Getting a credit card in Canada

• as a new immigrant, how long do I need to wait to get a credit card in Canada? I have been a Citibank customer for years in the USA but I was advised that those credit references do not cross borders.
  
  Any sugestions?
  
  

  01 nov 2005, 02:50 Anonymous

Respuestas

• try a store like Ikea, futureshop or Best Buy

  These stores offer a credit card to pretty much anybody. Keep this credit account open for about 6 months to a year and then close it. Once you have had the card for about 8 months, you have "credit history".
  
  Be warned that these cards charge a ridiculously high interest rate (around 25%) so consider this part of your "set up costs" in a new country.
  
  I hope this helps,
  
  Rod

  Anonymous 02 nov 2005, 02:58 - Denunciar

• secured credit cards - VISA - Master Card - Discovery - American Express

  There are a few sources of secured credit cards in Canada. These cards allow you to cheaply build credit history without having to pay high interest rates. What you do is that you give them a deposit of let's say $500 and you keep that balance in the account for about 6 months but you can make purchases in stores against that deposit.
  
  
  http://creditloansinsurance.com/Personal%20Finance/Secured%20Credit%20Cards/secured%20credit%20cards%20canada.html
  

  Anonymous 05 nov 2005, 03:27 - Denunciar

• Same problem

  I've had a bit of a problem myself. I wanted to get a credit card here in Canada. The bank tells me to build a credit history by getting a credit card through stores and the stores asks me for if I have other credit cards....
  And apparently my credit history (master card & Visa) from the States do not work. So its just this running around in a circle to nothing. I don't remember having any types of hassels with credit cards when living in the states.

  Anonymous 17 nov 2007, 06:37 - Denunciar

• apply for a secured card

  you need a "secured" credit card - take a look at this site - http://www.canrates.ca and use "Card Wizard" to find cards with features you need

  Anonymous 10 ene 2008, 02:13 - Denunciar

• welcome to canada

  It is unbelievable, as a new immigrant from Europe with post-graduate education and a fine job, I am struggling to get a Canadian credit card.
  
  Canadian banks are among the most bureaucratic, inflexible and discriminatory institutions I have encountered in my life after residing in three different countries.
  
  I have 15 years of credit card history with Barclays - of course within Canada this is totally irrelevant as we are talking about an English bank. Eh, England, what was that again? Ever read a history book, or looked at your dollar bills? Eh, WTF?
  
  My advise is to get a letter from your employer which outlines your annual salary; go to a branch and talk to the manager. It can also help to make the credit card a condition for opening a checking account.
  

  none 13 feb 2008, 12:57 - Denunciar

• my experience as a new immigrant from us

  I first got a checking account and a secured credit card. After a year working here I was able to get an unsecure credit card.
  
  As a side story, if one applies for a credit card, one might get a call from the company asking for further information. Since it's remotely possible that this followup call might be a phishing expedition, one might want to make sure they're talking to whom they think they're talking to. One can verify that by asking for a call back number (if one picks up the phone). Next, one calls a verifiable phone number of the company in question (eg. listed on their website) and asks an operator to verify the call back number.

  ninel 01 mar 2008, 03:40 - Denunciar

• Secured Credit Cards

  here are three secured cards use for a six months purchase everything off them gas grocery's etc etc turn some numbers in the account. Then move on to bigger and better things.
  
  minimum 1000 deposit
  http://www.hometrust.ca/securedvisa/
  
  minimum 500 deposit
  http://www.horizonplus.ca/faq.html
  
  Capital one
  http://www.capitalone.ca/canada/cards/guaranteed-secured-mastercard/index.php?linkid=WWW_Z_Z_Z_CNCMPMP_C1_25_T_CNCPSE

  compliments 02 abr 2008, 06:18 - Denunciar

• Get a secured credit card

  Get a secured credit card. You pay a deposit equal to the credit limit, which you get back once you pay off and cancel the card. Just use it for a month or two and always pay it off and you should become eligible for a normal credit card.
  
  This webpage has a list of secured credit cards:
  http://www.canadacreditcentral.com/securedlist.html

  Buze 14 jun 2008, 05:49 - Denunciar