Moving Abroad Checklist for Canadians: Steps and Documents
Moving Abroad Checklist for Canadians: Steps and Documents ! Passport and document copies prepared for relocation A move out of Canada needs planning in two areas.
Moving Abroad Checklist for Canadians: Steps and Documents
A move out of Canada needs planning in two areas. The first is personal: health cover, taxes, banking, housing and mail. The second is paperwork: Canadian documents that the destination country may ask to see in authenticated form. This checklist covers both, in the order most people need to act.
TL;DR
- Start with the destination country. Its rules decide which visa, documents and authentication steps apply.
- Review health cover, tax obligations, banking and mail before departure, using the Government of Canada checklist as the base.
- Birth certificates, marriage certificates, diplomas, court documents, corporate records and RCMP checks may need an apostille or legalization.
- Where a document goes depends on where it was issued or notarized. Ontario documents go to Ontario's Official Documents Services (ODS).
- Start the document work early. Government processing times vary by province.
Table of Contents
- Start with the destination country
- Confirm immigration status and entry papers
- Plan health care and insurance
- Review taxes, banking and money
- Mail, housing and emergencies
- Which Canadian documents may need an apostille
- Where to send each document
- Apostille or legalization
- Documents by situation
- A timeline for the move
- Apostille help in Ontario
- Perspective
- FAQ
- Sources
Start with the destination country
Every other step depends on the destination. The country sets the visa category, the documents it accepts and whether it wants them authenticated. Gather this information first.
Global Affairs Canada (GAC) states that whether a document must be authenticated depends on the law of the destination country. It advises checking with the authority that asks for the document, or with the nearest representative office of that country in Canada.
Write down these items for each country:
- The visa or permit type and the documents that support it.
- The list of Canadian documents requested, such as civil records, education records or police checks.
- Whether each document must carry an apostille, or needs legalization.
- Whether translations are required, and whether they must be certified.
- The age limit on documents. Some authorities accept only recently issued records. Confirm this with the authority.
This list becomes the working plan for the whole move. Documents ordered before this list exists are often ordered twice.
Confirm immigration status and entry papers
Check the validity of the passport and of any visa, work permit, study permit or residency approval. Confirm the dates against the planned departure. Passport validity rules differ by country, so confirm them with the destination's embassy or consulate.
Keep digital and paper copies of all identity and status documents. Store one set separate from the originals while travelling.
Plan health care and insurance
The Government of Canada's Moving outside Canada checklist lists health care as a first planning item. It notes that provincial health coverage may end after six months abroad. Contact the provincial health plan before leaving to learn the rules that apply.
The same checklist advises making sure private health insurance covers specific needs, such as pregnancy and childbirth and medical care for older Canadians. Read the policy terms for the destination country, not just the policy summary.
Prescriptions, vaccination records and medical files should be gathered before departure. Ask the treating physician what the destination's health system will require.
Review taxes, banking and money
The checklist asks people to understand their tax obligations in Canada and in the destination country. Tax residency and filing duties depend on personal circumstances. A tax professional who works with cross-border cases can confirm what applies, and the Canada Revenue Agency publishes guidance on residency status.
Other money steps include:
- Estimating the cost of living at the destination.
- Setting up banking that works for a non-resident or new resident.
- Reviewing credit cards, loans and automatic payments that are tied to a Canadian address.
- Keeping a Canadian account open if the bank allows it, for bills and income that remain in Canada.
- Updating pension, investment and insurance providers with the new contact details.
Mail, housing and emergencies
Update the mailing address with Canada Post, or set up forwarding, as the government checklist advises. Change the address with banks, government bodies, insurers and employers.
Check housing costs and tenancy laws at the destination before signing a lease. Rules on deposits, contracts and tenant rights differ by country.
For emergencies, the checklist advises carrying contact details for the Emergency Watch and Response Centre of Global Affairs Canada, which operates around the clock. Register travel plans and keep the numbers in a place that does not depend on a phone battery.
Families with children under a shared parenting arrangement can also keep their records in order before a move. A guide on how to prove parenting time explains how Canadian parents document exchanges, agreements and schedules.
Which Canadian documents may need an apostille
An apostille is a certificate attached to a public document. It confirms the signature and the capacity of the official, and the seal or stamp where there is one. It does not confirm the contents of the document. Alberta's government describes it in the same terms.
Since January 11, 2024, authenticated Canadian public documents receive an apostille. The Province of British Columbia states that this allows use in 125 Hague Apostille Convention countries without legalization by an embassy or consulate in Canada. Speedy Apostille Services describes this as over 120 countries.
Common documents include:
- Birth, marriage and death certificates.
- Diplomas and transcripts.
- Court documents.
- Corporate records.
- RCMP criminal record checks.
- Notarized documents, such as affidavits, powers of attorney and certified true copies.
To be authenticated, a document must have an original recognized signature and a seal where applicable. It must also be in paper format and sent to the correct authority, as GAC's authentication guidance explains. Notarization is often the first step for documents that are not issued directly by a government body. The page on apostille vs notarization explains how the two relate.
Where to send each document
The competent authority depends on where the document was issued or notarized. GAC's 2025 guidance sets out the split.
| Where the document was issued or notarized | Where it goes |
|---|---|
| Government of Canada, including agencies such as the RCMP | GAC Authentication Services Section, Ottawa |
| Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Prince Edward Island, Yukon | GAC Authentication Services Section, Ottawa |
| Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan | The apostille service of that province |
Provincial processing differs. Alberta charges $25 per document and processes in order of receipt, with a processing time of at least 7 to 10 business days. Ontario's ODS compares the signature and seal against the information it holds on file, and the Ontario government page states that it issues the certificate within 15 business days. Check each page for current figures before ordering.
The guide on where to send Canadian documents covers the federal and provincial split in more detail. A related page explains who files in five provinces.
Apostille or legalization
If the destination belongs to the Apostille Convention, an apostille is usually the only step. If it does not, GAC says authentication in Canada may be followed by legalization at the destination country's embassy or consulate in Canada.
Some foreign missions can legalize certain Canadian documents directly. GAC's alternatives page gives examples such as some vital statistics documents and police record checks. It advises confirming first whether authentication or legalization is required at all, by asking the requesting authority or the foreign mission.
The page on apostille vs legalization sets out how to tell which one applies.
Documents by situation
International students
Students who plan to study abroad may need an apostille on diplomas and transcripts. The Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials (CICDI) says applicants should be ready to provide diplomas or degree certificates, transcripts and detailed course outlines. If the documents are not in the official language of the destination country, an official or certified translation may be required.
Order transcripts early. Institutions need time to issue sealed copies, and the apostille step comes after.
Families
Families relocating abroad often need a marriage certificate, and birth certificates for children, in apostilled form. The route follows the same rule as other documents: send it to the authority for the province or territory where it was issued. Ask the destination authority whether it wants a recently issued copy.
Immigrants needing background checks
A visa application may ask for a criminal record check. The British Columbia RCMP states that a Police Information Check can be used for employment outside Canada. It also states that a check with a vulnerable sector component can only be done for organizations in Canada, even where the position itself is abroad.
People who are outside Canada need a different route. The RCMP explains that a certified criminal record check from abroad starts with paper fingerprints taken by an authorized agency in the country where the person is. An accredited fingerprint company in Canada then converts the form to digital format for electronic submission. Because the RCMP is a federal body, its records go to GAC for an apostille, as the table above shows.
Confirm with the destination authority which type of check it accepts, and how recent it must be.
Professionals
Professionals may need an apostille on certifications, plus a licensing step in the new country. Licensing is separate from document authentication. Engineers Canada, for example, lists international agreements that support mobility with Australia, France, Hong Kong, Ireland and two US state boards. It also notes that provincial and territorial regulators decide how these agreements apply. Every profession has its own regulator, so check with the one that licenses the occupation. The page on apostille for work abroad covers employment documents.
Businesses
Businesses that open an office or sign contracts abroad may need corporate records authenticated. Alberta's government states that Canadian citizens and businesses can submit public documents, including corporate records, for an apostille. Filing to the wrong authority is a common cause of delay. The page on articles of amendment shows how to avoid misrouting.
A timeline for the move
The times below are a working guide. Adjust them to the destination country and the visa timeline.
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 6 to 12 months before | Choose the destination, confirm the visa path, list required documents, contact the foreign mission about authentication |
| 3 to 6 months before | Order certified copies, transcripts and police checks. Start health insurance and tax review |
| 2 to 3 months before | Notarize where needed and submit documents for apostille. Arrange translations |
| 1 month before | Update addresses, set up mail forwarding, confirm banking and housing |
| Final week | Check that originals, apostilled documents and copies are in hand luggage |
Government processing times change, so use the official pages for current figures.
Apostille help in Ontario
Speedy Apostille Services is based in Toronto. It handles Canadian documents such as birth certificates, marriage licenses, diplomas, transcripts, court documents, corporate records and RCMP background checks. Documents are handled by a commissioned Ontario Notary. Government fees are included in the upfront quote.
The company files Ontario documents in person at the ODS counter, which allows same-day or next-day turnaround. Typical turnaround is 2 to 3 days. Notarization and certified true copies cost $35 CAD per document. Additional documents cost $50 CAD for the second, $45 CAD each for documents three to five, and $40 CAD each from the sixth. Current service options are on the pricing page, and the full service list is on the services page.
Urgent orders can use the same-day rush service. The general guide to how to apostille a Canadian document lists the steps.
Perspective
Most delays we see come from the order of the steps. A person orders a document, learns the destination wants a different format, and starts again. We advise checking the destination's requirements first.
The second cause is sending a document to the wrong office. Ontario documents go to the Ontario ODS. We file them in person at the counter, and a commissioned Ontario Notary handles each document. Nothing is passed to an intermediary.
The third cause is cost that appears late. We include government fees in the upfront quote, so the total is known before the order. If we make a filing error, we correct it at no extra cost.
A move abroad has many tasks. Document authentication can be one of the shortest if it is done in the right order.
Ken
FAQ
When should the document work start?
Start once the destination's requirements are known, usually several months before departure. Government processing times differ by province, and some documents, such as transcripts or police checks, take time to obtain first. Ordering early leaves room for corrections.
Does every country accept an apostille?
No. An apostille is valid for countries that belong to the Apostille Convention. For other countries, authentication in Canada may be followed by legalization at that country's embassy or consulate in Canada. Confirm the requirement with the authority asking for the document.
Can a document be apostilled from outside Canada?
The document must be in paper format, with an original recognized signature and seal where applicable, and it must reach the competent authority. Many people use a service in Canada to file for them. Speedy Apostille Services offers courier service and secure handling for this purpose.
Does an apostille confirm that a document is accurate?
No. It confirms the signature and capacity of the official who signed, and the seal or stamp where there is one. It does not certify the contents. The destination authority may still ask for other proof or a translation.
Which office handles an Ontario document?
Documents issued or notarized in Ontario go to Ontario's Official Documents Services. Federal documents, including RCMP records, go to Global Affairs Canada in Ottawa.
Sources
- Moving outside Canada checklist, Government of Canada
- Authentication of documents: Requirements, Global Affairs Canada
- Authentication of documents: Alternatives, Global Affairs Canada
- Five Tips for Authenticating Canadian Documents to Use Abroad, Global Affairs Canada
- Authentication of documents, before you start, Global Affairs Canada
- Documents for other jurisdictions or countries, Alberta.ca
- Authenticate a document for use outside Canada, Ontario.ca
- Applying to study abroad, CICDI
- Obtain a criminal record check, BC RCMP
- Criminal record checks: where to go, RCMP
- Agreements on International Mobility, Engineers Canada