Immigration Accommodation in Bellingham Canada
As a new immigrant arriving in Bellingham one of the first tasks is to find short term and long-term accommodation in Bellingham for you and your family.
Your first accommodation on arriving in Bellingham may be temporary. This is ok, and is the route that most new migration arrivals in Bellingham take. Some individuals opt of a good hostel or Serviced Accommodation in Bellingham, while some are lucky enough to be able to stay with family or friends in the area. Most new arrivals take a short-term rental while they look for something long term. As with any city, it’s always easier to find someplace new to live once you are already there and Bellingham is no different.
Accommodation for newcomers in Bellingham Canada guide
You’ve been through the stress and emotional roller coaster involved with securing a visa for Canada and you’ve chosen Bellingham as your destination. It’s a charming place with plenty or heritage. Bellingham is well known to be extremely welcoming to new migrants.
Here is some background on Bellingham for new immigration arrivals.
Bellingham ( BEL-ing-ham) is the most populous city in, and county seat of Whatcom County in the U.S. state of Washington. It lies 21 miles (34 km) south of the U.S.–Canada border in between two major cities of the Pacific Northwest: Vancouver, British Columbia (located 52 miles (84 km) to the northwest) and Seattle (90 miles (140 km) to the south). The city had a population of 80,885 as of the 2010 census and is estimated to have grown to 92,314 as of 2019.
The city of Bellingham was incorporated in 1903 through the consolidation of Bellingham, Whatcom, Fairhaven, and Sehome into the city of Bellingham. Located on Bellingham Bay, which had been named by George Vancouver in 1792, for Sir William Bellingham, the Controller of Storekeeper Accounts of the Royal Navy during the Vancouver Expedition.
Today, Bellingham is the northernmost city with a population of more than 50,000 people in the contiguous United States. It is a popular tourist destination known for its easy access to outdoor recreation in the San Juan Islands and North Cascades. Bellingham is undergoing redevelopment on more than 100 acres (40 ha) of former industrial land in its Waterfront District, with a hotel, conference center, condos, retirement living, retail and commercial development planned for the site.
Finding Immigration Accommodation for Newcomers in Bellingham Canada
Most searches begin with a search engine. Local papers in Bellingham may well be online and of course, listing sites such as Craigslist and Rentfaster Bellingham can be of great help.
What is the cost of short term accommodation in Bellingham
The cost of short-term newcomer accommodation in Bellingham varies greatly depending on requirements and neighborhoods. Lots of new arrivals to Bellingham use Airbnb to give them an indication of short term rental process in Bellingham and also the option to book with confidence and security.
Another website that offers the same accommodation as Airbnb.
Rental accommodation in Bellingham for newcomers
One you decide to rent an apartment or house there are certain things specific to Canada to keep in mind. For example, make sure to agree who pays for utilities, and who is responsible for removing snow!
Property owners and landlords will usually require payslips or proof of income, bank statements and occasionally they may require references from previous landlords although lots of new immigrants to Bellingham were homeowners in their previous country. Sometimes it does help to already have secured employment in the greater Bellingham area.
All renters in Bellingham have rights, so you need to familiarize yourself with those rights before you sign any agreement. Thankfully there are a number of Organizations set up in Bellingham to help. These are called Newcomer services and a list of these can be found here: newcomer service
Newcomer subletting in Bellingham Canada
Sometimes when a renter leaves for a few months they will sublet their accommodation. Quite often they leave some furnishings behind and for some newcomers to Bellingham this can be an ideal option, especially if you’ve yet to buy furniture or if your shipment is delayed.