Canada ranks at the top of the global quality of life. With its thoughtful welfare system, it has attracted a large number of international immigrants to settle down, especially in terms of child care, unemployed people, poor people and elderly people. Since 1981, Canada has established a social security system, which is jointly formulated by the federal government and provincial governments, and provides welfare allowances to applicants. Once you obtain a maple leaf card and become a permanent resident, you can enjoy almost the same rights and benefits as Canadian citizens, except for the two restrictions of suffrage and military service. So, what specific benefits can you bring to hold a maple leaf card? What benefits do new immigrants have to receive after obtaining permanent resident status? Hurry up and bookmark this article and learn more!

It is worth noting that these benefits are generally enjoyed by holders of Canadian work visas. For those who are eager to immigrate to Canada, you might as well try applying for a work visa to enter the country first.

Social Welfare Fund ( )

Any resident in Canada, regardless of income or not, can apply as long as the bank deposit is less than 1,000 Canadian dollars. Singles can receive about 500 to 700 Canadian dollars per month, while families of three can receive about 1100 to 1300 Canadian dollars per month. This benefit ensures that non-income residents maintain a minimum living standard locally, and can still receive sustainable food even if they have not found a job for a long time, and they can also get free daily food at the food bank.

Unemployment benefits ( )

If an applicant has worked continuously for half a year (the cumulative working hours have reached 910 hours) and then lost his job, he is eligible to receive an unemployment allowance equivalent to 55% of the original monthly salary, and can receive up to 51,300 Canadian dollars per year, and the maximum continuous receipt time can be up to 11 months. For family members with low income and children (annual salary of no more than 25,921 Canadian dollars), if they receive milk funds provided by the government at the same time, the amount of EI they receive can be as high as 80% of their income.

Child Tax

The federal government provides milk bonus benefits to children under the age of 18, which is collected by mothers living with their children. The amount that can be collected will vary depending on factors such as family income level, number of children and age. This benefit is applicable to those who hold maple leaf cards and holders of work and study visas who have lived in Canada for more than 18 months. For the specific amount determination and detailed application steps, please refer to the relevant information.

Child Care

In Canada, preschool education for children under the age of six is ​​borne by parents and the cost is considerable. The monthly custody costs up to $600 to $800, which means for many low-income families, it is difficult for them to afford their children’s early education. To this end, the government has specially set up child care subsidies. According to the applicant's actual situation, the subsidy amount can sometimes reach half or sometimes full. These subsidies will be directly distributed to the kindergarten where the children are attending.

Free education

Students studying in Canadian public schools from the first grade of elementary school until they graduate from high school do not need to pay tuition; this not only covers regular classroom teaching during the day, but also provides a wealth of after-school interest classes, including music, art, sports and other activities for students to choose to participate independently.

National Medical Insurance

Canada's health insurance system is indeed quite attractive. In Canada, medical treatment, hospitalization and surgery are covered by medical insurance. Patients usually only need to pay for their own medical expenses. Even if the diet and nursing expenses during the hospitalization period are covered by medical insurance. For more information, please refer to the relevant information.

Government House ( )

To ensure that low-income groups can have residences, the Canadian government allocates special funds every year to build a large number of government-provided homes. These residences are managed by professional institutions designated by the government and rented out at extremely low rents, and these residences are often beautifully designed and have a spectacular appearance. In terms of application qualifications, it is open to everyone in principle, and the holding of maple leaf cards and local residents enjoy priority. Rents are usually calculated proportionally based on the applicant's income level, roughly between 25% and 30%.

holiday( )

The Canadian government explicitly stipulates that for full-time employees, after working for one year, they will be eligible for two weeks (that is, ten working days) of paid leave per year; and after five consecutive years, they will be entitled to three weeks of paid leave per year, and such leave cannot be replaced by salary. In addition, employees are not allowed to be fired by their employers during pregnancy. The maternity leave provided in Canada is also longer, and both men and women are eligible for it. During standard maternity leave, 55% of personal income before vacation can be guaranteed, up to $595 per week, the entire holiday can reach 40 weeks, and one parent can apply for up to 35 weeks. For extended maternity leave, 33% of personal income before vacation is also guaranteed, with up to $357 per week, and the entire holiday is extended to 69 weeks, and one parent can apply for up to 61 weeks. In addition, employees will also enjoy paid maternity leave benefits, which can retain their pension and medical benefits during maternity leave, and resume their original positions after the maternity leave expires.

Elderly Annuity (OAS)

Pension (OAS) is a social welfare system in Canada, and its funds are derived from taxes collected by the government. Eligible applicants must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents over the age of 65. It is worth noting that even if they have not worked in Canada, they are eligible for pensions. The amount of pension is determined based on the time the applicant lives in Canada as an adult. For the elderly aged 65 to 74, the maximum monthly fee is 666.83 Canadian dollars; for the elderly aged 75 and above, the maximum monthly fee is 733.51 Canadian dollars.

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Low-income GIS and allowances for the elderly ()

The Canadian government has established a tax-free assistance program for senior Canadians who receive an elderly pension (OAS) but have a low income level. This subsidy does not require a separate application. The government will inform the applicant of the specific amount of GIS within the first month after he or she is over 64 years of age based on the applicant's annual income. If the applicant has no income in that year, he or she can receive an additional low-income subsidy of approximately Canadian dollars for senior citizens while receiving the elderly. The beneficiaries of OAS and GIS, whose low-income spouses are also eligible to apply for subsidies, with the monthly cap of the allowance being around $1,200.

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New immigrants' home purchase benefits

If you are not permanent resident, you usually have to pay an additional 25% of overseas home buyers’ taxes if you buy property in some popular cities in Canada. Once you obtain Canadian citizenship, namely the Maple Leaf Card, home buyers will not only be exempted from overseas buyers’ taxes, but new immigrants only need to pay a 35% down payment, and they will be able to successfully obtain approval for high housing loans without providing proof of income.

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Free language vocational training for new immigrants

All provinces and regions have agencies that provide services to new immigrants—these agencies are equipped with staff who are proficient in native languages, who will provide detailed answers to immigrants’ questions they may encounter after logging in. In addition, these institutions provide a variety of language courses for adults and children (such as English and French), assist children in applying for school, provide employment guidance for adults, and carry out knowledge training on tax and policy benefits. These services are designed to help new immigrants adapt faster and better integrate into their local society.

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Other benefits for new immigrants

Recently, some customers who have just obtained the Canadian Maple Leaf Card revealed that they have discovered some practical immigration benefits: for example, during the first year of holding the Maple Leaf Card, visits to all museums in Canada are free; in addition, purchasing domestic flight tickets on the official Air Canada website can also enjoy up to 15% discount!