eSIM for Canada: order today, connected 24 hours before you land
Short answer: order online, get a QR code by email within 24 hours, scan it with your phone's camera, and your Canadian line switches on 24 hours before your arrival date. You get a real Canadian phone number, not a data-only travel eSIM.
Pick your eSIM plan or read how it works first.
What an eSIM is
An eSIM is a SIM card built into your phone. There is no plastic card and nothing to ship. Your carrier sends a QR code, your camera scans it, and the phone downloads the line. It does everything a physical SIM does, including carrying a real phone number.
That last part matters more than most travel sites tell you. Data-only eSIMs from travel apps work for maps and messaging, but a Canadian bank, a landlord, a university portal and most verification codes want a +1 Canadian mobile number. Ours includes one.
Is your phone compatible?
Dial *#06#. If an EID number appears alongside the IMEI, your phone supports eSIM. Most iPhones from the iPhone 12, Samsung Galaxy from the S20, and Google Pixels from the Pixel 4 do. The phone also needs to be unlocked, so if it is locked to a carrier at home, unlock it before you travel.
How activation works
Order any time before you fly and give your arrival date at checkout. The QR code arrives by email within 24 hours. Scan it when you receive it. The line itself switches on 24 hours before the arrival date you gave, so you land with a working number and data the moment airplane mode goes off.
If your phone is not eSIM-compatible, the same plans come as a physical SIM, posted to your home address in India, the Philippines or Brazil, or collected at six Canadian airports: Toronto Pearson (Terminals 1 and 3), Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax and Winnipeg.
Which plan
Staying under 90 days, the prepaid Chatr plans run $25 to $75 CAD with no credit check. Staying longer, the postpaid plans, Fido 50 GB at $30 CAD a month or Rogers 100 GB at $40 CAD a month, include unlimited Canada-wide calling, unlimited international texting, and 1,000 international long-distance minutes to India, Bangladesh, Mexico and the UK. Postpaid has no contract, and paying it on time builds your Canadian credit history, which no travel eSIM can do.
See the plans. Moving rather than visiting? The student, newcomer and worker pages cover what applies to you.
Common questions
Where do I buy a Canadian eSIM?
Directly from this site. Order, receive the QR code by email, scan it, done.
Can I keep my home SIM in the phone?
Yes. Dual SIM is the normal setup: your home number stays reachable on one line while the Canadian eSIM carries your calls and data here.
What if I lose the phone?
Contact us and we move your number to a replacement eSIM or physical SIM. The number survives the device.
How do I move the eSIM to a new phone?
Contact us for a new QR code and scan it on the new device. Do not delete the old profile until the new one is active.
eSIM or physical SIM, which should I pick?
If your phone supports eSIM, pick eSIM: it arrives faster and nothing can get lost in the mail. Our comparison guide covers the edge cases.
Ordering from abroad? The India, Philippines, Brazil, Colombia, Vietnam and Latin America pages cover what applies from each. And if you are checking who you are buying from, the answer is here.