Medicare Card

[CharlotteJ]

dear all, I anticipate moving to Canada before the summer of 2010. I 've read and been told that I need to/obliged to apply for a Medicare Card / Canadian Health Care Insurance as soon as I am lawfully admitted enterance to Canada which is approved and within a few weeks I ll be receiving my permanent residency visa. Now I wonder and do not exactly know or am sure what to do next. Do I have to apply for the so called Medicare Card being in Europe or the moment I arrive in Canada and settle down? and how long and when exactly will it take and to I have to apply for Medicare Canada Card?

My other questions is whether I need to get a private insurance or a travellers's insurance during the first 3 months of my residency in Canada? as an European I am automatically insured and all the medical costs are 100% recovered during the whole year of 2010 as well according to the rules and regulations here in the country I live.

[Leon]

You should get emergency travel insurance valid for the first 3 months and it's not like you have to go and apply for health care the very moment you arrive.  You will not get a health card until after 3 months anyway, both in Ontario and BC where you are thinking of moving.  After you land as a PR, you need to find a Service Canada centre and apply for your social insurance card / number.  You will need that to work.  You can also go and apply for a health card even though you will not get it right away.

[CharlotteJ]

Thank you so much Leon, so as I understand, we will have 3 months time to apply for both Medicare Card and the SIN number once considered a landed immigrant.

[GK]

You should apply for you SIN number as soon as possible since you will need your SIN number to work.  You can wait up to 90 days to apply for health card as Leon said, would won't get it until after 90 days anyway. 

[CharlotteJ]

Thank you Haver and GK for the provided information.

Being new immigrant from Europe, I will be automatically covered for the whole year in my home country and in addition to that I can also apply for a temporary travel insurance (of max. 6 months) that will cover my medical costs (in case I get sick off course) which makes awaitening for the medicare cards not such a big problem.

[haver]

Dear Charlotte,
Good luck.