Information for new ASM’s

Getting Settled in Newfoundland and Labrador: A Guide for New Faculty

Welcome to Memorial University and to Newfoundland and Labrador. Starting a new position is a big change, and settling into a new province, or a new country, comes with its own to-do list. This page brings together the key first steps in one place, with links to the official sources for full details.

1. Apply for a Social Insurance Number (SIN)

You need a SIN to work in Canada and to receive your pay, file taxes, and access government benefits. Apply as soon as you can after you arrive. You can start working once you have applied, even before your number arrives.

How to apply:

• Online (fastest): Apply through Service Canada’s online SIN portal. You can usually view your SIN confirmation in about 5 business days.
• In person: Visit a Service Canada office.
• By mail: This takes about 20 business days.

What you’ll need: your original work permit (or permanent resident or citizenship document) and a second piece of ID, such as your passport. There is no fee.

If you’re on a work permit, your SIN will start with “9” and expire when your permit does, so remember to renew it when your permit is extended.

Apply for a SIN: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/sin.html Find a Service Canada office: https://offices.service.canada.ca/en Memorial’s SIN guide for new faculty: https://mun.ca/facultyrelations/support/relocation/obtaining-a-social-insurance-number/

2. Apply for MCP (provincial health coverage)

The Medical Care Plan (MCP) covers doctor visits and many medical services in Newfoundland and Labrador. Apply as soon as you arrive, and include your family members who live with you.

How to apply:

• Complete the Application for Newfoundland and Labrador Health Care Coverage form.
• Submit it by mail, email, fax, or in person at an MCP office.
• Complete applications usually take about two weeks to process.

What you’ll need if you’re on a work permit:

• A work permit valid for at least 12 months
• A signed employer confirmation letter, dated within 30 days of your application, confirming full-time employment in the province for at least 12 months
• The identification pages of your passport
• For family members: their passport identification pages and immigration documents

For work permit holders, coverage lasts up to one year at a time and must be renewed. Incomplete applications or unclear copies can cause delays, so double-check everything before you submit. Until your coverage starts, consider private health insurance for you and your family.

MCP information and requirements: https://www.gov.nl.ca/hcs/mcp/ MCP application form: https://www.gov.nl.ca/hcs/forms/ Memorial’s healthcare guide for new faculty: https://mun.ca/facultyrelations/support/relocation/healthcare/

3. Get a phone and internet connection

A Canadian phone number makes it much easier to set up banking, government accounts, and everyday services.

How to get connected:

• Choose a provider. In St. John’s, the main providers are Bell Aliant and Rogers, both offering mobile, home phone, internet, and TV. Several national brands also offer mobile plans in the province.
• Choose a plan. Prepaid plans need no credit check and are a good option when you first arrive. Monthly plans often offer better value but may need a credit check or deposit.
• Bring ID. You’ll usually need your passport and possibly proof of address.
• Compare bundles. Combining phone, internet, and TV from one provider can lower your total cost.

Bell Aliant: https://www.bellaliant.ca/ Rogers: https://www.rogers.com/ Memorial’s home utilities guide for new faculty: https://mun.ca/facultyrelations/support/relocation/home-utilities/

4. Getting around Newfoundland and Labrador

Most people in Newfoundland and Labrador get around by car, especially outside the larger centres. Public transit is available in St. John’s and Corner Brook.

Driving

• New residents must get a Newfoundland and Labrador driver’s licence within three months of becoming a resident.
• If your licence is from another Canadian province, the United States, or a country with a reciprocal agreement (including the UK, Germany, France, Ireland, Japan, South Korea, and several others), you may be able to exchange it without testing.
• If your licence is from another country, you’ll need to pass written, vision, and road tests. You may still be able to skip some waiting periods if you surrender a valid foreign licence.
• An appointment is required. Bring proof of legal status in Canada, proof of address, and a translation of your licence if it isn’t in English.
• You’ll also need to register and insure any vehicle you own.

Driver’s licence for new residents: https://www.gov.nl.ca/motorregistration/new-residents-and-visitors/licence-application-process/

Public transit

• St. John’s: Metrobus serves St. John’s and Mount Pearl, with many routes stopping at Memorial’s St. John’s campus. Monthly passes are available.
• Corner Brook: Corner Brook Transit serves the city, including Grenfell Campus.

Metrobus (St. John’s): https://www.metrobus.com/ Corner Brook Transit: https://www.cornerbrook.com/bus-transit/ Memorial’s transportation guide for new faculty: https://mun.ca/facultyrelations/support/relocation/transportation/

5. Registering your children in school

Public schools are free for children living in the province. English-language schools are run by NLSchools. French-language schools are run by the Conseil scolaire francophone provincial (CSFP), and French Immersion is offered in many English schools.

How to register:

• Find your school. Your home address determines your local school (called a catchment area). Use the school locator to find it.
• Contact NLSchools or the school. Tell them your child’s name, date of birth, grade, start date, and address.
• Bring documents. Usually your child’s passport and immigration documents, birth certificate, past school records, immunization records, proof of address, and an MCP card (this can often be provided later). Documents not in English may need a certified translation.
• Kindergarten: Registration for Kindergarten usually opens in the spring of the year your child turns five.

Students who are new to English may get English as an Additional Language (EAL) support at school.

NLSchools: https://www.nlschools.ca/ School locator and bus eligibility: https://nlesd.mybusplanner.ca/Eligibility/ Kindergarten registration: https://www.nlschools.ca/studentsfamilies/kindergartenregistration.jsp French-language schools (CSFP): https://www.csfp.nl.ca/ Parents’ guide to the NL school system (Association for New Canadians): https://ancnl.ca/site/uploads/2023/05/Parents-Guide-to-the-Newfoundland-and-Labrador-School-System-1.pdf

6. Filing your taxes for the first time

Canada’s tax year runs from January 1 to December 31. You file a tax return each spring for the previous year, even if you only lived here for part of it.

What to know:

• Deadline: Tax returns and any taxes owed are due by April 30 each year.
• Residency: Your first return covers the part of the year after you became a resident of Canada. If you’re unsure of your residency status, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) can help determine it.
• Benefits: Filing a return, even with little or no income, keeps you eligible for benefits such as the GST/HST credit and, if you have children under 18, the Canada Child Benefit. Newcomers can apply for some benefits before filing their first return.
• How to file: Filing online with certified tax software is fastest, and some software is free. Set up direct deposit to get any refund faster.
• Free help: If your income is modest and your taxes are simple, a free community tax clinic may be able to file for you.
• CRA account: After your first return is processed, register for a CRA My Account to manage your taxes and benefits online.

Newcomers and the CRA: https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/international-non-residents/individuals-leaving-entering-canada-non-residents/newcomers-canada-immigrants.htm Benefits for newcomers: https://www.canada.ca/benefits-newcomers Filing your first tax return (CRA tips): https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/news/newsroom/tax-tips/tax-tips-2025/new-canada-filing-tax-return-first-time.html

More support

Memorial’s Faculty Relations office has a full relocation guide covering housing, banking, cost of living, and more: https://mun.ca/facultyrelations/support/relocation/

The Association for New Canadians offers free settlement support across the province: https://ancnl.ca/

Questions about your rights and benefits as a MUNFA member? Contact us at munfa@mun.ca. We’re here to help.