Must do things before you travel to Canada as an International Student

Many students who intend to start their higher studies in Canada in September intake has secured their visas and are now ready to fly to their dream destination. Here are a few tips to safeguard your journey. 

Pack your Bags as per Baggage Allowance

You must pack your bags as per allowance by the airline. Otherwise, you end up paying hefty charges at the airport or being forced to throw the excess baggage. Most airlines allow 2 pieces of 23 kgs each and one cabin baggage of 7 kgs. However, airlines such as Air Canada and Lufthansa allow only one bag of 23 kg and 7 kg of cabin bags. Make sure to check your Flight ticket thoroughly for the exact baggage-related allowances. 

If you travel domestically in India, you get only a 15 Kg baggage allowance. Still, it made it difficult for Students who have to board an international flight afterwards with a higher baggage allowance. If you go by purchasing excess baggage, you have to pay hefty charges of Rs 550 per kg at the airport. To solve the problem, many airlines provide excess baggage at lower prices if they must board the International Flight within 24 hours of reaching the final airport.

Download ArriveCan and iCent App

These apps are not mandatory to download but highly recommended to save time at Immigration Control in Canada. 

1. The ArriveCan is an Advance Declaration app that will help you breeze through Customs using eGate or a Kiosk at all major airports in Canada. 
2. However, the iCent Arrival app is explicitly introduced for International Students to submit their pre-arrival information, such as Transportation and Accommodation details. Some colleges, such as Seneca College, provide Free Airport Transfers for all International Students if booked in advance. 

Carry Important Documents

You should carry a folder to hold all the required documents in place. The list of documents should include your Passport, Flight Ticket, IRCC Letters, Letter of Acceptance / Offer Letter, Tuition Fees Receipts, GIC Confirmation, E-Medical Report, IELTS TRF, Aadhar Card, PAN Card, Academic Marksheets & Certificates etc. Additional documents might be helpful or attached during the visa process. 

Login to College Student Account

Some airlines or immigration officials at the boarding or transit airport might ask you to show your current status at your College or University by logging in to your Institution's Student Account. They want to ensure that you are enrolled. In case of deportation, the airline has to bear the return ticket charges and other fines. 

Get yourself a Canadian SIM Card

Gone are the days when you apply for a SIM Card after reaching Canada. Now you can receive your Free SIM Card powered by Fido while in India, which automatically gets activated on your arrival date. So you can connect with your loved ones when you land in Canada or book a cab online. Also, the plan is cheaper than buying in Canada and has Zero Activation Fees. With this SIM Card, you will get 

1. 25GB of 4G Internet data at $40 / month (Taxes additional)
2. Unlimited Calls and SMS in Canada
3. A 1000 minutes International calling minutes to India as a bonus offer. 

The delivery of SIM cards is Free across India and takes up to 3-7 days. 

Apply Now

Get a good Forex Card

You should take a multi-currency Forex card for your initial expenses in Canada and do instant transfers from India to Canada. While choosing the best Forex Card, you should always check for Joining and annual fees. It ranges between 0 and Rs 590. Some cards also have markup, cash withdrawal, in-activity, and loading and unloading fees. The loading process varies from card to card, and their processing times may be instant or takes up to 1-2 working days. A student should always choose the card with minimal charges and an instant loading process. Niyo Global DCB Card is the best as it has no markup, loading and unloading charges like other cards. Also, loading the money into the card is instant and has an app to manage it. 

Apply Now

Purchase some Cash Currency

You should take a minimum of CA$500 in cash notes while travelling to Canada. It would be helpful in case you lose your Forex card or to make quick transactions. Make sure to purchase cash notes from reputed and authorized dealers only, and remember to take a Currency Exchange Receipt. 

Travel Insurance

International Students are required to hold Medical Insurance provided by the Institutions. But it usually starts from the first day of joining the college and does not cover your travel from India. So, it is highly recommended to protect yourself with Travel Insurance. It will cover your journey from India and the days before starting college. For example, you are travelling to Canada on the 20th of August, and your college begins on the 5th of September. So, travel insurance will cover your Flight Tickets and your stay in Canada between your travel date and college start date. The premium starts at ₹499. 

In the past, our student Mr Piyush Reddy at Georgian College, Canada, got injured in a minor accident. Unfortunately, he was not covered by Travel Insurance, so he had to pay CA$3988 out of pocket for doctor's visits and medicine. We started providing all Abroad Cube students with Free Travel Insurance from that day onwards. 

Apply Now