After You Arrive
Welcome to Ontario!
Settling in a new country is exciting and rewarding, but it can also be challenging. Ontario offers a world of opportunities to newcomers. This section of the website helps you get off to a good start.
You will need to find a place to live … enrol your children in school … look for work or start a business … arrange health insurance … and maybe sign up for language classes.
Ontario has one of the most multicultural populations in the world. No matter what country you are arriving from, there is probably a community from that background in Ontario. Your local community may be a source of support. This section includes links to newcomer settlement agencies serving many cultural communities across Ontario.
The Centre francophone de Toronto is the gateway for all francophones in Toronto.
You can also get help from the Member of the Provincial Parliament (MPP) in your community. Use OntarioImmigration.ca’s History and Government section to help you find your MPP.
Important Links You Will Find in This Section
Your First Days in Ontario: A Newcomers Guide (PDF) gives useful information for when you first arrive.
General Information on the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP). You may not be eligible for OHIP coverage for your first three months in Ontario, but you should still apply as soon as you arrive. Learn more about the OHIP coverage waiting period and how to get insurance if you are not eligible for OHIP right away.
Starting a new business in Ontario has information about registering or incorporating a business, financing, Ontario business laws and taxes, importing/exporting and more.
Once you have arrived, you can learn how to become a Canadian citizen. Get Citizenship Application Forms or try the Canadian Citizenship Practice Test.
