The best credit cards for newcomers to Canada for 2024

In Canada, having a good credit score can help you secure a rental and get a loan or a mortgage, but it’s hard to know where to start when you don’t have a Canadian credit history or a credit card. One of the fastest ways to start building your Canadian credit score is to use a credit card responsibly, because banks and financial institutions report back to the credit bureaus that determine your score. For this reason, it’s important for newcomers to get a credit card, even without an established history.

On this list, we’ve broken down the best credit cards for newcomers depending on your spending habits and requirements. Want cash back? We’ve got a card for that—and for travelers and those who eat in restaurants, too. There are even a few cards you can get through banking bundles for newcomers that offer valuable extras, so dive in and find the best card for you.

Our picks for the best credit cards for newcomers to Canada

Category	Credit Card
Best cash back card for newcomers	BMO CashBack Mastercard
Best no-fee rewards credit card for newcomers	Simplii Financial Cash Back Visa
Best low-interest credit card for newcomers	MBNA True Line Gold Mastercard*
Best credit building secured credit card for newcomers	Home Trust Secured Visa*
Best rewards secured credit card for newcomers	Neo Secured Credit*
Best travel rewards card for newcomers	Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite*
Best credit card with a newcomer bank account bundle offer	RBC Cash Back Mastercard
Runner up best credit card with a newcomer bank account bundle offer	National Bank mycredit Mastercard*

Best cash back card for newcomers 

The BMO CashBack Mastercard is a no-fee card that lets you earn cash back on your grocery purchases. New applicants get a boosted 5% cash back rate for the first three months, after which time it reverts to the regular 3% for groceries, the highest rate for a no-fee card. Even better, you can use your rewards whenever you want. When you apply for the BMO NewStart Program, you’ll receive cash back bonuses on other products, like a chequing account, investments and even a mortgage, and you can open the BMO CashBack Mastercard without a credit check. The 20.99% purchase interest rate is fairly standard, but if you start accumulating a balance, interest costs can really add up. Plus, if there’s a chance you won’t be able to make the minimum payment in time for the next statement twice in one year, your purchase interest rate will rise to 24.99%. If you think this could apply to you, consider a low-interest or secured card from this list, instead. 

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Best no-fee rewards credit card for newcomers

When you sign up to the Simplii Financial New to Canada Banking Program, you can apply for the Simplii Financial Cash Back Visa without any Canadian credit history. You can apply for the program up to one year before you arrive in Canada, or up to five years after you arrive. When you use this card you’ll earn a generous 4% cash back on spends in restaurants and bars up to $5,000 annually, plus 1.5% back on gas, grocery, drugstore and pre-authorized payments up to the first $15,000 annually. There’s a base rate of 0.5% cash back on any other purchases, and you’ll still earn 0.5% once you’ve hit the annual limit on restaurants and the everyday purchase categories. If you also sign up for the Simplii Financial no-fee chequing account, you can earn a $450 cash bonus. Note that you must be a Canadian resident to qualify for the newcomer program.

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Best low-interest card for newcomers

The MBNA True Line Gold Mastercard has a super low purchase interest rate, which can help you save a lot of money on interest charges if you can’t pay off your balance in full each month. Plus, although it doesn’t offer any rewards and few perks, the ability to save on interest charges with this card easily outweighs the value of rewards you’d earn if you can’t pay off your balance. MBNA does say, though, that your credit history will factor into your ability to get the card, and you must be a Canadian resident to be eligible. If that doesn’t apply to you, consider one of the other cards on this list.

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Best credit building secured credit card for newcomers

For those who have no Canadian credit history, the Home Trust Secured Visa Card offers the ability to build up a credit score, for no annual fee. Alternatively, you can get a lower 14.90% purchase interest rate if you pay a $59 annual fee. You set your own spending limit by making a minimum deposit of $500 to $10,000. The card is easy to obtain—you must be a permanent Canadian resident with a source of income and not in bankruptcy—but it’s not available to international students, foreign workers, or residents of Quebec. The card is accepted anywhere you can use Visa (in over 200 countries around the world, in-store and online) and you can use it to set up bill payments as with any other credit card. There are not many perks available with this card, and their newcomer offers are fairly limited in terms of bundles, banking discounts, support or financial advice, but if you are focussed on building your credit score and living within your means, this may be a solid option for you.

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Best rewards secured credit card for newcomers

The Neo Secured Credit Card is a no-annual-fee secured card that will let you build a credit history while earning cash back. You’re guaranteed approval as long as you’re a Canadian resident, of the age of majority in your province, and you provide a security deposit. There are no credit score requirements, and you don’t have to pay an annual fee. This, along with the ability to earn unlimited cash rewards with Neo Partners, makes Neo a strong card for those starting out. The ability to earn rewards on secured credit cards is fairly rare, although you are only eligible for cash back with Neo-affiliated stores and services. Do keep in mind, though, that the interest rate is moderately high compared to other cards on this list, so if you carry a balance, the cost could add up.  

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Best travel rewards card for newcomers

The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite lets you earn valuable Scene+ Rewards points you can redeem for travel and more, and includes perks for wanderlusters like travel insurance, no foreign transaction fees for purchases made in other currencies, savings on car rentals, and six complimentary airport lounge visits per year. If you are planning to visit friends or family back home, or love to travel in general, this card has some promising rewards options. Though it has a higher income requirement and annual fee than others on this list, you can qualify without a Canadian credit history if you’re part of the StartRight program for newcomers. If this card isn’t right for you, consider another Scotiabank credit card available through the StartRight program, like the Scotia Momentum No-Fee Visa or the Scene+ Visa. 

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Best credit card with a newcomer bank account bundle offer

When you join the RBC Newcomer Advantage program, you can qualify for a credit card without a Canadian credit history, receive a generous welcome offer, save on banking fees on the RBC Advantage Banking account for one year, and even qualify for a mortgage. Under the newcomer advantage program, you can be eligible for the RBC Cash Back Mastercard, which is available to eligible permanent residents and international students who arrived in Canada in the last 12 months before applying, as well as temporary resident workers who arrived in the last two years. With this card you’ll also earn unlimited cash back on your purchases and receive discounts on fuel when you use a Petro Points card at Petro-Canada—great perks for a no-fee card. Just keep in mind that the purchase interest rate is fairly high, so if you carry a balance or can’t pay off your card in full every month, the costs can add up.

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Runner up best credit card with a newcomer bank account bundle offer 

National Bank mycredit Mastercard*

While National Bank offers some excellent support and bundling options for newcomers, the cash back rate is slightly lower than other cards considering the purchase interest rate is decently high—although the cash back earnings are unlimited. You can be approved for the credit card without a Canadian credit history. To apply for the program, all you need is a valid passport from your country of origin or a Canadian permanent resident card and a Canadian phone number. You’ll get access to a team of specialists seven days a week to help with immigration questions, specialized advice on housing, jobs, healthcare and more for one year. Plus, you can receive additional financing support. With the newcomer banking offer, you get to use a chequing account with no monthly fee for up to three years, with additional banking discounts in years two and three of the program. What’s more, the offer is valid for your first five years in Canada, which is generous compared to other newcomer cards on this list.

• Annual fee: $0

• Earn rate: Up to 1% cash back at restaurants and on recurring pre-authorized bill payments, 0.5% cash back on everything else
• Welcome offer: You could earn up to $135 cash back, if you make at least $400 in purchases in the first 3 months after opening the account, and also sign up for the Credit Card Payment Protection Plan.
• Interest rate: 20.99% on purchases, 22.49% on cash advances, 22.49% on balance transfers

• Annual income requirement: None

• Credit score/ credit history required: None if you are part of National Bank’s newcomer program

• Perks: Mobile theft/ damage protection; extended warranty; purchase protection; contactless payments and fraud protection.

Frequently asked questions

Read more about credit cards:

• Best low-interest credit cards
• Best no foreign transaction fee credit cards
• Best travel credit cards
• Best cash back credit cards
• Best no fee credit cards
• Best balance transfer credit cards