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NEWCOMERS 

Enjoy $300 cashback to help you get settled

Get a helping hand to cover the cost of your CELPIP or CAEL language tests.*

Open an account online

*Offer available until January 31, 2025, to those who open a bank account and sign up for certain eligible services. To claim the $300 cashback, you must apply to open an account directly from this page.

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Even more benefits with National Bank of Canada

National Bank of Canada is proud to stand by your side as you get settled in your new country. In partnership with CELPIP and CAEL, we’re offering $300 cashback that you could use to cover the cost of your English proficiency test. All you need to do is open a bank account and sign up for certain eligible services.*

Our offer for newcomers 1 doesn’t stop there. National Bank of Canada also offers the following benefits:

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Bank account

Open an account with no fixed monthly fee for up to 3 years.

Save up to $574.20**

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mycredit™ Mastercard® credit card

Build your credit score with an eligible National Bank Mastercard® credit card. No credit history needed.2,3

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International transfers

Send international transfers online to India, the United States, and 19 countries in the European Union. 

$5.95 per transfer4

Intermediary bank or beneficiary fees may apply.

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Legal support service

Get answers to all your questions regarding getting a Canadian work visa, health services, housing, and more.5

No fees for the first year

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Statements via mail

Get your bank statements by mail with no charge for the first year.

$30 in savings

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Ordering cheques

Get your first order of cheques free.

You’ll save $67.10

Just 2 simple steps to open your bank account

Make the most of our offer and get a bank account with no fixed monthly fee for 3 years as well as other benefits. Find out if you’re eligible by checking the criteria and following the steps below.

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Open an account online

Fill out an online application form. You’ll need the following:

  • A Canadian phone number 
  • A valid and eligible foreign passport or a Canadian permanent resident card  
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Receive a confirmation email

Within a couple of days of your request, you’ll receive a confirmation email with your account information. Your debit card will then be mailed to you.  

Open an account online


Up to 3 years of no fixed month fees**

More than just a bank account

Discover our offer for newcomers

Découvrez notre offre pour les nouveaux arrivants 

2 min 16    Transcript

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See all the details of the offer

Download and read the details of the offer for newcomers in one of the following languages. 

 Français

 English

A distinguished client experience 

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89% of our clients who are new to Canada say that they recommend National Bank of Canada, mostly due to our distinguished service.

Internal study on newcomers - 2023

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“We’re extremely happy with our choice! We met with other banks, but National Bank was the one that best fit our needs.”

- Karen, newcomer - 2023

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We got 4.85 stars for our service on PVTistes.net.

June 2023

Our industry awards 

2024

National Bank of Canada has been named the Best Bank for Newcomers to Canada for 2024 by MoneySense.

2023

National Bank® of Canada mycreditTM Mastercard® credit card was named the best credit card for newcomers by Milesopedia in 2023.

Who’s the newcomer offer for?

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Permanent residents

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Temporary workers

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International students

Open an account online

Talk to us about your projects in Canada 

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Contact us by email

Write to us with all the details of your request. We’ll get back to you as quickly as possible.

Send us an email

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Chat with us

Get quick help when you contact us through Facebook Messenger.

Send us a message

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We’re hiring!

Are you a qualified worker immigrating to Canada? Join the National Bank of Canada team!

See our job openings

Legal disclaimers

  • Be a newcomer and at least 18 years of age or older
  • Apply to open an account from your home country up to 90 days before you arrive in Canada, or within 5 years of your arrival
  • Be the only account user
  • The offer for newcomers is open to permanent residents, temporary workers and international students

Promotion period:

September 16, 2024, to January 31, 2025 

Description of the promotion

$300 cashback after opening a chequing account and carrying out certain transactions. See the conditions below.    

Eligibility conditions

  • Open a chequing account, sign up for our exclusive offer for newcomers, during the promotion using the redirection link on one of CELPIP's site.  
  • Keep this package or offer for at least 150 days after the chequing account is opened. 
  • Be the main holder of the account.  
  • Sign up for online banking and online bank and tax statements within 150 days of opening the chequing account.  
  • Make an eligible automated deposit of your salary or pension in your new chequing account at least once a month for a minimum of 2 consecutive months. This deposit must continue uninterrupted until at least the 150th day after the new chequing account is opened.   
  • Automated deposits eligible for the promotion are:  
    • Salary  
    • QPIP benefits (Québec Parental Insurance Plan)  
    • Private pension plans  
    • Government pension plans (provincial or federal) 
    • Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS)  
    • War Veterans Allowance  
    • Employment insurance benefits  
    • CNESST indemnities  
  • You must not have had a National Bank chequing account (single or joint) in the past 24 months.  

When will the cashback be paid?

The cashback will be paid to the new chequing account no later than 210 days after the account is opened.  

Other conditions: 

  • You can receive only one cashback for this chequing account.  
  • You must be at least 18 years old when you open your account.  
  • You must keep your chequing account in good standing for 150 days after the account is opened by complying with the conditions set out in the Deposit Account Agreement. For example, you need to pay the monthly fees of the chequing account when applicable.  
  • You need to keep the chequing account for at least 12 months starting when the account is opened. If you don't meet this condition, you'll have to reimburse a portion of the cashback corresponding to the period still remaining.  
  • You must not be employed by National Bank of Canada or one of its subsidiaries.  
  • This promotion may be modified or withdrawn without prior notice.  
  • This promotion can't be combined with any other promotion applicable to chequing accounts, an exclusive offer or The Connected® and The Total® packages.

Baseline savings of $334.92 over three years for the account

Save a minimum of $334.92 over three years if you meet the following conditions:

  • Open a bank account online before arriving with our secure form or visit a branch upon arrival.

  • Sign up for our offer for newcomers

Savings of $334.92 based on:

  • First year: no flat monthly fee (savings of $15.95/month for 12 months)

  • Second year: flat monthly fee of $7.98 instead of $15.95 (savings of $7.97/month for 12 months)

  • Third year: flat monthly fee of $11.96 instead of $15.95 (savings of $3.99/month for 12 months)

To be eligible for savings, you must commit to keeping the account and package for a minimum of 36 months. You will receive no further discounts if the products are cancelled. The full flat monthly fee of $15.95 will be applied to your banking package from the fourth year. You’ll be able to browse our packages and choose the one that best suits your needs. 

** Maximum savings of $574.20 over three years for the account

Your savings will be $574.20 over 3 years with your newcomer’s banking package on a fixed monthly fee ($15.95/month x 36 months) if you meet the following conditions.

  1. Visit a branch and open a bank account.
  2. Sign up for our offer for newcomers.
  3. During the first year after signing up for the offer for newcomers to Canada:
    • Apply for and activate an eligible National Bank Mastercard personal credit card2
    • Sign up to receive eStatements
  4. During the second and third years after signing up for the offer for newcomers to Canada: 
    • Set up salary deposits to your National Bank account and have your pay deposited at least once a month; OR
    • Make at least two electronic bill payments from your National Bank account every month.

To be eligible for this, you agree to maintain this account for a minimum of 36 months. You agree that there are no additional savings available from the moment you longer keep these products. You’ll pay the full fixed monthly fee of $15.95/month for your banking package starting in the fourth year after you sign up for the offer for newcomers. You’ll be able to browse our packages and choose the one that best suits your needs. 

Overall savings of up to $671.30 over 3 years 

You could enjoy a maximum overall savings of $671.30 over 3 years without the following fees being charged:  

  • The flat monthly fee for the Newcomers to Canada package for 3 years ($15.95/month for 36 months)  
  • The fee for your first order of cheques ($67.10/order)  
  • Statements sent by mail free of charge for the first year ($30)

Note on savings

To enjoy the full savings, you must keep the products and services and carry out all required transactions for a minimum of 36 months unless otherwise indicated. If you fail to meet the conditions of the offer, your savings will be lower. Your savings will be lower if you do not order cheques and/or choose to not receive paper statements by mail for free the first year.

If during a given month, you keep your bank account and banking package but do not keep all of the other products and services indicated or do not carry out all the required transactions (e.g. only one electronic bill payment per month instead of two), you will be charged National Bank's service fee for that month. The service fee will be $7.98 monthly for the second year and $11.96 for the third. You will still enjoy monthly savings of $7.97 during the second year and $3.99 during the third.

Finally, if you no longer hold a bank account or banking package for newcomers, you will no longer be eligible for savings.

You must first open a National Bank Direct Brokerage account. Certain conditions apply. 

Options commission is $0 + $1.25/contract. A minimum fee of $6.25/trade applies. The maximum fee is $19.95 when the transaction value is less than $2,000. An option contract gives the holder the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell a given position in an underlying security at a given exercise price. Contracts are for 100 shares.

National Bank Direct Brokerage, as a division of a Canadian bank subsidiary, is the first broker in Canada to offer a commission-free online brokerage solution for Canadian and U.S. stocks.

  • Trades must have been made through our electronic solutions.
  • Management and other fees may apply to ETF investments. Please read the prospectus before investment. ETFs are not guaranteed, their values change frequently, and past performance may not be repeated. 

Regular pricing on equities trade applies if the $0 commission conditions on ETFs are not met.

For more details, consult our page for exclusive National Bank Direct Brokerage offers.

National Bank Direct Brokerage (NBDB) is a division of National Bank Financial Inc. (NBF) and a trademark of National Bank of Canada (NBC), used under licence by NBF. NBF is a member of the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization and of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund and a wholly-owned subsidiary of NBC, which is a public company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: NA) NBDB provides order execution only services and makes no investment recommendations. Clients are solely responsible for the financial and tax consequences of their investment decisions.

TM National Bank Assistance Network is a trademark of National Bank of Canada, used under licence by authorized third parties.

® Mastercard is a registered trademark, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated. Authorized user: National Bank.

®THE EXCHANGE and Accel are registered trademarks of Fiserv Inc.

®CIRRUS is a registered trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated. Authorized user: National Bank. 

®Allpoint is a registered trademark of ATM National LLC.

PARAGON, CELPIP, CELPIT, CELTOP, CELL, LPI, CANADIAN ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY INDEX TEST, LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY INDEX, CANADIAN ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY INDEX PROGRAM, CAEL, CANADIAN ACADEMIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE ASSESSMENT and related logos are registered or unregistered trademarks and service marks owned or licensed by Paragon. Any unauthorized use of those trademarks is strictly prohibited, and nothing on a Website or in these General Terms of Services or any Service Terms will be construed as granting, by implication, estoppel, or otherwise, any licence or right to use any of those trademarks and service marks.

National Bank of Canada is not a licensed bank in France or other countries outside of Canada.

National Bank of Canada was named the best bank for newcomers to Canada by MoneySense in 2024. MoneySense establishes its annual rankings by selecting some of the largest financial institutions and comparing them for fees, access to credit and services offered to newcomers.

National Bank's mycredit® Mastercard® credit card has won the Milesopedia best credit card for newcomers in 2023. Each year, Milesopedia examines the credit card offers of the largest financial institutions and establishes its ranking according to more than 150 criteria such as fees, welcome offers, minimum income required, number of points per category, account credits, insurance, airport lounge access, etc.

  1. Our banking offer is available to newcomers from their home countries up to 90 days before arriving in Canada or at any point during your first 5 years in Canada. See the above terms and conditions of the offer for no fixed monthly fee for 3 years. The offer may be modified, extended or withdrawn, without prior notice, at any time. The offer may not be combined or used with any other National Bank offer, promotion or benefit. Fees may apply for transactions not included in the banking offer for newcomers. For more information on transaction fees, see our Guide to Personal Banking Solutions [PDF].
  2. Financing is subject to credit approval by National Bank. Certain conditions apply. Eligible credit cards: mycredit, MC1, Allure, Syncro, Platinum, ECHO Cashback, World and World Elite.
  3. Guarantee may be required under certain circumstances. Financing is subject to credit approval by National Bank. Certain conditions apply.
  4. International Transfer by Mastercard® and Interac® are available at a cost of $5.95 per transaction, no matter which account you hold. The amount received by the beneficiary may differ from the amount sent considering that the intermediary bank or the beneficiary’s bank will apply their fees to the original transfer’s amount. This service allows you to transfer funds to the United States, India, Philippines, United Kingdom and the following 19 European countries: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain.
  5. Telephone assistance service offered by National Bank Assistance Network, valid for 12 months from your account opening date. The content of the packages and terms described are subject to change.
  6. National Bank ABMs or ABMs in THE EXCHANGEᴹᴰ network. Use all our ABM features in six languages (French, English, Spanish, Traditional Chinese, Punjabi, and Arabic).
  7. Locate CIRRUS, Maestro® and NYCE® ABMs and payment terminals with the logos on the back of your card. You can then use your debit card at these ABMs in the United States and around the world, including our network of partners Accel®, Cirrus® and Allpoint®. Administrative or exchange rate fees may apply.

At National Bank of Canada, we are committed to guiding you as you settle in your new country.

Did you know? National Bank of Canada is one of the 6 largest banks in the country. It counts more than 360 branches all over Canada and more than 940 automated banking machines offering services in 6 different languages.

Our objective? To make banking easier when you arrive in Canada.

We support you before and after your arrival. 

Before your arrival: first, open your account online in just a few clicks! Then, we’ll schedule an appointment to complete the process together at a branch when you arrive. 

Need to transfer money? You can do it from your home country to your new bank account before you leave. 

Already in Canada? Open your bank account in a few minutes entirely online! Or visit a branch and speak with an advisor.

Take advantage of a great offer for newcomers that includes up to 3 years of no fixed monthly fees. The offer is valid up to 5 years after your arrival.

In Canada, it’s important to build your credit history and we can help you achieve this by giving you access to a credit card.

Need to make an international transfer? Several options are available to you depending on the destination. Take advantage of our rates starting at $5.95 for certain countries.

Do you need to talk to a lawyer? 

Get answers to your questions regarding immigration, housing, or employment with our legal assistance service, free of charge through our Assistance Network. This service is available 7 days a week for the first year. 

Manage your finances with confidence in Canada. 

In addition to our legal assistance service, a banking advisor will assist you as soon as you arrive to help you realize the projects you care about. Buying a car, buying a property, saving for retirement, saving for your children, and much more. 

Our National Bank of Canada family wishes to give you real peace of mind by helping you manage your finances and build a life in Canada.

We are here to answer your questions.