Health insurance at entry of Canada with work permit?

[michelb86]

Hello,

On the prepare for arrival guide of IEC it says:

When you arrive at the Port of Entry, you must have health insurance valid for the entire duration of your authorized stay in Canada. Note that being in possession of a valid provincial health card will not meet this requirement as repatriation is not covered by provincial health insurance.
You may be refused entry if you do not have insurance.

If your insurance policy is valid for less than your expected stay, you may be issued a work permit that expires at the same time as your insurance. If this happens, you will not be able to apply for an extension of your work permit at a later date.

Does this also apply when having an work permit for one or two years?
We have applied for a work visa and want to join the public health insurance as soon as we arrive in Canada. We will go to Toronto, so there is a waiting list, but we can join the University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP) in the meantime. However, we only can apply for the UHIP after arrival.

So is there a control for health insurance when entering Canada with a work permit? And is it neccessary for us to have an insurance at arrival for the intended period of stay (1-2 years)? Or is it okay to have a travel insurance for one month and join the UHIP after we got oir SIN?

 

[Gregor.Samsa]

Hello,

On the prepare for arrival guide of IEC it says:

Does this also apply when having an work permit for one or two years?
We have applied for a work visa and want to join the public health insurance as soon as we arrive in Canada. We will go to Toronto, so there is a waiting list, but we can join the University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP) in the meantime. However, we only can apply for the UHIP after arrival.

So is there a control for health insurance when entering Canada with a work permit? And is it neccessary for us to have an insurance at arrival for the intended period of stay (1-2 years)? Or is it okay to have a travel insurance for one month and join the UHIP after we got oir SIN?

Well, CIC is pretty clear on it, private health insurance is a requirement so most likely inmigration officer will ask about it

If you don't have it, you cannot get your WP.

If you have it for a duration shorter than maximum IEC time, your WP will be issued only for the tone insured.

Be sure your insurance meets all the CIC requirements

 

[michelb86]

Well, CIC is pretty clear on it, private health insurance is a requirement so most likely inmigration officer will ask about it

If you don't have it, you cannot get your WP.

If you have it for a duration shorter than maximum IEC time, your WP will be issued only for the tone insured.

Be sure your insurance meets all the CIC requirements

Thank you. Just to be sure: My wife has a job offer and will apply for a regular WP and I will join under the common law relationship. So we don't apply for IEC, makes that any difference?

Where can I find a list of all the requirements?
I read on the forum that coverage of repatriation is one of them. I am looking for a while now on the CIC site but can't find a list of what they really require.

And how should we take care of the UHIP/OHIP? As soon as we got subscribed to that, we can cancel our other insurance?

 

[Gregor.Samsa]

Thank you. Just to be sure: My wife has a job offer and will apply for a regular WP and I will join under the common law relationship. So we don't apply for IEC, makes that any ?

Where can I find a list of all the requirements?
I read on the forum that coverage of repatriation is one of them. I am looking for a while now on the CIC site but can't find a list of what they really require.

And how should we take care of the UHIP/OHIP? As soon as we got subscribed to that, we can cancel our other insurance?

Regular WP (closed, usually LMIA based) and SOWP doesn't require applicants to buy private insurance.

Public health rules depend on the provincial government.

For Ontario, you have to wait 3 months until get OHIP card.

So it's advisable to get private health insurance, at least for 3-4 months.

UHIP is a private health insurance that can be good for the waiting period, but should be more options available, including extended travel insurance bought in your original country.

Please note Provincial Health doesn't cover everything, some stuff like medicines, ambulance and more are not being paided, employer private insurance usually helps with it, but you have to wait 3 months after start to work usually.

Some provinces like Alberta provides public health coverage since day one.


http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/public/publications/ohip/temp_foreign.aspx

http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/public/publications/ohip/ohip_waiting_pd.aspx

https://www.services.gov.on.ca/locations/start.do?setPreferredWebSite=normal&redirected_slf=1

http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/public/programs/ohip/



http://uhip.ca/all-about-uhip.aspx


As a general rule in another country, don't assume things works in the same way that your original country, that includes public health coverage.