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The startup helping immigrants secure housing in Canada

Nothing is as annoying as trying to sort out your finances as a new immigrant. There's a service that can help.

Author

Kufre-Mfon Effiong-Robert
May 26, 2024

Hello, new local👋

In today’s Newsletter:

  • This startup wants to help immigrants secure housing in Canada

  • The hottest professional events right now!

  • Specially curated resources for you 🤝

If you recently moved to Canada or know someone who just did, chances are you are struggling to build credit, find a good apartment where you don’t have to pay 6 months upfront.  This is where Payfi comes in. Payfi.ca is a Canadian company that provides rent guarantee and financing services specifically designed for immigrants in Canada. Founded by Seun Sanni and Philips Akinyele, who are originally emigrated from Nigeria.

The inspiration behind Payfi came from the personal challenges the founders faced while trying to secure rental housing in Canada as newcomers without an established credit history or proof of reliable income/rental payments. Their own challenges motivated them to create solutions like rent guarantees and credit-building services tailored for immigrants through Payfi.ca

Here are some of the things Payfi can help you with:

  • Pre-Rent Guarantee: This is a document that demonstrates your financial reliability to prospective landlords, helping you stand out as a tenant and secure housing more easily as an immigrant without a credit history or rental history in Canada.

  • Rent Guarantee Service: Payfi acts as your rent guarantor to landlords, eliminating the need for a large deposit, co-signer, or additional guarantors. This service helps immigrants overcome barriers like lack of credit history or rental history when applying for housing.

  • Credit Building: Payfi has a credit card rent payment gateway. When you pay rent through Payfi, they report each on-time payment to Equifax Canada, helping you build your credit score as an immigrant.

  • Seamless Onboarding: You can create an account on Payfi's website, verify your identity, upload necessary documents like passport, study/work permit, bank statements, etc., and gain access to their services.

  • Rent Payment Platform: Payfi offers a platform where you can pay your rent conveniently using debit/credit cards while simultaneously building your credit score.

Check out Payfi.ca to learn more.

INSPIRE ✨

We absolutely loved this story of Joy Chukwu-Osazuwa and we are sure you will too! Joy moved to Canada in 2018 as a PhD student whilst she was pregnant with her third child. She faced the harsh Canadian winter without her family. Undeterred, she pursued a fully funded PhD in marine biology at Memorial University in St. John’s. Simultaneously, Joy serves as the director of strategy at Skyned Consults, an education technology company that empowers students from Africa and Asia to study abroad and settle into life in Canada.

COMMUNITY CORNER 🔗

Transitioning into Canadian professional life comes with its fair share of surprises. From workplace customs to everyday interactions, the cultural journey is full of eye-opening moments. As people who have navigated the rollercoaster of cultural transitions, we know firsthand how impactful those 'aha' moments can be.

We are eager to learn about your own experiences – the good, the bad, the unexpected, and the downright hilarious! Reach out to us below 👇

LOOK WHO’S HIRING! 💼

Waabi 

Wealth Simple

League

Assembly

HERE’S WHAT’S UP 🤝

TOP RESOURCES FOR YOU 🗃️

DON’T MISS THESE! 👔

Send Money Globally with Ease Using LemFi

LemFi is a cheat code if you just moved to Canada and you want to send or receive money from Nigeria, US,UK, Kenya and over 20 countries. Here’s a few things you can do:

Open free multi-currency accounts with LemFi and get local banking details like account and routing numbers in over 20 currencies including USD, GBP, EUR, CAD, NGN and more. This allows you to receive money directly into local accounts as if you were a resident, eliminating costly international fees.

What’s more? You get CAD 30.00 when you verify your account and send over CAD 250. Use Lemfi to send and receive money today!

SOME TOOLS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT! 👔

  • Originality - the most accurate AI content detection tool.

  • AI Apply - AI-fueled job-search companion

  • Ownr - Start, manage, and grow your business with Ownr's all-in-one platform for business formation and legal documents

  • AroundDeal -  Grow your business by driving quality prospects!

  • Resume.io - is one of the most advanced & easy-to-use resume builders on the web.

You definitely know someone else who’ll benefit from this newsletter 😌