

3.9/5
Our Rating
Best for: Newcomers to Canada
BMO NewStart® program - Performance Account
Moving to a new country is a massive leap, but setting up your finances shouldn’t be. The BMO NewStart® program bundles free chequing, a no-credit-history credit card, and international money transfers to give you a seamless, stress-free head start.
Earn up to $900* cash

BMO NewStart® program - Performance Account
3.9/5
Our Rating
Moving to a new country is a massive leap, but setting up your finances shouldn’t be. The BMO NewStart® program bundles free chequing, a no-credit-history credit card, and international money transfers to give you a seamless, stress-free head start.
Earn up to $900* cash
Account Details
Offer Headline
Earn up to $900* cash
Monthly Fee
$17.95
No monthly plan fee for 2 years*
Our Rating
3.9/5
Account Type
Chequing
Account Category
Personal
Institution
BMO
Offer Details
BMO Performance Chequing Account: Newcomers get up to a $900* cash bonus and a Walmart+ membership for up to 12 months*. Also, no monthly plan fees for 2 years*.
Eligibility: To qualify for any special offer pertaining to the BMO NewStart program as set out above, a customer must be a permanent resident or foreign worker who arrived in Canada within the last five (5) years. Proof that status was obtained within the last five (5) years is required as evidenced by their Canadian Permanent Resident Card, Confirmation of permanent residency or work permit (IMM 1442).
Fees
Account Fees
Monthly Fee
$17.95
Fee Waiver: Newcomer Rebate
Full waiver
No monthly plan fee for 2 years*
Credit Card Rebate
Up to $40
eStatement
Included
Transactions
Transactions
Unlimited free
Interac e-Transfers
Unlimited free
ATM Fees
Own Network
$0
Canadian ATMs
$2
USA
$5
International
$5
International & Currency
Foreign Currency Conversion
2.5%
Other Fees
NSF (Non-sufficient Funds)
$5
Overdraft Protection
$5/month
Overdraft Interest
21% annually (if used)
Bank Draft
$9.95
Highlights
What to Expect from the Newcomer Performance Bank Account:
- Earn up to 900* cash bonus
- Family Bundle Bonus
- Enjoy unlimited monthly transactions, including Interac e-transfers (3,000 daily maximum), with no monthly Plan fee for two years with the Performance Plan
- Up to $40 rebate on the annual fee for BMO Credit Cards
- Send BMO Global Money Transfers with no-fee
- Protect your documents in a safety deposit box and get a $60 cash bonus
- Get personalized financial advice at a branch near you
- Explore our financial wellness tool, BMO SmartProgress™
- Non-BMO ATM withdrawals per month: 1 Canadian withdrawal included. Then 2 each in Canada, $5 each in the U.S., $5 each outside Canada and the U.S.
- Standard overdraft protection: $5/month
Legal
*The 2026 Summer Everyday Banking Offer is available from May 21, 2026 – November 2, 2026. You can earn up to $900.00 in total cash bonuses plus a monthly subscription to Walmart Delivery Pass for up to twelve (12) months (“Delivery Pass Offer”), one (1) month provided by Walmart and eleven (11) months from Bank of Montreal (“BMO”), when you open a new Canadian Dollar Primary Chequing Account (“Chequing Account”) with an Eligible Bank Plan (defined below), open a new Savings Amplifier Account (“Savings Account”) at any BMO branch in Canada or online at bmo.com/cash, and setup a savings goal in My Financial Progress (“My Financial Progress Cash Offer”). Full offer details can be found at the following URL: https://www.bmo.com/assets/pdfs/edb-chequing-terms-and-conditions-en.pdf
To qualify for any special offer pertaining to the BMO NewStart program as set out above, a customer must be a permanent resident or foreign worker who arrived in Canada within the last five (5) years. Proof that status was obtained within the last five (5) years is required as evidenced by their Canadian Permanent Resident Card, Confirmation of permanent residency or work permit (IMM 1442). The Bank Plan offer included in the BMO NewStart program applies to the Performance Plan only. Other Bank Plans are available but are not included in the free banking offer. You are eligible to receive the full monthly Plan fee rebated for a twenty-four (24) month period and are responsible for all transaction, service and product fees not included in your Bank Plan. After the twenty-four (24) months of being enrolled in the BMO NewStart program, eligibility for the monthly Bank Plan fee waiver ends and the full monthly Bank Plan fee ($17.95/month) will be applied to your account automatically.