Unsecured Credit Cards are offered to to Canadian consumers by chartered banks and other financial institutions. Theare are 10's of various credit card issuers in Canada. Visa, MasterCard and American Express are the most common generally accepted credit cards. Sears or HBC cards are an example of store credit cards.
Usually credit cards are offered to those consumers who have demonstrated a solid credit history. Most institutions will not issue a credit card to anyone who has a credit history of less thatn 6 months old. Generally the instituition policies concerning the issuance of the credit cards are strict. It is difficult to receive a Visa or MasterCard if you have no home phone, have a low credit rating, or if you have alerts on your credit bureau. Credit Cards have credit limits ranging from $ 200.00 - 25,000.00.

Credit Cards are often applied for by consumers seeking the conveniences of not carrying cash and the ability to pay for goods and services over the telephone as well as over the Internet. Often credit cards are used to purchase big ticket items without paying a purchase price in full.

Sometimes it is possible for individuals to obtain an Unsecured Credit Card on their own. But the process usually takes 4-8 weeks, and credit card issuers often decline applications for no or superficial reasons.

Amounts initially granted are usually small and it may take years for a consumer to see the limit on her credit card increased.