StartRight Program for Newcomers

A complete banking package for newcomers to Canada.

The Scotiabank StartRight® Program1 offers products and services designed specifically for Landed Immigrants, International Students and Foreign Workers.

Landed Immigrants & Foreign Workers:

  • Enjoy a chequing account with free day-to-day banking for one year2
  • Grow your savings with the Scotia Power Savings Account™
  • Build your credit history with a VISA* credit card that meets your needs3
  • Secure your valuables with a free small safety deposit box for one year4
  • Buy a car with specially designed financing at select dealerships5
  • Get a specially designed mortgage solution to assist you in purchasing a home in Canada6
  • Send money through Western Union Money Transfer®* services

International Students:

  • Get the Student Banking Advantage® Plan7 with unlimited debit transactions
  • Enrol in a free SCENE®§ membership and enjoy free movies and 10% off concession purchases8
  • Get up to 2,000 bonus points – enough for 2 free movies9 with your SCENE ScotiaCard® banking card
  • Get a SCENE® VISA* card3 or a L'earn® VISA* card3 with great rewards and no annual fee10

We understand you

There is a multilingual Scotiabank Representative who speaks your language- call us toll-free at 1- 866- 800-5159 (North America only- English, French, Cantonese, Mandarin, Punjabi, and Spanish) or visit a branch near you.

Let Scotiabank help open the door to your new start in Canada.

For complete details please visit Scotiabank StartRight Program for Newcomers.

  • 1Scotiabank StartRight Program, created for Canadian Landed Immigrants from 0-3 years in Canada, International Students and Foreign Workers. The Scotiabank StartRight Mortgage Program, created for Canadian Landed immigrants and Foreign Workers from 0-5 years in Canada. Read more
  • 2 Offer available for one year when you open a new Scotia OneTM account with Scotiabank. Free banking means that we will waive your Monthly Account Fee only. All other fees not covered by your banking package will continue to apply, including additional fees charged by other financial institutions and access fees to use non-Scotiabank banking machines (e.g., Interac ±, VISA* or PLUS* fees). Cardholder service fees continue to apply for using cross border debit service. Please see the Day-to-Day Banking Companion Booklet for further details about these services and fees.
  • 3 Subject to meeting Scotiabank's credit criteria and security requirements. A secured VISA card for International Students requires security equal to 120% of approved credit limit. An unsecured VISA card may be available for Foreign Workers and Permanent Residents, up to certain credit limits; a secured VISA card requires security equal to 100% of approved credit limit. VISA card security can be cash security, Canada Savings Bonds or Guaranteed Investment Certificate. In addition, to be eligible for a personal borrowing product, you must be a Canadian resident and have reached the age of majority.
  • 4Subject to availability and signing the Safety Deposit Box lease.
  • 5 Currently the Auto Loan Program is available through the following car dealerships in Canada: Kia, Chrysler, Hyundai, Jaguar/Land Rover, Mazda, Mitsubishi and Volvo. This program is only available for Landed Immigrants and Foreign Workers. Subject to Scotiabank financing terms and conditions. Downpayment required.
  • 6 Applicable to residential mortgages only and subject to Scotiabank lending criteria for residential properties. CMHC/Genworth Financial Canada mortgage default insurance may be required for Loan to Value ratios (LVRs) greater than 50% to a maximum of 95%. Maximum LVRs available may be less than 95%.
  • 7Qualifying students are full-time students attending a Canadian university, community college, CEGEP or other recognized post-secondary school. To take advantage of the Student Banking Advantage Plan account benefits, you will need to visit your branch each calendar year prior to October 31st and present proof that you are enrolled full-time in a qualifying post-secondary school. When you are no longer enrolled full-time or you have not presented proof of full-time post-secondary school enrolment, the plan will be removed and the account will automatically be converted to a Powerchequing account. Personal identification requirements must be met.
  • 8 10% discount applies to the full purchase price (excluding taxes) and excludes Tim Horton's and alcoholic beverage purchases. Free movies at Cineplex Entertainment ◊ Theatres with just 1,000 points. Visit www.scene.ca for complete details. Some restrictions and limitations apply.
  • 9 1,000 points will be added to your SCENE membership when you obtain a SCENE ScotiaCard on a new SCENE-eligible bank account and make your first debit purchase. Purchase must be made within 60 days of opening the account. 1,000 points will be added to your SCENE account for having your payroll deposited to your new SCENE-eligible Scotiabank account or a total of 2 pre-authorized credits (PACs) and/or pre-authorized debits (PADs), provided your automatic payroll or PAD/PAC is set up within 60 days of opening your account. Each sign-up offer is awarded once per customer per SCENE membership. Each offer is paid once per customer on joint or single accounts once your account has qualified. For joint accounts, if at the time of awarding either offer, each customer has registered an individual SCENE membership, points will be split equally. Pre-authorized payroll or 1 of the following combinations of pre-authorized transactions must be transacted in one account (the same): a) 2 PADs, b) 2 PACs or c) 1 PAD and 1 PAC. These offers do not apply to existing SCENE-eligible Scotiabank account holders. SCENE points are awarded for debit purchase transactions and Interac Flash± transactions from an eligible account using your SCENE ScotiaCard. Points accumulated using the SCENE ScotiaCard will be updated within 2-3 business days for debit transactions and monthly for the Scotiabank sign-up and banking relationship offers. Earn 1 SCENE point for every $5 you spend on debit purchases and 5 SCENE points for every $1 spent at participating theatres and online at cineplex.com. SCENE points can only be redeemed at participating Cineplex Entertainment◊ Theatres, or scene.ca for other points offers (or rewards). Some conditions and limitations apply. Visit scene.ca for complete details
  • 10 Interest rate for purchases for both SCENE VISA card and the L'earn card is 19.99%; cash advances, balances transfers and Scotia® VISA Cheques are 21.99%. Interest rates, annual fees and features for both cards are effective April 1, 2011 and are subject to change without notice. SCENE VISA – Earn 1 SCENE point for every $1 you spend on card purchases and 5 SCENE points for every $1 spent at participating Cineplex Entertainment◊ Theatres and online at cineplex.com. SCENE points can only be redeemed at participating Cineplex Entertainment Theatres, or scene.ca for other points offers (or rewards). Purchase returns, payments, cash advances, Scotia VISA Cheques, credit vouchers, card fees, interest charges or service/transaction charges do not qualify for SCENE points. Some conditions and limitations apply. Visit scene.ca for complete details. L'earn cardholders earn up to 1% cash back. Purchase returns, payments, cash advances, Scotia VISA Cheques, credit vouchers, card fees, interest charges or service/transaction charges do not qualify for a Moneyback reward. Some conditions and limitations apply. Visit scotiabank.com for complete details. All Scotiabank retail credit cards, except ScotiaLine VISA card, Scotiabank Value VISA card and No-Fee Scotiabank Value VISA card, issued or reissued after March 14, 2011, will have Visa payWave. For more information visit scotiabank.com/paywave.
  • * VISA Int./Lic user The Bank of Nova Scotia. ™ Trademark of the Bank of Nova Scotia. ® Registered trademarks of the Bank of Nova Scotia. ®* The WESTERN UNION name, logo and related trademarks and service marks, owned by Western Union Holdings, Inc., are registered and/or used in the U.S. and many foreign countries and are used with permission. Scotiabank is an authorized agent facilitating Western Union Money Transfer services. Western Union Money Transfer fees vary based on amount sent and destination. Information on Western Union Money Transfer fees can be obtained at a participating Scotiabank branch. A Scotiabank day-to-day banking account is required for use of Western Union Money Transfer services from a participating Scotiabank branch. ±Interac, Interac Flash and Pay in a flash are trademarks of Interac Inc., user The Bank of Nova Scotia. With your Interac Flash feature, small purchases can be made by waving or tapping your SCENE ScotiaCard over a special card reader at participating merchants. For more information, visit scotiabank.com/flash.. ®§ Registered trademark of SCENE IP LP, used under licence. ◊Cineplex Entertainment LP, used under licence.

Details on Eligibility

If you are a Landed Immigrant who has been in Canada up to three years, please bring the following to open your bank account:


  1. Immigration Landing Document (IMM 5292) or Permanent Resident Card
  2. Valid photo ID such as foreign passport or driver's licence issued in Canada

If you are a Foreign Worker, please bring:

  1. A current valid passport
  2. Original work permit
  3. Letter from your employer in Canada

If you are an International Student, please bring:

  1. A current valid passport
  2. Letter of acceptance from a Canadian educational institution
  3. Study Permit (IMM 1442 is the most commonly used form)