A Canadian eSIM With A Real Phone Number

Most travel eSIMs sold for Canada are data-only. They connect you to the internet but give you no Canadian number to call or text from. An eSIM with a Canadian phone number gives you calls, texts and data on a +1 line, and with CanadianSIM that line is active 24 hours before you land.

An eSIM is a digital SIM you install by scanning a QR code. SMS is ordinary text messaging, which is how many services send one-time codes.

What's the difference between a data-only eSIM and one with a number?

A data-only eSIM gives you internet access and nothing else. An eSIM with a Canadian number gives you internet plus a phone line that people and services in Canada can call and text.

If maps and messaging apps are all you need for a short holiday, data can be enough. If people and services in Canada need to reach you, you want a number.

What is a Canadian number useful for?

It lets the people and services you deal with in your first weeks reach you on a local line. A Canadian number isn't required for everything, but most newcomers find they need one sooner than they expected.

• Banks ask for a mobile number when you open an account, and many send one-time codes by text.
• Landlords and property managers call and text the number on your rental application.
• Employers and recruiters call the number on your job application.
• Deliveries, clinics and appointment systems expect a number they can reach.

Our guide to getting a Canadian number from abroad covers the options in more detail.

Which CanadianSIM plans include a number?

All of them. The monthly plans are for stays of 90 days or more, and the prepaid plans are for shorter visits.

• Rogers 100 GB, $40 a month: unlimited Canada-wide talk and text, unlimited international texts, 1,000 long-distance minutes to India, Bangladesh, Mexico and the UK, and hotspot.
• Fido 75 GB, $35 a month: the same calling, texting and long-distance minutes, without hotspot.
• Prepaid eSIM on Chatr: 95 GB for 30 days at $40, or 75 GB for 90 days at $75, with a local Canadian number, unlimited Canada-wide calling and unlimited texting. It works in Canada only and doesn't support hotspot.

Prices are in Canadian dollars, and taxes are extra. On the monthly plans, the payment at checkout is a deposit credited to your first bill from the carrier, and a plan paid on time starts your Canadian credit history.

How does activation work?

You install the eSIM from an emailed QR code, and the line activates before your arrival date. Step by step:

1. Choose a plan on the plans page and enter your arrival date.
2. Receive the eSIM QR code and instructions by email.
3. On an iPhone or Samsung, open the camera, scan the code and tap Cellular Plan. On a Pixel, go to Settings, Network and Internet, Mobile Network, then Add More, and scan the code.
4. The line activates 24 hours before the arrival date you entered.
5. Land, turn off airplane mode, and your Canadian number, calls, texts and data are working.

Does my phone support an eSIM?

Most recent iPhone, Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel models do. Dial *#06#, and if an EID appears, your phone takes an eSIM. It also has to be unlocked, so check with your current carrier, and some iPhone models sold in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau have no eSIM even where the same model elsewhere does. If your phone doesn't support eSIM, you can collect a physical SIM at one of six Canadian airports or have one shipped. The compatibility guide walks through the check.

Can I keep my home number?

Yes, on a dual-SIM phone. The Canadian eSIM takes one line and your home SIM stays in the other, so texts from your bank at home still reach you. Set the Canadian line as the default for calls and data. Keeping the home line on doesn't make roaming free, so check charges with your home carrier. Our dual-SIM guide covers the settings.

Frequently asked questions

Does every Canada eSIM come with a phone number?

No. Many travel eSIMs sold for Canada are data-only. If you need a Canadian number for calls and texts, choose a plan that includes one. Every CanadianSIM plan does.

Can a data-only eSIM receive text message codes?

No. A data-only eSIM has no phone number, so there is nothing for a text message to be sent to.

When does my Canadian number start working?

The line activates 24 hours before the arrival date you enter at checkout, so it works when you land.

Is an eSIM the same plan as a physical SIM?

Yes. The plan, the price and the Canadian number are the same. Only the way the line reaches your phone changes.

Can I move my Canadian number to another carrier later?

Yes. Canadian mobile numbers can be moved between Canadian carriers, so you keep the number if you change plans.

Read next

• Canada SIM card at the airport: the six pickup points
• How to activate your Canadian SIM card before arrival
• Best SIM cards and eSIMs for newcomers to Canada

Written by the CanadianSIM team. CanadianSIM is owned and operated by Wireless DNA Inc., which is authorized by Rogers Communications to provide wireless service to newcomers before they arrive in Canada. Last updated September 25, 2026.