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How to Open a Corporate Bank Account in Canada

How to Open a Corporate Bank Account in Canada?

Table of Contents

Foreign bank accounts are needed when you grow your business globally and mostly work with customers and suppliers of other countries. If you open a business bank account in any foreign country as a foreigner, it will automatically free you from the payment of foreign transfer fees.

Opening a business bank account as a foreigner:

Even if you live in the United States of America and most of your business customers are from Canada. It would help if you opted for opening a business bank account in Canada for sure, as it will help you better than using third-party applications for transferring money from one country to another.

For overseas:

Canadian business bank account facilitates their users; they can easily operate their bank account by living overseas. A basic business operating account in Canada allows you to do all your financial things by living in another country. It doesn’t require you to stay in Canada to open a business bank account.

Opening a business bank account is quite easy in Canada compared to other countries because it doesn’t need many documents or residency issues and can work for the people with foreign entities, making everything very easy for business people working with Canadian customers without being present in that country.

Opening a Canadian business bank account by living abroad:

A business account in Canada does not contain some difficult process to proceed in which you should be present physically at that place. There is no such restriction, but Canada has many major banks with different methods of processing business bank accounts.

In the list of banks of Canada, some will need you to be here during the procedure, but some will not restrict you from being in the country. These things should be carefully considered before applying to open a Canadian bank account.

In some cases, the problems might arise if you don’t present in the country while the Canadian bank completes or reviews your application for an account in Canada. Issues such as account restrictions and up-front needs will arise after the process.

Things to notice before applying:

Because of all the issues, it is advised that people completely check all the information about the bank account requirements in Canada. The bank you choose contains all information, including residency or citizenship, that you should view carefully before choosing that bank. In addition, the application for a business account depends upon the type of business you are operating and engaging through the Canadian audience.

Requirements of international banks:

The international banks operating in the country of Canada enable you to open a business bank account by choosing any branch of that bank in that country as a business owner and then transferring the amount to the account in Canada.

This process seems pretty easy but becomes complicated after some time, and its requirements differ from the existing national banks. For example, it might charge high fees for keeping an international money transfer account. Furthermore, it also requires you to keep a high minimum balance between operating the account.

Process of opening a business bank account in Canada:

Opening a business bank account in Canadian banks is a very easy task because it comes up with simple steps that permit you to follow easily and conveniently. But, first, you should see whether your business or company lies in the list of access to basic banking services regulations under the Bank act.

If it is a YES, then all you need to do is submit the required documents on time. Every business or company needs to show or submit the following documents to the chosen bank:

  • Forms of identification needed for the business owners containing one photo id and another one should be issued from the government document.
  • The documents needed by the bank depends upon different types of businesses, and detail is given below:

Corporations:

  • certificate of Status
  • corporation’s signing authorities partnerships (two valid forms)
  • certificate of existence
  • Business license
  • Business number
  • Certificate of compliance
  • corporate profile report
  • articles of association
  • corporate annual government filing
  • notice of assessment for income tax
  • corporation’s signing authorities articles

Sole proprietorships:

  • Trade number registration
  • Master business license

Partnerships and limited partnerships:

  • copy of partnership agreement trade
  • Trade name registration
  • registered declaration of partnership

Best Canadian banks to be chosen:

The account holders of the international business have to go through the currency conversions, collect payments, and make electronic payments, whether it’s a national bank account or an international account such as a Canadian account.

Business account owners should watch and review the list of best Canadian banks that allows the working of traditional bank account in the retail banking industry. The Canadian bank consists of a pack of five big names known globally because their firm offers business bank accounts.

  • Royal Bank of Canada
  • Td bank (Toronto- dominion)
  • BMO bank (Bank of Montreal)
  • Scotiabank business account
  • CIBC (Canadian imperial bank of commerce)

We will discuss each bank’s work and their required documents about the business accounts.

Td bank:

This bank offers a wide range of business checking accounts with options too. This Canadian bank applies the monthly fees of 10 dollars with a minimum balance deposit fee of 25 dollars to open a business bank account. It also permits you to open a business savings account in Canada.

It also offers Td small business lending ultimate business account package that ranges from 19 dollars to 125 dollars (along with deposit fees). In addition, customers can use td unlimited business plan packages according to their personal preferences, mostly for small businesses.

Royal Bank (RBC):

This bank allows you to choose the digital choice account package, which consists of monthly fees starting from 5 dollars. If you opt for a business account package in Canada, bank fees become 100 dollars. You can adjust the fees by keeping the minimum balance requirements for different business accounts.

This Canadian bank account offers a package for newcomers with a cash reward once you open a business account as they save money. It keeps the cash flow on time without creating problems for new owners opening bank accounts. In addition, this bank offers the facility of online banking service.

Bank of Montreal business accounts (BMO):

This Canadian bank account is considered one of the most flexible bank accounts in Canada as they facilitate their customers by devising four plans to fulfill their needs, including a low monthly fee. It has various levels of a monthly fees, features, and comprehensives. It allows you to open a bank account online. It also helps you in saving money for a good reason.

CIBC bank account in Canada:

You can use a personal account as they devise a minimum monthly balance for business payments. This online bank offers an online account opening option that is feasible for everyone. In addition, this account online allows going through the transaction reporting presented on the CIBC’s cash management online system.

This bank account in Canada offers you to make a business card, and they don’t ask for an additional cost of making it for you. In addition, this bank helps in various working related to accounting online packages for further proceeding.

Scotiabank business bank account:

If your business has any funds or you run fundraising campaigns, then this bank should be your first choice because they help you in those matters a lot. It gives easy access to the funds present in your account. Moreover, you can use the same-day availability option for cash deposits or credit transactions.

This bank doesn’t take any debit fees and has very low atm fees, but it helps you use your bank fee to keep up with your use in case you need it. It works like a rewarding cash system in banks. Keeping 1500 dollars in the account will give you the chance of free transaction per time.

The bank has made a special facility for the companies operating in the US. They automatically open your account at a dollar rate so that you don’t have to go through the current dollar conversion problems and can do your work peacefully in Canada.

Bank fees in Canadian bank account:

Opening a business bank account in any country will provide you with a list of fees that should be paid before any transaction. Still, Canada keeps you free from such fees as it has the most flexible banking system in the world, which is almost the same for non-residents and residents.

Usually, there are deposit, debit, atm, and maintenance fees that are done through annual or monthly payments as it depends on your choice. The foreign transfer fees are very low in Canada, but it exists for various banks.

It is given as:

RBC:

It provides you the limit of 2500 dollars to be sent from one place to the other at a time. It charges a monthly fee for international money transfers is 13.5 dollars.

td bank:

It takes the amount of 25 dollars per international money transfer from one country to the other.

Advantages of opening a business bank account in Canada:

First of all, Canada is considered the most important part of the international business market, so if you open an account online there, it will make your business more valuable than in other countries.

On the other hand, opening a Canadian bank account helps you deal with your Canadian suppliers and customers that are linked with your company somehow. It also keeps you away from the problems arising from currency changes between countries.

Conclusion:

The process of opening a new business account is a trustworthy and easy process to proceed because of their common exceptions for foreigners. Furthermore, their flexible banking system makes it easy for every business holder to make an account without being physically present in the country.

You can choose many options for banks to become your financial partner in the business journey. So, all you have to do is provide the correct information and documents in place, and Yes, you are done.