Scotiabank StartRight review: what newcomers really get (2026)

What is Scotiabank StartRight?

StartRight is a newcomer program, not a single account. It gives you a chequing account, a savings account and a credit card on newcomer terms. Scotiabank says it is for permanent residents who have been in Canada 0 to 5 years, international students and foreign workers.

The program has two parts:

• Core features. These are the base of the program: a free first year on the Preferred Package, a credit card with no Canadian credit history needed, and no Scotiabank service fee on international money transfers.
• Time-limited bonuses. Cash bonuses and welcome points change several times a year. The current ones are in the dated box below.

You need your PR card or Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR), or your work or study permit, plus your passport or Canadian photo ID. Foreign workers who want a credit card also need a letter from their Canadian employer that confirms their yearly income. See ID you need to open a bank account.

What does the Preferred Package include, and what does it cost?

The Preferred Package is the chequing account at the centre of StartRight. Here is what it includes as of October 10, 2026, from Scotiabank’s own pages.

People who held a Scotiabank chequing account in the last two years, and Scotiabank employees, do not get the first-year fee waiver. The waiver also needs a new account.

Current StartRight bonus: how much and what you must do

The bonus comes in three steps. Each step needs the one before it.

1. $700 chequing bonus. Open a new Preferred or Ultimate Package. Within 60 days, set up a recurring direct deposit (such as your pay) that arrives every month for six months in a row. Also within 60 days, do one of these: a pre-authorized payment of $50 or more each month for six months, an online bill payment of $50 or more, or an eligible Visa Debit purchase. Paid about 9 months after you open the account.
2. $200 savings bonus. Within 60 days, open a new Money Master Savings Account. Turn on the Pay Yourself First or Savings Finder tool in the mobile app and keep it on for 90 days in a row. Paid about 10 months after the savings account opens.
3. $100 card bonus. Within 60 days, get approved for an eligible Scotiabank credit card and make one purchase within 60 days of opening it. Paid about 10 months after the card opens.

Transfers between your own accounts, or to other banks, do not count as qualifying transactions. People who held a Scotiabank chequing account (or card, for the card bonus) in the last two years are not eligible.

Scotiabank’s page also shows a total “first-year value” of up to $2,300. That figure adds estimated card rewards and savings, and it depends on how you spend. The page showed more than one total on October 10, 2026, so we list the parts instead.

Credit cards and the up to $15,000 limit

Scotiabank says a Canadian credit history is not required for a StartRight card. The limit can be up to $15,000, but the bank sets your actual limit using your income and documents. Four cards are offered on the StartRight page as of October 10, 2026:

Compare the two no-fee cards in Scotia Momentum vs Scene+ Visa, and see whether the fee card pays off in our Passport Visa Infinite+ review.

Home credit history. Scotiabank accepts credit reports from 15 countries through Nova Credit. They include India, Nigeria, the Philippines, Mexico and the United Kingdom. This can raise your limit. Read how it works in transferring your foreign credit history.

Worked example: what StartRight costs over 3 years

Priya is a permanent resident. She opens the Preferred Package, a savings account and a no-fee Scene+ Visa. Her pay goes in by direct deposit. She keeps about $2,000 in chequing.

• Year one account fees: $0 (newcomer waiver)
• Years two and three: $2,000 is below $4,000, so she pays 24 × $16.95 = $406.80
• Bonus if she meets every condition: $700 + $200 + $100 = $1,000
• Net over three years: about $593 ahead

If she misses the direct deposit rule in the first 60 days, she loses the whole bonus, because the $200 and $100 need the $700 first. Then she pays $406.80 in fees for years two and three. At that point a cheaper plan, or a low-cost account (no more than $4 a month under the federal commitment), can make more sense. Find your waiver end date with the fee waiver calculator.

Who StartRight fits, by situation

• You have a job with direct deposit soon after arriving: you are more likely to meet the bonus conditions, which depend on a monthly direct deposit.
• You come from a Nova Credit country and need a higher limit: Scotiabank is the bank that offers this on its own site.
• You send money home often: StartRight clients pay no Scotiabank service fee on transfers, but compare the exchange rate before you send.
• You cannot keep $4,000 in the account: the fee returns after 12 months. Some banks waive fees for longer; see the Big 5 side-by-side.
• You are a permanent resident here more than 5 years: you are outside the StartRight window.

Common mistakes with the StartRight offer

• Opening after the deadline. An account opened on October 30, 2026 does not get the current chequing bonus. Check what offer applies on the day you open.
• Direct deposit too late. The first deposit must be set up within 60 days and repeat for six months.
• Closing accounts early. Bonuses are paid 9 to 10 months later, and accounts must be in good standing. You have 24 months to report a missing bonus.
• Forgetting the fee date. The $16.95 fee starts automatically after year one. Set a reminder for month 11.
• Thinking “no fee” means free transfers. The exchange rate still has a cost built in. See sending money home.

Common questions

Sources

• Scotiabank StartRight: Newcomer offer and terms
• Scotiabank: Preferred Package chequing account
• Scotiabank StartRight: Credit cards for newcomers
• Scotiabank StartRight: Higher credit limit with Nova Credit
• Scotiabank: Passport Visa Infinite+ Card
• FCAC: Opening a bank account
• FCAC: Commitment on low-cost and no-cost accounts
• FCAC: Free and low-cost bank accounts with more monthly transactions (November 2025)

Checked against these sources on October 10, 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.