7 must-have apps for newcomers moving to Canada

Planning your move to a new country is a significant undertaking, but digital tools can simplify the process.

The CIC news team has compiled a list of six mobile apps that can help newcomers prepare for their move to Canada:

Accommodation and Housing

Padmapper, Rentals.ca, Rentseeker.ca, or Zumper: These platforms allow newcomers to search for rental housing by filtering based on location, cost, number of bedrooms, and other amenities. For those wanting to tour apartments in person, consider booking a short-term rental on platforms like AirBnB or VRBO initially, and then search for a long-term rental upon arrival.

Realtor.ca, Zillow, or HouseSigma: Primarily focused on buying and selling real estate, these platforms also offer rental listings. Newcomers looking to purchase a home can use these tools, but they are also useful for finding rental properties. Temporary residents must meet specific conditions to purchase residential property in Canada.

Kijiji or Facebook Marketplace: Popular online classifieds in Canada, these platforms are ideal for finding accommodations and household furnishings at a fraction of the cost of new items—or even for free. Users can filter searches by price and distance. Purchasing items from classifieds is one of the few situations where haggling is generally accepted in Canada.

Customs Declaration

ArriveCAN: While no longer required for entering Canada, the ArriveCAN app can save time by allowing newcomers flying into major Canadian airports to complete an advanced customs declaration. Participating airports include:

• Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ)
• Calgary International Airport (YYC)
• Edmonton International Airport (YEG)
• Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ)
• Montréal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL)
• Ottawa International Airport (YOW)
• Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport (YQB)
• Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) – Terminals 1 and 3
• Vancouver International Airport (YVR)
• Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport (YWG)

Navigation and Transportation

What3Words: This app generates a unique string of three words that maps to a three-meter square on the earth’s surface, making it easy to save and share locations without a street address. It’s useful for sharing locations with friends or first responders in emergencies.

Transit Apps: In addition to Google Maps, local transit apps provide real-time schedule updates and, in some cases, in-app fare payments. Examples from major Canadian cities include:

• Calgary: My Fare (fares), Transit (navigation)
• Halifax: HFXGO (fares)
• Montreal: Chrono or Transit (navigation)
• Ottawa: Transit
• Toronto: TTC Trip Planner, Transit
• Vancouver: Translink Trip Planner, Next Bus

Carsharing: Carsharing apps offer an alternative to traditional car rentals, with hourly rates and the flexibility to leave the vehicle within a large service area. Companies operating in Canada include:

• Communauto
• Enterprise CarShare
• Evo
• Modo
• ZipCar

These tools can make the process of moving to Canada more manageable and efficient.