Health Card Exchange in a New Province

[Gr8AmirM]

Hi experts
I want to know that how I can fulfil the requirement of Health Card exchange from Province Alberta to Province Ontario. As far I have learned, the following things are mandatory to exchange a health card in the province of Ontario;

• One that proves your Canadian citizenship or OHIP-eligible immigration status (e.g. Canadian birth certificate, Permanent Resident Card ) -> I have this one as PR
• One that supports your identity (e.g. Credit card, passport from any country) -> I have this one
• One that proves you live in Ontario (e.g. Ontario Driver’s Licence, income tax assessment)

But as I am relocating to a new province and most likely will take a room space, how come I can prove my residence in Ontario? I don't have either of the two mentioned above.
Further, they say that

• The applicant should be physically in Ontario for 153 days in any 12‑month period

Kindly advise for the red highlighted requirements.

Plz, consider that I had landed in Alberta more than 2 years back and got my SIN/PR Card/Health Card from Alberta Province. After some time I came back to home country and did not notify any of the agency while leaving Canada. Now, I need to come back to Canada and I am considering Ontario as my residence province.

Can I use my Alberta Health card for 3 months before applying for the Ontario Health Card??
Can they refuse Card Exchange if come to know that I was not in Canada for the last couple of years?

Bundle of Thanks in advance for your helpful comments

 

[canuck78]

When did you land? When did you return to your home country? Did you use health services in Alberta? Can't answer without that information.

I would anticipate not having insurance for 3 months when you come to Ontario.

 

[canuck78]

I have looked at your previous responses. You should have notified Alberta that you left and if you used any healthcare on your original arrival you could be asked to pay back any costs because you didn't stay for 6 months. When you arrive in Ontario you can't use your Alberta healthcard. If you do it would be fraud and you could get in a lot of trouble plus have to pay back all the costs. You need to sign up for OHIP. There is a 3 month wait based on your landing date so you don't have to register until you have a permanent address just make sure you have proof of your landing date. If you ever leave for a long period of time or you have children in Canada you must follow these rules or you could be asked to pay back any costs.

Other rules:

• be physically in Ontario for 153 days in any 12‑month period
• be physically in Ontario for at least 153 days of the first 183 days immediately after you began living in the province
• make Ontario your primary home

 

[Gr8AmirM]

I have looked at your previous responses. You should have notified Alberta that you left and if you used any healthcare on your original arrival you could be asked to pay back any costs because you didn't stay for 6 months. When you arrive in Ontario you can't use your Alberta healthcard. If you do it would be fraud and you could get in a lot of trouble plus have to pay back all the costs. You need to sign up for OHIP. There is a 3 month wait based on your landing date so you don't have to register until you have a permanent address just make sure you have proof of your landing date. If you ever leave for a long period of time or you have children in Canada you must follow these rules or you could be asked to pay back any costs.

Other rules:

• be physically in Ontario for 153 days in any 12‑month period
• be physically in Ontario for at least 153 days of the first 183 days immediately after you began living in the province
• make Ontario your primary home

Thank you v. much for your response. I did not use any health facility. I stayed only a month in Calgary in April 2016. Now, I am going back but this time to Ontario.
So does it mean I need to buy Health insurance for 153 days or 183 days before applying for Ontario Health card?
What are the most suitable steps for me to do regarding health facility? How can I avail the Ontario Health Card then??
Which Landing date you mention above? the one when I will return to Canada (Ontario), since I have already done my necessary landing in 2016 in Calgary.
And as I have not used any medical in Alberta so is it not appropriate if I exchange my Alberta Health card with Ontario now?
Best Regards

 

[canuck78]

Once you land in Ontario you will be required to wait 3 months until you have access to healthcare in Ontario. Normally if you moved directly from Alberta you could use your Alberta health card for that time but your Alberta health card is no longer valid if you have been out of the country so long. Yes you should consider getting private health insurance for 3 months. During the first 3 months since you arrived in Ontario go to the service Ontario office with proof of when you arrived in Ontario and other required documents a specified by the ohip website. You must not leave Canada for over a month for the first 6 months or the whole process starts all over again and you need to wait 3 months again. I would read the OHIP website. Each province has a different system and different things may be covered.

 

[Gr8AmirM]

Once you land in Ontario you will be required to wait 3 months until you have access to healthcare in Ontario. Normally if you moved directly from Alberta you could use your Alberta health card for that time but your Alberta health card is no longer valid if you have been out of the country so long. Yes you should consider getting private health insurance for 3 months. During the first 3 months since you arrived in Ontario go to the service Ontario office with proof of when you arrived in Ontario and other required documents a specified by the ohip website. You must not leave Canada for over a month for the first 6 months or the whole process starts all over again and you need to wait 3 months again. I would read the OHIP website. Each province has a different system and different things may be covered.

Thnks a lot. But after 3 months when I will go for Ontario Health card, should I mention them my Alberta Health Card and hand over to them? or it is not needed to mention about my Alberta health card?

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Thnks a lot. But after 3 months when I will go for Ontario Health card, should I mention them my Alberta Health Card and hand over to them? or it is not needed to mention about my Alberta health card?

You need to contact AHCIP and inform them that you left Canada so they can properly cancel your coverage. You should have done that in 2016.

You don't mention anything about the Alberta card because you are not moving from Alberta.