A student flying to Vancouver asked the perennial arrival question: cash in INR or CAD, GIC top-up, or forex card for rent, deposit and daily expenses?
What members advised from first-hand experience (specific products and processes are 2021–22 era — verify current options):
- Forex card first. The most consistent recommendation: load a forex card, which covers card swipes and online payments from day one. One member used a global INR-linked card from an Indian bank that was issued within a day and worked immediately on arrival.
- International transfer once your Canadian account is live. A complementary approach: carry enough for the first days, then have family wire funds after you activate a Canadian bank account.
- Exchange USD in India, not on arrival. For leftover USD, members advised converting before departure — after clearing immigration it's genuinely hard to locate an exchange counter, and you don't want to hunt for one with luggage in tow.
- GIC access requires a branch visit with your passport and a second ID document — the unused GIC balance from online semesters remains accessible this way.
- SIN: go early. For the Social Insurance Number, members advised lining up around 7 a.m. at the service centre to get a same-day appointment; walk-ins later in the day were being booked 10–13 days out.
- Set up a payment app (e.g. PayPal linked to your card) so ride-hailing and online services work before your Canadian cards arrive.