Verify Your First Credit Score
Description
After 3 months of using your Canadian credit card, you finally have a 'scorable' history. Checking it now allows you to spot identity theft early and confirm that your credit building is working.
In person
N/A
Online
10–15 min
What to do
1.
Access your credit score via the 'CreditView' or 'Score' section of your mobile banking app
2.
Confirm that your score has appeared (usually between 600–700 for newcomers)
3.
Verify that your personal details (SIN, address) are correctly listed in the report
4.
Ensure your credit utilization is still below 30% of your total limit
Warnings
Hard vs. Soft Inquiries
- A 'soft inquiry' (checking your own score, pre-approvals) does NOT affect your credit score — it is free and can be done as often as needed.
- A 'hard inquiry' (applying for a new credit card, loan, or mortgage) temporarily lowers your score by 5–10 points. Avoid applying for new credit products until your score is above 680.
Tips
Checking is free — use Borrowell or Equifax
Borrowell (TransUnion) and Equifax's free app both offer credit score checks with no impact on your score — this is a 'soft inquiry' and is free to use.
Score of 660+ is 'Good' in Canada
In Canada: 300–559 is Poor, 560–659 is Fair, 660–724 is Good, 725–759 is Very Good, and 760+ is Excellent. Most newcomers start in the Fair–Good range.