Moving To Canada From The U.S. — Part 4: How To Secure A Rental Before Coming To Canada
Hi! I’m Paula, a rental expert at liv.rent, and we have arrived at Part Four of my mini-series on how to move from Canada to the U.S.
Before you embark on a search for a Canadian home, make sure you have the right documentation ready. Landlords will ask you for financial documents that prove your financial viability.
These might include letters from your bank, your employer or your government revenue agency. They will also want reference letters from previous landlords and/or employers.
Read more: What do landlords ask for when renting?
How to secure a rental in Canada from abroad
I) Applying through liv.rent
If you live in the U.S., looking for an apartment in Canada poses some unique challenges. Thankfully, liv.rent has digitized the entire rental process, so you can secure your home without being there in person.
On liv.rent, we guide you through the entire application process while protecting your privacy. When submitting an application, renters must submit a variety of documents to verify their identity. This includes the following:
– Government-issued ID
– Income/employment
– Social verification & Credit
Although this may seem like a lot of information that you’re providing, this is part of the standard rental application process.
For your reference, here’s a summary of what information landlords can legally ask you for:
This information is temporarily stored until the verification process is complete, and compiled into our comprehensive Liv Score™.
The Liv Score™ is a tenant screening tool used by landlords and property managers on liv.rent to gauge tenant credibility and reliability.
Learn more: liv.rent’s Verification Process
II) Complete your liv.rent Renter Profile
Your renter profile serves as your application. You only need to complete it once and then submit it to all the properties that interest you. The more information you provide, the more likely you are to secure your preferred rental. Here are the steps to follow:
1. Select “I do not live in Canada”
We understand that credit ratings do not cross national boundaries so we have given users the option of selecting “I do not live in Canada” when creating their renter profile. This will explain to prospective landlords why a credit score is not available for you.
NOTE: Secure a Canadian cell phone number as soon as possible. Having an active local number in advance will help you open utility accounts, bank accounts, and more; in addition, you may be asked for a domestic number at your point of entry.
2. Select “I’m a first-time renter”
If you are renting for the first time and thus, do not have any landlord references, select the option “I’m a first-time renter”. Also, choose this if your landlord's references are from your home country, letting your landlord know that this is the case.
3. Attest for your Pets
If you have pets, make sure you include a picture of them and send additional information via chat (videos, testimonials from your current landlord or even from a dog trainer etc.) — anything that shows your pet is well-behaved.
4. Upload Financial Documents
If you do not have an active letter of employment or job offer in Canada, this is the most important section for you to complete. Upload bank statements showing you have at least one year’s worth of rent in your bank account.
5. References
If you do not have employment or landlord references, cite an employer, teacher, immigration agency, as your reference; essentially, choose someone who can attest to your reliability and credibility as a tenant.
6. Treat the application like an immigration or job application
Just as you would try to prove your worth as a contributing member of Canadian society or suitable employee, do the same for your landlord. Ask yourself, why would the landlord choose you over other candidates and then demonstrate why.
Moving to Canada during COVID-19
Immigration is an arduous process at the best of times. And, now, the COVID-19 pandemic has added additional challenges to the process. Here are some resources you can check out to stay up-to-date about the current situation:
- Which countries Canada has banned flights from: https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/border
- Find out if you’re eligible to enter Canada: https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/wizard-start
- COVID-19 testing procedure: https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/flying-canada-checklist/covid-19-testing-travellers-coming-into-canada
- Quarantine requirements: https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/isolation
- Updates on how COVID-19 has affected immigration and refugee services: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/coronavirus-covid19.html
With these considerations in mind, your plans to move to Canada may very well be deferred by some months as the pandemic situation resolves.
Now you have it! You’re officially equipped with all the necessary knowledge to prepare your move to Canada.
Missed our previous posts? Click here to read:
- Part 1: Differences between Canada and The U.S.
- Part 2: Cost of Living in Canada
- Part 3: How to immigrate to Canada
If you’re looking for resources about renting in Canada, visit our blog and don’t forget to subscribe to liv.rent’s e-newsletter for the latest rental news >> Click here to subscribe
