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Activating Health Insurance Plan after Returning to Canada

mmahmud

Star Member
Mar 30, 2018
186
71
Hi, I landed in British Columbia in 2018 however before I get the Health Insurance Card I had to return to my country. I had to stop the service because I would have returned after one+ year. Now I am going back to Toronto, and I am wondering how I will activate my Health Insurance. Do I contact British Columbia or Ontario. I am planning to stay on Ontario however OHIP say I will have to be there for at least around 6 months before I can apply. Can you advise what to do?
 

mmahmud

Star Member
Mar 30, 2018
186
71
Since you will made Ontario your home, contact Ontario.
Thanks for the reply. I checked that OHIP will take around 6 months before I can even apply.
Source: https://www.ontario.ca/page/apply-ohip-and-get-health-card

Does that mean I will have to be without Govt. Insurance for this 6 months (not planning for private insurance)? Also, since I will be staying at Ontario, do I have to change the address on my PR Card as well? Thanks.
 

steaky

VIP Member
Nov 11, 2008
14,298
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Thanks for the reply. I checked that OHIP will take around 6 months before I can even apply.
Source: https://www.ontario.ca/page/apply-ohip-and-get-health-card

Does that mean I will have to be without Govt. Insurance for this 6 months (not planning for private insurance)? Also, since I will be staying at Ontario, do I have to change the address on my PR Card as well? Thanks.
I have no idea (since I am based in BC). Perhaps once you got to Ontario, you have immediate provincial health coverage due to covid.
 

canuck78

VIP Member
Jun 18, 2017
52,959
12,759
Hi, I landed in British Columbia in 2018 however before I get the Health Insurance Card I had to return to my country. I had to stop the service because I would have returned after one+ year. Now I am going back to Toronto, and I am wondering how I will activate my Health Insurance. Do I contact British Columbia or Ontario. I am planning to stay on Ontario however OHIP say I will have to be there for at least around 6 months before I can apply. Can you advise what to do?
You don’t need to wait 6 months to qualify. There is normally a 3 month waiting period to apply for OHIP but due to Covid it has been temporarily waived. It will return but nobody knows when. You will need to be in Ontario for the the first 5 out of 6 months, 6 months out of the first 12 months and make your primarily home in Ontario. If you know you are able to meet these requirements you can apply when you arrive and will have coverage immediately (as long as the 3 month wait period has not returned). If you have been out of Canada since 2018 your bigger issue is not meeting your RO. Do you have a valid PR card?
 

mmahmud

Star Member
Mar 30, 2018
186
71
Hi, thanks for the info. I do have a valid PR however due to covid and consecutive flight cancellation and myriad other obstacles I missed the minimum 2 year RO. I am quite worried about that. Any suggestions on how I can make the process easier? Also, how do I make Ontario my home or how do I prove my intention?
 

steaky

VIP Member
Nov 11, 2008
14,298
1,628
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
Hi, thanks for the info. I do have a valid PR however due to covid and consecutive flight cancellation and myriad other obstacles I missed the minimum 2 year RO. I am quite worried about that. Any suggestions on how I can make the process easier? Also, how do I make Ontario my home or how do I prove my intention?
To begin, you need to be physically in Ontario and have a proof of address in hand to prove you make Ontario your home. You can open a bank account and use the bank statement as address proof.
 

mmahmud

Star Member
Mar 30, 2018
186
71
Thanks for the answer. Any suggestions on not meeting the RO? Any proactive actions I can take to make the process easier in the future?
 

steaky

VIP Member
Nov 11, 2008
14,298
1,628
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
Thanks for the answer. Any suggestions on not meeting the RO? Any proactive actions I can take to make the process easier in the future?
If don't meet RO but your PR card is still valid, you can try entering Canada. You might get lucky for the border officer not reporting you.
 

mmahmud

Star Member
Mar 30, 2018
186
71
If don't meet RO but your PR card is still valid, you can try entering Canada. You might get lucky for the border officer not reporting you.
What happens if I am reported? I already know that when I will ask for PR renewal I will have to justify why I did not meet RO. But what happens if someone is reported?
 

steaky

VIP Member
Nov 11, 2008
14,298
1,628
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
What happens if I am reported? I already know that when I will ask for PR renewal I will have to justify why I did not meet RO. But what happens if someone is reported?
Wait until you get reported. Search the forum if you want.
 

canuck78

VIP Member
Jun 18, 2017
52,959
12,759
What happens if I am reported? I already know that when I will ask for PR renewal I will have to justify why I did not meet RO. But what happens if someone is reported?
Somewhat depends on how much time you have spent in Canada since 2018 and when you landed in 2018.
 

YVR123

VIP Member
Jul 27, 2017
6,431
2,460
What happens if I am reported? I already know that when I will ask for PR renewal I will have to justify why I did not meet RO. But what happens if someone is reported?
Answer for the 2nd part that you think you already know.
You cannot and should not renewal your PR card until you meet our RO. If you renew without meeting RO, yes you can try to write a letter and explain but it's not the normal process and your application will likely go to some secondary review with your H&C justification. What we've seen is that could result in a very long processing time for the PR card (I saw a few saying that if they waited for the 2 years, they wouldn't still be waiting... ) and it may be refused. It could even triggered a review of your PR status. (no one reported that yet... as far as I've read here)