Scotiabank Newcomer Banking Eligibility
Scotiabank StartRight covers permanent residents, foreign workers and international students, with a separate international-account process before arrival.
| Status | Program | Current pathway |
|---|---|---|
| Permanent resident | Scotiabank StartRight / Preferred Package | Yes, if within the published permanent-resident window. |
| Foreign worker | Scotiabank StartRight / Preferred Package | StartRight includes foreign workers. |
| International student | Scotiabank StartRight student banking | StartRight includes international students. |
Detailed eligibility pages
Scotiabank for permanent residents
Scotiabank currently defines eligible permanent-resident newcomers as people who have lived in Canada for less than 5 years. The current Preferred Package StartRight offer waives the monthly fee for the first 12 months for eligible clients.
Open status guide →Scotiabank for foreign workers
Scotiabank currently lists foreign workers as an eligible StartRight group. The current Preferred Package StartRight offer waives the monthly fee for the first 12 months for eligible clients.
Open status guide →Scotiabank for international students
Scotiabank currently lists international students as an eligible StartRight group. Student-account and GIC options have their own terms.
Open status guide →Can you open Scotiabank before arriving?
Scotiabank publishes a pre-arrival International Account pathway. Its newcomer guidance states applicants should be coming to Canada within 18 months and not be coming on a tourist or visitor visa.
See the Scotiabank pre-arrival guide →
Documents matter
The exact document list depends on status and application route. Use the status-specific pages above, then verify the current bank application page before submitting documents.
Special offer eligibility is not the same as basic account access
FCAC states that a person may be able to open a bank account with proper identification even if they are not a Canadian citizen or live in another country. Special newcomer promotions have narrower bank-specific eligibility than the underlying right to seek a basic account.
Financial Consumer Agency of Canada — Opening a bank account →
Primary bank source
Compare costs after eligibility
Scotiabank newcomer account fee calculator →
Compare major-bank fees →
2026 eligibility reference →
Research snapshot: September 13, 2026. Bank offers and approval criteria can change; the bank makes the final eligibility and approval decision.