Written by The Landing Youth Centre
The Landing Youth Centre is a Vancouver-based nonprofit dedicated to eliminating barriers, creating safe spaces, and empowering youth with a sense of stability through programs, services, and wraparound support for young people and their families.
This article was written by Preksha Goenka, The Landing’s Fundraising and Communications Coordinator, who immigrated to Canada at 17 for post-secondary studies. Drawing from her experience, she shares lessons she wishes she had known before arriving.
In Preksha's words:
I arrived in Vancouver at 17 with two suitcases and almost no idea of the world that I had signed myself up for. I had flown across the world; away from my parents, friends, and everything I had ever known. Nothing felt familiar. People spoke in a different vernacular, ate differently, and followed social cues I didn’t yet understand. Even simple interactions felt like quiet tests I hadn’t studied for.
Beyond the cultural alienation, I also had to learn how to exist in a new society and navigate institutions that everyone else seems to already understand.
There are some essential steps I wish someone had laid out for me:
- Understand your study permit: Review your work conditions carefully, including how many hours you can work and whether you are allowed to work on or off campus. You can find this clearly stated at the bottom of your study permit.
- Get your SIN (Social Insurance Number): You need this to work legally in Canada.
- Track your permit expiry: Give yourself time to apply for a study permit extension or transition to a post- graduation work permit if you plan to stay.
- Apply for MSP (Medical Services Plan): Healthcare is critical. While MSP premiums were eliminated for Canadian citizens and permanent residents post COVID, international students are still required to pay a monthly fee. Make sure you’re enrolled and consistently keeping up with payments.
- Open a Canadian bank account: It’s foundational for everything, from paying rent to receiving wages.
- Build credit early: When eligible, consider getting a credit card and using it responsibly to start building credit history.
- File your taxes yearly: Even as a student, this is important. You may qualify for benefits or accumulate tuition credits.
- Maintain full-time student status: This can impact eligibility for future permits or immigration pathways.
Resume and Employability
This is the piece many people do not emphasize enough: your resume and employability. Finding part-time work or participating in co-op programs is essential. Canadian work experience matters, and employers look for more than just academic performance.
A part-time job can teach you workplace culture, communication styles, and expectations that may be very different from back home. Co-op programs can be one of the most valuable parts of your degree as they help bridge the gap between education and employment and often open doors to future opportunities.
But beyond logistics and career-building, there’s the emotional reality.
Loneliness hits differently here, especially in the winter as the months get colder and darker. If you come from a warmer country, the shift can feel heavy. The late sunrises and early sunsets, constant rain, and long winters can quietly take a toll on your mental health. It’s not just the cold; it’s the constant gloominess and the way the alienation can feel even heavier under constant, overcast skies.
My biggest advice: be intentional about connection. Join clubs or student groups – not just for your resume, but for your wellbeing. Community doesn’t happen accidentally; you have to build it.
Create safeguards for yourself. Find routines that ground you; going to the gym, scheduling regular calls home, planning small things to look forward to. Take advantage of the sun when it shows up. Even something as simple as a daily walk can make a difference.
Because moving here as a young person isn’t just about getting an education, it’s about learning how to live again.
