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jakesalomons

Star Member
Feb 5, 2012
98
0
Category........
Visa Office......
Ottawa
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
07-5-2012
File Transfer...
19-9-2012
Med's Done....
10-4-2012
Our baby is due April 11, 2013, and we are looking to land very soon. How long is the wait for the health care card?
As soon as I'm a PR can I get the health care benefits? If not ill have to have our baby in the states if I have to wait more than 3 months to get benefits!
 
jakesalomons said:
Our baby is due April 11, 2013, and we are looking to land very soon. How long is the wait for the health care card?
As soon as I'm a PR can I get the health care benefits? If not ill have to have our baby in the states if I have to wait more than 3 months to get benefits!

In most provinces it's 3 months, you should call to check with them - in BC for example it's 2 months + the remaining of the current months (so for me, as I'll probably land on saturday, I could have health care already from 1st of February).
PLus - I heard that for Alberta they sometimes wave the 3 months if it's a spouse of a Alberta resident.. so if you - or you spouse, whichever is the canadian in the couple- have been resident in Alberta and already covered by healthcare, then the spouse could be already covered - you should check with them directly.
GOod luck - and double congrats on the pregnancy + the COPR!
Sweden
 
jakesalomons said:
Our baby is due April 11, 2013, and we are looking to land very soon. How long is the wait for the health care card?
As soon as I'm a PR can I get the health care benefits? If not ill have to have our baby in the states if I have to wait more than 3 months to get benefits!

In Alberta, they give you AHSIP right away. You get temporary card when applied, and within 10 days you get permanent card. Same applies to your spouse on visitor visa, as they said in Licensing company, which issues these cards. Baby is good :)
 
If you're moving to Alberta from outside Canada, you can get healthcare immediately. Make sure to bring proof you just landed and it will be fine. Most registries have an employee who processes the application in the office, so if your wife needs her healthcare number, you can wait a few minutes longer - but walk out ready for the doctor.

I would call a registry to make sure they provide that service and the employee is on duty before you go. If you're landing in Calgary, the south preferably, I can refer you to a registry.