Newcomer Bank Eligibility Checker
Screen the major-bank newcomer pathways by status and timing before comparing fees or promotions. This is an eligibility-planning tool, not an approval decision.
Your situation
Special newcomer offers are narrower than the general right to seek a bank account. A “verify” result does not mean you cannot open an ordinary account.
What this checker is designed to answer
The tool compares published newcomer-program rules rather than guessing whether a bank will approve an application. It distinguishes permanent-resident, foreign-worker and international-student routes, plus whether a bank currently publishes a pre-arrival process.
Why ordinary account access is different from a newcomer promotion
Canada’s Financial Consumer Agency states that people may be able to open a bank account with proper identification even if they are not Canadian citizens or live in another country. A bank’s newcomer fee waiver or no-credit-history card has additional eligibility rules.
See the full 2026 eligibility reference →
Browse bank-by-bank eligibility pages →
Compare account fees after the promo →