After You Arrive Checklist
- Contact an immigrant-serving organization in your community that will help you get settled in Smiths Falls.
- Get a map of Smiths Falls, and learn to navigate throughout the town.
- Open a bank account.
- Look for permanent accommodations.
- Find someone who will act as a reference or co-signer for your apartment and/or mortgage.
- Set up essential services such as utilities (water, heat, electricity), insurance and telephone.
- Register your children in school.
- Arrange child care for your children if you will be working.
- Apply for the Canada Child Tax Benefit, a tax-free monthly payment made to eligible families to help them with the cost of raising children under age 18.
- Find a family doctor.
- Have your children immunized once you have arrived in Smiths Falls.
- Apply for an Ontario driver’s licence.
- Get licence plates and registration for your car.
- Visit the Smiths Falls Public Library, located at 81 Beckwith St. North, to use the computers, Internet and inquire about library cards.
- Start looking for a job.
- Look into having your foreign credentials recognized (if you haven’t already done so).
- Register for language training to improve your skills or to learn English/French as a second language.
- Start volunteering to gain Canadian work experience.
- Contact Welcome Wagon at 613-283-7655 to get your welcoming basket.
For a list of contacts for each item on the check list please refer to the document After You Arrive Conact Info.