It is crucial for you to acquire health coverage in your destination province or territory, regardless of whether you are arriving in Canada as temporary
It is crucial for you to acquire health coverage in your destination province or territory, regardless of whether you are arriving in Canada as temporary residents (TR) or permanent residents (PR). If you do not register, you may have to pay a lot of dollars for medical care when you need it.
Key Eligibility Requirements in Canada’s Provinces
Ontario
Applicants should reside in Ontario and must have the following features:
1) A citizen of Canada, an Indigenous person, or a PR citizen.
2) Those who have submitted a PR application in Canada.
3) Should be working as a full-time employee for an Ontario employer (for six months) while in possession of a valid work permit.
4) The Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) defines a convention refugee as well as any other protected individual.
5) Having a temporary resident permit (TRP), though there are some exceptions.
6) A member of the clergy who can remain in Canada and serve full-time for at least six months in Ontario.
To receive a health card in Ontario, applicants must fulfill all the following minimal requirements in addition to the ones listed above.
1) Spend a minimum of 153 days in Ontario during a year.
2) Within the first 183 days of moving to Ontario, spend at least 153 of those days physically in Ontario.
3) Choose to live primarily in Ontario.
British Columbia
The Medical Services Plan (MSP) in British Columbia requires newcomers to be classified as B.C residents to be eligible for Health coverage which includes a health card.
According to the provincial government, a person is considered a resident if they fulfill the following three requirements.
1) A Canadian citizen or someone who has been admissibly granted permanent residence in Canada.
2) Establish themselves in British Columbia.
3) Found in British Columbia for six months or more in a year.
Eligibility for a Temporary Resident
For the purposes of MSP eligibility, some holders of study and/or work permits may be residents, the provincial government adds, even though the requirements are unique to British Columbia’s permanent residents.
Newcomers must wait the balance of the month in which residence is established, plus two months, before they are eligible for provincial (public) healthcare coverage in British Columbia, according to the provincial government.
Alberta
In Alberta, permanent residents need to fulfill the following requirements for eligibility for a health card and the associated medical coverage.
1) Have the legal right to enter (and stay in) Canada and establish Alberta as their permanent residence.
2) Make a commitment to spend a minimum of 183 days across any year in Alberta.
3) No intention to reside in any other province, territory, or nation or to receive benefits under a claim of residency there.
Eligibility for Temporary Workers
Temporary workers have to prove residency and intend to stay in Alberta for at least 12 months to be eligible for public healthcare. Additionally, to qualify for coverage, a person’s work permit should be valid for at least six months.
Eligibility for Foreign Students
Students who have a valid 1-year study permit in Alberta and plan to stay in the province for than a year or longer are eligible for public coverage according to the provincial government.
If a student receives a letter from the school they are attending, they can still be eligible for coverage even if their permit is only valid for a few months. This letter must attest to:
1) The student’s registration.
2) The intention of the student to spend a minimum of 12 months in Alberta.
Quebec
In Quebec, those who are older than 18 must wait up to three months before they can receive public health insurance.
The two categories of foreign nationals who qualify for healthcare coverage in Quebec are those who are temporarily residing in the province and those who are permanently residing there.
Permanent Quebec Residents
This group comprises, among others, refugees, protected persons, and foreigners who are permanent residents.
This category of people is eligible for coverage if:
1) They reside primarily in Quebec.
2) Visit Quebec for at least 183 days in a regular year.
Temporary Quebec Residents
This includes those who:
1) Have a work permit that is eligible and lasts longer than six months.
2) Have an internship or study letter from a nation that has a security agreement with Quebec.
3) Is a spouse or dependent (between the ages of 18 and 25) who has permission to stay longer than six months with an adult who fits in these groups.
Members of this group are eligible for coverage if they adhere to the presence in Quebec rule, which states that they cannot be out of Québec for longer than 21 days in a row.