What you can do before you land — and what you can't.
Most of the work that matters happens before T-day. A small set of tasks structurally cannot start until you're physically in Ontario. Knowing the split is the difference between a clean first month and a scrambled one.
Must happen pre-arrival
Before you land
- CPSO certificate of registration (4-6 month process)
- Pre-Entry Assessment Program (PEAP) for IMGs
- Work permit via IRCC (up to 6 months)
- UHIP enrolment for trainee + family (effective T-day)
- Banking pre-application — Big-5 newcomer program
- Housing shortlist + final selection
- Lease signing — Form 2229E
- First + last month rent transferred
- Internet / utilities / cell plan booked
- Children's school enrolment package assembled
Can only happen post-arrival
After you land
- SIN application — in-person at Service Canada
- Ontario driver's licence — full testing required, no GCC reciprocal
- OHIP application — only after the 3-month wait
- In-person bank branch activation
- Public school enrolment finalization (proof of address)
- Move-in and lease activation (key handoff, elevator booking)
- UHIP card pickup + family enrolment confirmation
- Mosque / community connection in person
- Halal grocery routine
Continue to The First 30 Days → for the post-arrival checklist in detail.
Pre-arrival, by phase.
Phase 1
T-90 to T-60 — Deep work window
Early April → early May 2026 for July 1 starts.
This is the window where the things with long lead times need to be moving. CPSO and work permit are 4-6 month processes; if they aren't already filed by T-90, the timeline is tight. PEAP for IMGs runs 6-12 weeks. Big-5 banks accept newcomer pre-applications up to 90 days pre-arrival — start the application now to have an account ready to fund on T-day.
- CPSO certificate of registration application — should be filed
- Pre-Entry Assessment Program (PEAP) — IMGs only, in progress
- Work permit via IRCC — filed or approved
- UHIP enrolment coordinated through PGME office (effective T-day)
- Sponsoring-agency funding letter on file (Saudi Cultural Bureau, Kuwait Cultural Office, Qatar Sponsorship Authority, or equivalent — if applicable)
- Banking pre-application — RBC / TD / BMO / Scotiabank / CIBC newcomer program
- School research and decision (premium private 2026-2027 cycle closed Feb 20, 2026)
Phase 2
T-60 to T-30 — Housing window
Early May → early June 2026.
The Toronto rental market moves fast. Two-week shortlist windows are typical; condo board approval adds 5-15 business days on top of the lease signing. Lock the unit early enough to absorb the board's review cycle without missing T-day.
- Housing shortlist (Essentials tier deliverable — 3-5 vetted options)
- Neighbourhood guide review — see Neighbourhoods
- Final neighbourhood + unit selection
- Condo board approval submission (5-15 business days typical)
- Lease signing — Form 2229E (the standard Ontario lease)
- First + last month rent transferred (wire / Interac e-Transfer)
- Internet / utilities setup pre-booked (Bell / Rogers / Telus newcomer plans)
Phase 3
T-30 to T-0 — Final pre-arrival
Early June → late June 2026.
The last month is execution. Anything still moving here needs to be tracked. Settlement-tier clients get the Property/Landlord Verification Report and the Toronto-edition Arrive-Ready Guide in this window.
- Property/Landlord Verification Report (Settlement tier)
- Customized Toronto-edition Arrive-Ready Guide (delivered post-deposit)
- Travel booking — flight + hotel for arrival window
- International credit report assembly
- Banking final pre-arrival setup
- Cell phone plan booked
- Children's school enrolment package finalized — birth certs, prior school records translated, immunization records, proof of address
Ninety days is short. Sixty is shorter.
If you're inside the window now, a forty-five-minute consultation closes the gap fastest. We've run this timeline for Vancouver physicians since 2026 — Toronto follows the same shape, with the Ontario specifics locked in.