I work at CIBC and even CIBC offers a good package for new immigrants. But you cannot open an account with being physically present in Canada and providing valid identification because of Anti-Money Laundering regulations.
You can open an account online though on bank's website/ mobile app but the account will be restricted with no activity allowed until you visit a branch and validate yourself.
Yes, Scotiabank also states that while u can open an account before moving to Canada, the account will only be ACTIVE once you land in Canada and go to the bank in-person.
Could you please send me the link for useful info about that bank account options?
When I went to Canada for the first time in 2011, I didn't want to carry CAD$ 5k in my pocket, so a friend of mine helped me get a forex card from HDFC bank in India. I carried around $500 in my pocket and a Forex Card with $4.5k in it. I was being charged $2 per transaction in Canada. But I was able to use it everywhere in Canada. I had $500 in my pocket which I used initially and meanwhile I had opened account there with TD bank. I used my Forex card at the ATM nearby, cash out all the money in 4 transactions from it and deposited in TD Bank account.
Total expense of Forex card for me was,
Rs. 500 to get one,
CA$ 10 for the 5 transactions I had made.
My father also recharged it once from India and credited $1000 in it after 8 months. I swiped it at ATM in Canada and withdrew all of it in one transaction.
When I went to Canada for the first time in 2011, I didn't want to carry CAD$ 5k in my pocket, so a friend of mine helped me get a forex card from HDFC bank in India. I carried around $500 in my pocket and a Forex Card with $4.5k in it. I was being charged $2 per transaction in Canada. But I was able to use it everywhere in Canada. I had $500 in my pocket which I used initially and meanwhile I had opened account there with TD bank. I used my Forex card at the ATM nearby, cash out all the money in 4 transactions from it and deposited in TD Bank account.
Total expense of Forex card for me was,
Rs. 500 to get one,
CA$ 10 for the 5 transactions I had made.
My father also recharged it once from India and credited $1000 in it after 8 months. I swiped it at ATM in Canada and withdrew all of it in one transaction.