Health insurance options sponsored spouse currently on visitor visa (Quebec)
- Thread starter mazey
- Start date
Likely options are to pay out of pocket or contract with a private firm for traveller's medical insurance. That would likely come with limitations (not covering many conditions as it's basically intended for emergencies). If your spouse is basically healthy then this type of 'catastrophic' / emergency insurance is probably enough.
You can ask your employer/their insurer but many / most employer insurance plans here are provided on basis that the employees and their dependents are already covered by provincial health plans (it's a form of supplementary insurance), or exceptions to that rule are extremely limited. (You probably are expected to inform them that you're married anyway with spouse in Canada so can't hurt to ask - you just may find out that it's not much coverage or not in effect until she becomes a PR)
Some policies also require you to purchase before travel to Canada. In general most pay out of pocket for any healthcare expenses or in cases where there is more chronic health issues apply Outland. We are seeing more and more cases with people realizing that they can have their spouse be in Canada during sponsorship but they won’t have health coverage during that period of time in many province. Given the wait time for processing in Quebec the best option would be once your spouse gets AOR to apply for an OWP. Once your wife is employed full-time she can apply for provincial healthcare. There will still be a 3 month wait period and wait period until you get OWP and a job but probably your best option to get access to comprehensive healthcare coverage.
It is a good point, the rules very much depend on each province.
And of course if one can get covered by the provincial plans, then the Canadian employer's insurance (supplementary really) will be quite useful.
Not sure about Quebec healthcare coverage. But typically employer's extended health is only going to cover the spouse if the spouse is covered by provincial health insurance.