Finding the right bank

Keep in mind that if you want to work here, you'll need to have a bank account in Canada, even if you have an international bank account or an account in your hometown.

Some banks you can easily find here in Vancouver are:

CIBC: https://www.cibc.com/en/special-offers/student-cashback-offer.html?utrc=S229:132&gclid=CjwKCAjwmJeYBhAwEiwAXlg0AVE6VqJ_wsVQ2obEJdjUGqq6DYBxZ6OC6Y0A0-Mh8eshYoHUUeH_oBoCl2YQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

• If you create an account in CBC, you can get $60 after the first purchase.

BMO: https://www.bmo.com/main/personal/student-banking-offers/?ecid=ps-20211118EDB4-MGUM3573&utm_source=GoogleSearch&utm_medium=Students_Search&utm_campaign=Chequing&utm_term=GenericEN&gclid=CjwKCAjwmJeYBhAwEiwAXlg0AYOKdSNJQ_4PuxufCiZSIONQnMN55ik2cwDGbqLQvZIxrpZkOCkIcxoCcsgQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

ScotiBank: https://www.scotiabank.com/ca/en/personal/bank-accounts/students.html

TD Bank: https://www.td.com/ca/en/personal-banking/products/bank-accounts/chequing-accounts/student-chequing-account/

RBC: https://www.rbcroyalbank.com/accounts/youth-student-banking.html

These banks usually have some offers for new clients or specifics for students. You might check them and see which one has the better offer for you and what's available by the time you open the account.

There's no need for a credit card, but it may be useful if you are planning to stay here longer or for good, having a credit score can be very useful for you. If that's your case, pay attention in the information below:

A credit score is "a numerical expression based on a level analysis of a person's credit files, to represent the creditworthiness of an individual". Basically, your credit score will show your borrower that you are a good payer. It can be useful to rent a place to live, buy a car, or finance a purchase, for example.

References:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Credit_score