Phone Setup Checklist: Before You Land and First 7 Days

Key takeaways

Before you fly: unlock your phone, check it works in Canada, and back up your chats.
Decide how you will get bank codes from home. Keep your home number active or switch to an app.
Turn off data roaming on your home line before you land.
Day 1: get a Canadian number with a prepaid SIM or eSIM.
Days 3 to 7: ask your landlord about internet, then book installation early.

Before you land: phone checklist

Unlock your phone with your home carrier. A Canadian carrier usually cannot do it for you. See will my phone work in Canada.
Check bands and eSIM. Enter your phone’s IMEI (dial *#06#) in a Canadian carrier’s compatibility checker.
Choose your first plan: an eSIM set up before you fly, an airport counter, or a store in the city. Compare in airport SIM or wait.
Back up your phone: photos, contacts and chat apps. Use iCloud or Google backup.
Fix bank codes. List every account that texts you a one-time code: banks, email, government sites. Decide whether to keep your home number active, or switch to an authenticator app where the bank allows it. See keep your home number for OTP codes.
Turn off data roaming on your home line, or ask your home carrier about a travel pack.
Save key numbers offline: your Canadian contact, your first address, your airline, and your home bank’s fraud line.
Write down your IMEI in case the phone is lost or stolen.

For the rest of your pre-arrival tasks, see the before you land checklist.

WhatsApp and your home number

Many newcomers keep WhatsApp on their home number so family can still reach them. Two things to know:

WhatsApp has a Change number feature. WhatsApp says it moves your account information, settings, individual chats and group chats to the new number, and deletes the account on the old number.
Chat backups are linked to the number used when the backup was made. After a change, old backups can no longer be used to restore your chats. WhatsApp recommends making a new backup right after you change your number.

WhatsApp also says that if you change your number by mistake, there is no way to undo it. Tell your contacts about the new number before you change it.

First 7 days in Canada: phone and internet checklist

This part covers your first week. Your full first-week plan, including SIN and bank tasks, is in the first 7 days planner.

When	Phone and internet task
Day 1	Connect to airport Wi-Fi. Activate your Canadian SIM or eSIM, or buy one at a carrier counter. Make a test call and send a text.
Day 1	Send your new number to family, your landlord or host, and your employer or school.
Days 2 to 3	Open a bank account and give the bank your Canadian number. Turn on its app alerts.
Days 2 to 3	Update the phone number on accounts that send you text codes, such as email and online government accounts.
Days 3 to 5	Ask your landlord if internet is included, and which providers serve the building.
Days 3 to 7	Book home internet. Ask for the first installation date and whether a technician must visit.
Day 7	Check how much data you used. Move to a bigger or smaller plan if needed.

Home internet in your first week

Ask the landlord first. Some rentals include internet. See internet included in rent.
Book early. Installation dates depend on the provider and your building. Book as soon as you know your move-in date.
Use your phone as a hotspot until home internet is ready, if your plan allows it.
Low income? You may qualify for low-cost internet. See Connecting Families internet.

For types, speeds and contracts, read the home internet guide.

Questions to ask your landlord about internet

Is internet included in the rent? If yes, what speed, and can I use it for work calls?
Which providers already have cables or fibre to this unit?
Does a technician need to enter the unit or the building’s phone room?
Is there a wall jack or a modem already in the unit?

Write the answers down. You will need them when you call providers.

Rules that protect you in week one

No activation fees. Since June 12, 2026, mobile and home internet providers cannot charge a fee to start or change a plan (CRTC Telecom Regulatory Policy 2026-43). Reasonable fees to install service at your home, and fees for extras you choose to buy, are still allowed.
Trial period. If your contract has a cancellation fee, the Wireless Code gives you at least 15 calendar days to try it. You can cancel if you used less than half your monthly allowance.
Prepaid top-up grace. If your prepaid month ends, the carrier must give you at least 7 calendar days to top up and keep your balance.

Common mistakes

Removing the home SIM and losing access to bank codes.
Leaving data roaming on during the flight and the first day.
Signing a long phone financing deal before you know your budget.
Waiting until move-in day to book internet.

Common questions

What should I do with my phone before moving to Canada?

Unlock it, check that it works on Canadian networks, back it up, sort out bank text codes, and turn off data roaming on your home line.

Should I keep my home phone number?

Many newcomers keep it for bank codes and WhatsApp. If your phone supports two SIMs, you can use it alongside a Canadian plan.

How soon can I get a Canadian phone number?

On day one. Buy a prepaid SIM or eSIM online, at an airport counter or in a store.

When should I book home internet?

As soon as you know your move-in date. Ask your landlord first whether internet is included.

Will WhatsApp keep my chats if I change numbers?

WhatsApp says Change number moves your individual and group chats to the new number. Old backups stop working, so make a new backup after the change. WhatsApp says a number change cannot be undone.

Sources

Checked against these sources on November 5, 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.

Phone and internet checklist: before you land and your first 7 days