Arriving in Toronto can create an awkward gap between your first household expenses and your first Canadian tax return. Rent, groceries and transportation begin immediately, while tax filing may still be months away.
You do not necessarily have to wait until that return is filed to apply for certain government payments. The Canada Revenue Agency allows eligible newcomers to apply for benefit and credit payments beforehand. However, each program has its own requirements, and moving to Toronto alone does not establish eligibility.
This Toronto newcomer benefits guide focuses on preparing an application before your first return: identifying the appropriate route, organizing family information and reporting the income needed to calculate payments.
Separate Tax Residency From Immigration Status
Begin by checking which status the application asks about.
Immigration status and residency for income tax purposes serve different purposes. A work permit, study permit or permanent residence document does not, by itself, answer every tax-residency question.
The CRA considers significant residential ties when assessing tax residency, including a home, spouse or common-law partner, and dependants in Canada. It uses residency and, where applicable, immigration status to assess benefit eligibility. Review the official newcomer tax and benefits guidance.
Keep arrival dates and relevant documents together. If your circumstances are unclear, obtain clarification rather than selecting a date solely because it appears on an airline ticket.
Identify the Benefit Before Choosing a Form
“Newcomer benefits” is a broad description, not one application covering every possible payment.
Two relevant federal programs are the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, formerly called the GST/HST credit, and the Canada child benefit.
The CRA’s current benefit application guidance explains the newcomer route for the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit. Only one application per household is required. The route differs depending on whether you have children and qualify for the Canada child benefit.
Use the current program page rather than relying on an older article or saved form. A familiar former program name can help you recognize the payment, but the current instructions should guide your submission.
Check the Appropriate RC151 Application Route
For new residents without children, the CRA currently provides an online RC151 application for the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit.
For applicants with children under 19 who are using RC151, its instructions direct them to complete the paper form, register the children in their care and provide proof of birth.
If you qualify for the Canada child benefit, the CRA instead directs you to that application route; the information is also used to assess eligibility for the groceries benefit and related programs.
Before starting, write down the route that applies to your household. This avoids completing multiple forms simply because their names seem relevant.
If you have already applied, check what was submitted before preparing another application.
Examine Canada Child Benefit Eligibility Carefully
Having a child and living in Toronto are not the only conditions for receiving the Canada child benefit.
The CRA requires the applicant to live with a child under 18, be primarily responsible for their care and upbringing, and be resident in Canada for tax purposes. The applicant or their spouse or common-law partner must also meet an eligible status condition.
For the temporary-resident route, the CRA specifies residence in Canada throughout the previous 18 months and a valid qualifying permit in the 19th month.
Do not assume that a newly arrived temporary resident qualifies immediately. Equally, do not assess only your own status if the eligibility rules also refer to your spouse or partner.
Read the official Canada child benefit eligibility page against your actual family circumstances.
Prepare the Child Benefit Application and Schedule
The CRA’s instructions for newcomers applying for the Canada child benefit identify Form RC66 and Schedule RC66SCH, which provides status and income information.
Proof of birth may also be required where the CRA has not previously paid benefits for the child. Review the current child benefit application instructions before assembling the package.
Check names and birth dates against the supporting documents. Where spellings differ between records, explain the discrepancy and ask what clarification is needed.
Keep a copy of every completed page before sending it. An incomplete schedule can be difficult to reconstruct later if you did not retain your answers.
Gather Overseas Income for the Requested Periods
A benefit application can require financial information from before your move.
The CRA may request income from all sources for you and your spouse or common-law partner for up to two years before arrival. This information helps calculate benefit amounts; it should not be confused with a statement that all pre-arrival income is taxable in Canada.
Read the form’s dates carefully. It may ask for separate calendar years or a particular part-year period.
Prepare a worksheet recording the income source, period, original currency and Canadian-dollar amount. Keep the records and conversion calculation supporting each entry.
Avoid substituting your bank balance for income. Savings held at arrival and income earned during a requested period answer different questions.
If income was zero, follow the instructions for reporting that fact rather than leaving the field unexplained.
Describe Your Household as It Actually Is
Review marital status, partner information and children’s living arrangements before submitting.
If your spouse remains abroad, do not assume that physical separation automatically means you should describe yourself as single. Follow the CRA’s definitions and ask about any situation you do not understand.
For children, record when they began living with you and whether a custody arrangement affects care responsibilities.
Changes during the period may matter. Create a short timeline showing arrival, household changes and relevant status updates.
Do not choose the arrangement that appears likely to produce a larger payment. Accurate information helps prevent later corrections and repayment problems.
Follow Translation and Submission Instructions
Check the requirements before paying for translations or mailing original records.
The CRA’s newcomer guidance says documents in languages other than English or French require copies of the originals alongside an acceptable translation.
Confirm what “acceptable” means for the application involved. An informal translation prepared for your own understanding may not satisfy the submission requirements.
For a mailed application, verify the destination using current CRA instructions and retain a record of dispatch. For an online submission, save the confirmation and submitted information where available.
Keep applications, supporting documents and correspondence in one folder. This makes it easier to answer a later request without sending inconsistent versions.
Track the Application Without Budgeting on Approval
Record when you applied, which benefit you requested and what documents you supplied.
If the CRA asks for more information, identify the requested period and respond through the stated channel. Keep proof of your response.
Do not interpret silence as approval, and avoid making essential spending commitments based on an assumed payment amount.
Your entitlement can depend on family income, status and other program conditions. Another newcomer’s payment is not a reliable estimate for your household.
If you discover an error, contact the CRA about correcting it rather than submitting a second application without explanation.
Prepare for Annual Tax Filing Afterward
Applying before your first return does not replace ongoing tax-filing responsibilities.
The CRA explains that you and your spouse or common-law partner generally need to file annually to continue receiving the Canada child benefit, even where there is no income to report.
Keep the income and residency records used in your application so they can be reconciled with later filing information.
Toronto Blog’s guide to your first tax return as a newcomer in Canada covers that next stage. Establish a filing reminder while completing the benefit application, rather than waiting until a payment interruption prompts you to investigate.
Note: This article reflects CRA guidance checked in October 2026. Program names, application methods and eligibility requirements may change. Confirm current instructions for your residency, immigration status and household circumstances. This is general information, not individualized tax advice, and applying does not guarantee payment.
