Australian to give birth in Canada - What I need to know

[lynnca]

Hello!

Really appreciate any input that you can provide. My husband has been offered a position to take a role in Canada. He would be starting in 3 months, which would make me 5 and a half months pregnant. Ideally we would like to go over together, but I'm really worried about unforeseen medical costs as I'm not sure that the health care system would cover me (and if there are costs, what could we potentially be paying??). My husband will be employed, which will provide some benefit, but I'm not sure if that will extend to myself also (as I will unlikely be able to find work with future employers seeing that I'm pregnant).

Please help! I've searched everywhere online and can't find anything that directly relates

Many Thanks

 

[scylla]

Which province would you be moving to?

 

[lynnca]

Alberta

 

[lynnca]

So a little update since I last posted:

Isaac (my husband) has been accepted on a Working Holiday Visa to enter Canada. He has received employment as an Osteopath in Calgary, Alberta.
I haven't been able to submit my application as yet, as my passport is having a "change of name" done which means the passport number will change. By the time I enter Canada I will be 6.5months, almost 7 months pregnant. Will this affect my application for a Working Holiday Visa? I have already looking into the Alberta Public Health care and it seems most likely that I will be approved to receive the subsidised cover that I need to give birth, but my only concern now is that I will be accepted into the country at all, given my position.

Second question is, once I have arrived in Alberta, how long does it take before the application to receive health cover will be approved? Obviously due to the fact that I will be approaching 7 months pregnant, I am concerned of there being a delay.

Thank you so much for your assistance!

Kind Regards

 

[Leon]

Knowing that you are on a working holiday visa is very important because working holiday visa holders are normally told that they are not getting health coverage and should have their own health insurance. However, some people have been granted access to provincial health care once they are in Canada and have applied for it. However, there's no guarantee of that and especially if you are going to be expensive like having a baby, they may double check if you should actually be covered.

Paying for the birth of a baby out of pocket can easily cost $5000-10000 and can sky rocket in case there are complications.

In order to make sure, talk to Alberta Health before you make a decision.

 

[lynnca]

Thank you so much! This is the clearest answer I have received so far. The CIC page is so general and just sends me around in circles. I opened an email from them this morning saying that "spouses and dependants can't apply for a working holiday visa", but they didn't tell me then what to apply for! It's doing my head in as we are running out of time. I just want to speak with someone, but there isn't a contact number available for those outside of Canada.
Would you happen to know what the best thing for me to do is under my circumstances? It is very important that I am able to access the public health care as we can't afford that kind of expense.

Kind Regards,
and THANK YOU!

 

[Leon]

Thank you so much! This is the clearest answer I have received so far. The CIC page is so general and just sends me around in circles. I opened an email from them this morning saying that "spouses and dependants can't apply for a working holiday visa", but they didn't tell me then what to apply for! It's doing my head in as we are running out of time. I just want to speak with someone, but there isn't a contact number available for those outside of Canada.
Would you happen to know what the best thing for me to do is under my circumstances? It is very important that I am able to access the public health care as we can't afford that kind of expense.

Kind Regards,
and THANK YOU!

The working holiday visa is meant for young carefree singles who want to work and travel so they say that spouses of working holiday visa holders aren't supposed to be able to apply for visas based on the partners work permit. However, there is a way for the spouse of an open work permit holder to apply for an open work permit based on the partners work permit as long as the partner is doing a skilled job and can prove it with a letter from his employer. You can try it and see what happens.

Failing that, you may of course qualify for your own working holiday visa.

You can find the phone number for Alberta health here: http://www.health.alberta.ca/contact.html

My advice is don't waste your time trying to get an answer from immigration, just go ahead and apply. You should however ask AB health before you show up pregnant to find out if they will cover you or not.

 

[lynnca]

You are so super helpful. Thank you...

So I have gained a little more information since my last response. My husband was actually redirected onto a Young Professional Visa which is through the IEC program. I believe it is largely based on his credentials, and employment contract - so that would make us more temporary residents, than travelling tourists, yes? My concern with the Working Holiday Visa is that I read somewhere that you need to rely on your own travel insurance as a condition of entry into the country. Travel Insurance does not cover a natural planned birth, so its not suitable for me. I come from a country where they put A LOT of red tape on who can receive benefits from the government, so I'm expecting Canada to be the same. Hopefully I wont need to become a PR to be granted access to the public health care system.
Someone mentioned that an Open Work Visa/Permit might be the best solution for myself, but I really know very little about all of this. Would you be able to shed some light on this information I have relayed to you? Essentially I need a visa that will class me as a temporary resident and not a tourist.

Again, thank you.

 

[Leon]

You are so super helpful. Thank you...

So I have gained a little more information since my last response. My husband was actually redirected onto a Young Professional Visa which is through the IEC program. I believe it is largely based on his credentials, and employment contract - so that would make us more temporary residents, than travelling tourists, yes? My concern with the Working Holiday Visa is that I read somewhere that you need to rely on your own travel insurance as a condition of entry into the country. Travel Insurance does not cover a natural planned birth, so its not suitable for me. I come from a country where they put A LOT of red tape on who can receive benefits from the government, so I'm expecting Canada to be the same. Hopefully I wont need to become a PR to be granted access to the public health care system.
Someone mentioned that an Open Work Visa/Permit might be the best solution for myself, but I really know very little about all of this. Would you be able to shed some light on this information I have relayed to you? Essentially I need a visa that will class me as a temporary resident and not a tourist.

Again, thank you.

Working holiday visa holders are not considered tourists and generally the rule of thumb for health care is that you are committed to residing in the province for at least 6 months per year.

The working holiday / young professionals program requires you to have your own insurance. I believe I mentioned this already. However, some people have found that coming to Canada and signing up for provincial health care, they were actually approved for it.

Have you phoned AB health and explained your situation? Don't say working holiday visa to them. Say international experience visa, young professionals program and say skilled work.

 

[Rob_TO]

I believe the key in your case is your husband getting AHCIP first, and then you can simply be added as a dependent (spouse) regardless of your status in Canada. In Alberta spouses have been added to AHCIP even while here just on visitor status. So you may be able to go to Canada as a visitor before your working holiday visa is sorted out, and be added instantly to his AHCIP to receive full coverage for your pregnancy and delivery.

If he goes to Canada first, when he applies for healthcare make sure he asks the specific steps and eligibility requirements to add you as a spouse when you arrive.

 

[Leon]

By the way, I used to work for an employer who had a few people come over on a young professionals visa and they were covered by healthcare. This was in AB.

 

[lynnca]

I AM SO THANKFUL FOR THIS THREAD!!

Oh my word! It has been the only place that we have been able to received direct answers.

Ok, so to confirm what you have said... we should be ok? Even if I am not eligible (just hypothetically speaking), once Isaac is on the plan I can be added as a spouse without too much trouble? So in a way that can be our fall back option.

I have spoken to some friends who are on the WHV and YPV and they were both covered by Alberta Health without any trouble, so I am hoping that eligibility hasn't changed since then.

This does put my mind at ease.

Lastly, what is the difference between a Open Work Permit and a Working Holiday Visa? I was suggested to apply for a OWP but after checking my eligibility on the CIC website, they are only offering me a WHV.

Kindest Regards, and have a wonderful Christmas!

 

[Leon]

I AM SO THANKFUL FOR THIS THREAD!!

Oh my word! It has been the only place that we have been able to received direct answers.

Ok, so to confirm what you have said... we should be ok? Even if I am not eligible (just hypothetically speaking), once Isaac is on the plan I can be added as a spouse without too much trouble? So in a way that can be our fall back option.

I have spoken to some friends who are on the WHV and YPV and they were both covered by Alberta Health without any trouble, so I am hoping that eligibility hasn't changed since then.

This does put my mind at ease.

Lastly, what is the difference between a Open Work Permit and a Working Holiday Visa? I was suggested to apply for a OWP but after checking my eligibility on the CIC website, they are only offering me a WHV.

Kindest Regards, and have a wonderful Christmas!

An open work permit would be granted on the basis that your husband is on a work permit and doing skilled work. A working holiday visa means you have your own permit independent of your husband.

 

[Gregor.Samsa]

Lastly, what is the difference between a Open Work Permit and a Working Holiday Visa? I was suggested to apply for a OWP but after checking my eligibility on the CIC website, they are only offering me a WHV.

Unfortunately you cannot apply for Spousal Open Work Permit because your spouse will get a WP under IEC (Working holidays)

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?qnum=841&top=25

You could apply for IEC as well.
Note there could be some issues:
- Depending on your country of origin CIC could ask for a medical exam, including chest x-ray, which is definitely not a good idea while pregnant

- flying is not recommended/allowed for advanced pregnacy

 

[lynnca]

Thank you everyone. I'm currently in the process of applying for a WHV through IEC. Does anyone know if they will require me to get health insurance for the term of the Visa?