You land in Canada, switch on your phone, and your home number still works, at roaming rates. Within a week you will be giving a number to landlords, employers and new contacts, and they will expect a Canadian one. This guide explains who sells phone plans in Canada, the difference between prepaid and postpaid, what to bring to sign up and how newcomer offers work, so you can choose without overpaying.
Who sells phone plans in Canada
Canada has fewer mobile networks than most countries, and most brands you see in a mall belong to one of three companies. Knowing who owns what explains most of the price differences:
| Type of provider | Examples (November 2026) | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| The big three | Bell, Rogers, TELUS | The widest coverage, stores everywhere and phone financing, at the highest prices. |
| Their second brands | Virgin Plus and Lucky Mobile (Bell), Fido and Chatr (Rogers), Koodo and Public Mobile (TELUS) | The same network as the parent company for less money, with fewer perks. Some are prepaid only or online only. |
| The fourth carrier and regional carriers | Freedom Mobile (owned by Quebecor since 2023), Vidéotron in Quebec, SaskTel in Saskatchewan | Often cheaper, with coverage that can be thinner outside cities. Check the map for where you will live and work. |
You will hear the word MVNO (a brand that rents space on someone else's network). Canada has few independent ones. Since 2021, the CRTC has required Bell, Rogers, TELUS and SaskTel to give eligible regional carriers wholesale access to their networks for seven years, while those carriers build their own (CRTC Telecom Regulatory Policy 2021-130). In practice, the real choice for most newcomers is between a big-three plan and a cheaper brand on the same network.
Prices and promotions change often, especially around Black Friday and the holidays, so compare current offers on each brand's site rather than relying on a price you read online months ago.
Prepaid or postpaid?
- Prepaid: you pay before each month starts, with no contract. There is usually no credit check, which matters when you have no Canadian credit history. Some prepaid brands, such as Public Mobile, are managed entirely online.
- Postpaid: you get a bill after each month, often with a phone paid in monthly instalments. Expect a credit check, and possibly a deposit if you have no Canadian credit history. It makes more sense once you have a job and a credit file.
For your first months, a prepaid SIM or eSIM in your own unlocked phone is the most flexible choice: you get a local number right away and can change plans or carriers when you know your needs better. If your home plan includes roaming in Canada, use it as a bridge for the first days only; some carriers abroad limit how long you can roam, and Canadian employers are less likely to call an international number.
What to bring when you sign up
- Your passport and your immigration document (work or study permit, or proof of permanent residence). TELUS, for example, lists a valid passport or verified proof of landed immigrant status as accepted international ID for newcomers (TELUS, November 2026).
- An unlocked phone, if you want to keep yours. Check before you leave home: a phone locked to a foreign carrier won't take a Canadian SIM.
- A payment card, and for postpaid, an address where the bill can go.
You don't have to give your Social Insurance Number. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner says a business may offer the SIN as one identification option for a credit check, but it should not be a condition of getting credit (OPC). Keep your SIN for your employer, your bank and the government.
Newcomer offers: worth a look, not automatically the best deal
Several carriers market directly to newcomers. TELUS advertises Welcome plans for newcomers, and Rogers promotes phone financing on approved credit and a credit card that sets your limit using your home-country credit history (Rogers, November 2026). These offers can help you get a postpaid plan or a phone without Canadian credit. Before you sign, compare the total cost over the term with a plan from a second brand on the same network: a newcomer offer is a starting point for comparison, not a guarantee of the lowest price.
Referral credits are another way to save. Public Mobile, for example, gives a credit to both the new customer and the person who referred them, with an amount that depends on the current promotion. You can use our referral code, E3YM5P; we receive a credit too if you do.
Before you sign, check three things
- The price after tax. Advertised prices exclude sales tax, which varies by province. In British Columbia, for example, telecommunication services pay 5% GST plus 7% PST (Government of BC), so a 60-dollar plan costs about 67 dollars.
- The phone payments. If the plan includes a phone, the payments continue even if you change plans, and if you leave early you will have to pay the remaining balance on the device. Compare the total with buying the phone outright and taking a cheaper plan.
- What happens when you ask. Staff in stores and on chat can often add data or match a competitor's offer. Ask politely; it costs nothing.
You also have rights under the CRTC's Wireless Code. Since December 1, 2017, carriers must sell phones unlocked and unlock older ones free on request, and you can cancel within 15 days and return the device in near-new condition at no cost if you have used less than half of your monthly limits (CRTC).
Our advice for your first year
Start with a prepaid SIM in your own phone from a second brand on a big-three network, get a Canadian number in your first days, and put it on your resume and LinkedIn profile right away: recruiters call the number at the top of your resume. If you want help planning what comes next, book a 15-minute consultation about your first steps in Canada. Once you have a job and a credit history, decide whether a postpaid plan with a new phone is worth it.
For the other apps that make the first months easier, see our list of must-have apps for newcomers. And if you are planning your job search from day one, book a career consultation with our team.
