer work. Volunteering is big in Canada and if you were involved in volunteering, it goes a long way - also, when you want to get involved again in Canada, you will need references.
33. Back-up everything on your computer (photos, documents, inbox, sent items etc) and take the CD's with you on the plane. Even better, remove the hard drive and insert into a movable hard drive protective case. If you ship the hard-drive you pay for the replacement value of the software on it.
34. Make certified copies of ALL important documents (passports, visas, ID books, birth certificates etc) and leave it with a reliable friend or family member. Even better yet, have it scanned and leave a copy of the disk - take the other one on the plane with you.
35. Update your will and leave a copy with a reliable friend/family member.
36. Give a reliable person power of attorney to attend to your business on your behalf. Make sure they have details of all your bank accounts, policy numbers, contact persons etc. As well as copies of all important documents. Please remember that the banks do not honour a general POA. Check with your branch what they require. You might have to ‘register' the POA prior to your leaving the country with them.
37. Get transfer cards from your kids' schools and their latest report cards or a progress report.
38. Get reference letters from your kids' activities e.g. ballet report, etc - this will assist in placing them in the right group when they take it up here. If your child performed in anything, get proof. You WILL need it!
39. Take the whole family for a medical check-up, have their eyes tested, go to the dentist, get that filling etc. Dental and optometry is very expensive.
40. Get the contents of your medical files from all your doctors and specialists. Saves you from going through the whole process again - they don't take your word for it! If you have a special condition, let the doctor write a letter. If you have contacts or glasses, get your script.
41. Get scripts for all medication your family is currently using - especially chronic. You can bring 3 month's prescription medication if you have a written script. Take it on the plane with you in case your container is delayed etc. (Also bring some general medication that your family uses regularly if it is anything stronger than panado or if it is something specific such as anetheine cream, myprodol, etc).
42. Apply for an international driver's license.
88. Leave your flight details, first accommodation details etc with a family member/friend. Also leave the details of your next of kin with this person. Write this person's contact details in the back of your passport.
43. Research the different Canadian Superannuation funds. You will need to transfer your pension into this fund and will have to leave signed instructions with your funds in your country. If you have cash surplus to your immediate needs consider putting them into superannuation. This is an allocated pension. Either you can run a self managed superannuation fund, or else elect to use one of the big funds. All income within the fund is tax free and all drawings are also tax free if you are of pensionable age.
44. One of the first things you will need once you land in Canada is to get set up with telephone and internet. Do your research on the different packages and options available in Canada before you come. It is worth shopping around. If your home phone, your broadband and your mobile are with the same service provider, you get the best deal. What you want to be able to do is to walk into the dealer on day one of arrival and buy the right SIM card without having first to do your research here. Look at their international calling costs.
45. Service your washing machine and dryer if it hasn't had one in the last 12 months.
46. Pay your UIF and de-register. Give your employees their UIF documents as well as a letter that they no longer work for you. (UIF does not only accept the UIF document - they also require a letter that they no longer work for you). Keep proof of all of this. Give your employees reference letters and assist them in finding work elsewhere. (Advertise with you school, neighbours etc that they will be available from a specific date etc). Pay them their last salary, notice pay, leave and pro rata bonuses. Keep proof.
47. Go to the AA travel shop and buy some plug adapters. Pop them in your hand luggage! Then buy some ‘multi-plugs'. The kind with 4 or 5 plugs on a cord. Then when you get to Canada replace the main plug with your Aussie plug - you can then use your old plugs in the multi-plug. Do not forget your two-pin adapters for things like cell-phone adapters.
48. If you haven't yet sold your house, but are planning to do so, get an electricity certificate before you leave. Give it to your agent or the person who will be handling the sale of your property. Keep a copy.
49. Inform your tax consultant that you are leaving. He will still have to complete a tax return for you for the current tax year. Then he may need to deregister you as a tax payer at some point and arrange a tax clearance certificate. In which case you might need to sign papers before you leave.
50. Help the older members of family set up Skype before you leave. Buy them a microphone and webcam for their computer as a gift. Install it for them.
51. Take photographs of everyone and everything, your friends, family, the neighbours, your pets, the kid's friends (give your digital to your kids to take to school for a day). Take photographs of your house, neighborhood, school, street.... This is all you will have of your life in your residing country. It may not seem important now, but when your kid's or grandchildren one day, want to know what life was like, you'll have more than enough visual memories to share.
52. Have a farewell party at least 3 weeks before you leave. Less tears & emotion than having the goodbye's at the airport!!
53. Sell your cars.
54. Arrange your transport to the airport and fly to your new life.
55. Welcome to CANADA.
