What Is the Scotiabank StartRight Program? A Guide for Newcomers to Canada

Last verified: August 2026. Scotiabank®’s bundled bonus amounts and offer terms change periodically and are promotional in nature, so confirm the current figures directly with Scotiabank before applying.

Moving to a new country resets almost everything about your finances, including the credit history you may have spent years building. Canadian credit bureaus generally can’t see activity from outside the country, which creates a familiar catch-22: you need credit to build credit, but most lenders want to see a history before they extend it. The Scotiabank StartRight® program is built specifically around that problem.

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Short answer: Scotiabank StartRight is a newcomer banking package for permanent residents within five years of landing, plus international students and foreign workers, with no Canadian credit history required. Four credit cards are available: three with no fee and one $150-a-year travel card with no foreign transaction fee. Advertised bonuses can total up to $2,300 in first-year value, but the offer is promotional, so confirm the current terms with Scotiabank.Key points from this guide · last reviewed Sep 11, 2026

What Is the Scotiabank StartRight Program?

StartRight is Scotiabank’s banking package for people who are new to Canada — open to permanent residents who landed within the last five years, along with international students and foreign workers holding a valid work permit. The core promise is that applicants can be approved for an unsecured Scotiabank credit card without a Canadian credit history, provided they can show verifiable income and meet Scotiabank’s other lending criteria. It bundles a chequing account, a choice of four credit cards, and a set of sign-up perks aimed at the specific gap newcomers tend to fall into during their first year or two.

How Approval Works Without a Canadian Credit History

Scotiabank leans on two things: income verification, and a partnership with Nova Credit, which pulls a credit report from certain other countries and translates it into something Canadian underwriters can use. Scotiabank names Australia, the UK, the US, and India as examples of countries this covers, though the full list is subject to change and worth checking during the application itself. If your home country isn’t supported, you can typically still qualify through income verification alone.

The Four StartRight Credit Cards

All four cards carry credit limits of up to $15,000, though the amount any individual applicant actually receives depends on income and, where applicable, imported credit history.

The two no-fee Scene+ cards and the Momentum No-Fee Visa suit anyone whose priority is simply building a track record without an annual fee. The Passport Visa Infinite+ costs $150 a year but waives foreign transaction fees — worth it if you’re sending money home or travelling regularly during your first year here.

Banking Perks and Welcome Bonuses

Beyond the credit card, newcomers who open a Preferred Package chequing account get the monthly fee (normally $16.95) waived for the first year, plus unlimited fee-free international money transfers and, for iTrade investors, ten free equity trades annually. Scotiabank advertises these combined with the account and card bonuses as “up to $2,300 in value” in the first year — a best-case total that depends on meeting every qualifying condition and can change without notice, so it’s worth confirming the current offer directly with Scotiabank before applying rather than relying on any published figure, including this one.

Is StartRight the Right Choice for You?

For someone who has just landed with no local credit file, StartRight solves a real problem — it’s one of the few mainstream programs built specifically to work around the newcomer credit gap. But it’s best treated as a bridge rather than a permanent home for your spending. Once you’ve built six to twelve months of Canadian credit history through on-time payments, it’s worth comparing the broader card market again, since other no-fee or rewards cards may outperform the StartRight lineup once your credit profile no longer needs the newcomer accommodation.

Frequently Asked Questions About Scotiabank StartRight

Do I need a Social Insurance Number to apply? Not to open the chequing account itself, but Scotiabank will typically ask for one once you have income to report.

Can I apply before I arrive in Canada? Some newcomers can start the process before landing, though full approval generally depends on verifying your status once you’re in the country — worth checking the current pre-arrival process directly with Scotiabank.

Does Nova Credit work for every home country? No. It covers a limited set of countries, including the US, UK, Australia, and India. If yours isn’t supported, approval relies more heavily on verified income instead.

Key Takeaways

• StartRight is a newcomer banking package for permanent residents within five years of landing, plus international students and foreign workers — no Canadian credit history required.
• Four credit cards are available: three no-fee, and one $150/year travel card that waives foreign transaction fees.
• Advertised bonuses can total up to $2,300 in first-year value, but this is promotional — confirm the current offer directly with Scotiabank.
• Treat StartRight as a starting point; revisit the broader card market once you’ve built a few months of Canadian credit history.

Read next: Scotiabank StartRight Program Review