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Implied Status and Alberta Health Care: Catch 22

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nicemandan

Newbie
Dec 22, 2009
2
0
Hi,

Here's a bit of background to my story: I'm British and moved to Canada with my Canadian (then) girlfriend who was returning from working in the UK where we met. We married in Canada in 2008. I've actually lived in Canada for 4 years on work permits (I used to be exempt from LMOs as a software developer). To cut a long story short, I dragged my heals with Permanent Residency as we weren't sure whether to go back to the UK. In September I discovered I needed an LMO due to law changes and didn't have time to get the LMO, new work permit and do an Outside Canada PR application before my current permit expired, hence I've applied In Canada and I'm now on "Implied" status.

I recently went to the doctor and had to get some tests. When I was at the lab they discovered my Alberta Health number had expired. It had expired on the date of my work permit. CIC do not (as far as I know) give you a document officially saying you're on Implied Status, therefore I cannot prove I'm still a legal resident to maintain Alberta Health Care. I also now need a medical procedure, that I'm worried I'll now have to pay for out of my own pocket, second to that, will my work health benefits still be valid without Alberta Health?

Here's the catch: reading a few immigration forums, many people had applied for a Visitor visa, with that you can prove residency and obtain Alberta Health Care. Under Implied Status, I'm still working and paying tax, rather than not working and not paying tax as a Visitor, yet I cannot prove my legal status and therefore cannot get Alberta Health Care.

The ultimate irony would be if I'm involved in a car accident with someone on a Visitors visa, they will I have health care paid for, in some very small part by me, while I'm left to fork out for my own medical bills!? I hope not.

Is there any document I can get to prove to Alberta Health I'm still here, paying tax and therefore require health coverage?

Otherwise I'm left with a choice: leave Canada for my medical procedure in the UK and lose my job and be estranged from my Canadian wife for months who may have to sell the house if I can't get a job in the UK to help with the payments. Or, stay in Canada work, pay tax and don't have the medical procedure to the detriment of my health. Either way seems like a violation of my human rights!

Any help would be great!
 
I had the same issue here in Ontario, I was on implied status so my card ran out when my work permit did. We first went to OHIP office and they will only take work permit of letter from immigration accepting sponsorship. We then went to the local CIC office where they printed off a page from their manual about implied status we went back to OHIP but they would not take it so we sent a fax (3 page letter!)to the General Manager of OHIP. We received a letter in three days acknowledging they received the letter and it would take 10-12 weeks for them to make a decision!!! We finally got a call about 10 weeks later but by then I had received my work permit. Phew! We had also written to the minister of immigration. There could be some differences for your province though. It is a worry when you know you are not covered. Luckily when you get first stage there will be no waiting period, well this is for Ontario.

What is you time line? Are you close to the first stage approval being done? There is a topic on here somewhere about people paying for heath insurance to cover this time, maybe you may want to look into that?

Good luck and I hope it works out for you.
 
Visitor insurance would have been a great thing for you to get when you went into implied status as in Ontarion you are no longer covered for this time. The visitors insurance won't be good now because you have to disclose any preeexisting conditions.
 
Yes, it wouldn't cover this condition but if you still have a few months till you get 1st stage then you know you will be covered for anything from now untill then. :)
 
Unfortunately, this is one of the risks of being under "implied status".

I do not know if Alberta does this, but I know a few provinces do. i.e. If you have made your PR application (under the sponsorship class), you can take your receipt as evidence to show you are under an implied status. Basically, since your spouse is eligible, you ought to be....my advice is for you to explore. Make a couple calls and you may just be plesantly suprised. Goodluck.
nicemandan said:
Hi,

Here's a bit of background to my story: I'm British and moved to Canada with my Canadian (then) girlfriend who was returning from working in the UK where we met. We married in Canada in 2008. I've actually lived in Canada for 4 years on work permits (I used to be exempt from LMOs as a software developer). To cut a long story short, I dragged my heals with Permanent Residency as we weren't sure whether to go back to the UK. In September I discovered I needed an LMO due to law changes and didn't have time to get the LMO, new work permit and do an Outside Canada PR application before my current permit expired, hence I've applied In Canada and I'm now on "Implied" status.

I recently went to the doctor and had to get some tests. When I was at the lab they discovered my Alberta Health number had expired. It had expired on the date of my work permit. CIC do not (as far as I know) give you a document officially saying you're on Implied Status, therefore I cannot prove I'm still a legal resident to maintain Alberta Health Care. I also now need a medical procedure, that I'm worried I'll now have to pay for out of my own pocket, second to that, will my work health benefits still be valid without Alberta Health?

Here's the catch: reading a few immigration forums, many people had applied for a Visitor visa, with that you can prove residency and obtain Alberta Health Care. Under Implied Status, I'm still working and paying tax, rather than not working and not paying tax as a Visitor, yet I cannot prove my legal status and therefore cannot get Alberta Health Care.

The ultimate irony would be if I'm involved in a car accident with someone on a Visitors visa, they will I have health care paid for, in some very small part by me, while I'm left to fork out for my own medical bills!? I hope not.

Is there any document I can get to prove to Alberta Health I'm still here, paying tax and therefore require health coverage?

Otherwise I'm left with a choice: leave Canada for my medical procedure in the UK and lose my job and be estranged from my Canadian wife for months who may have to sell the house if I can't get a job in the UK to help with the payments. Or, stay in Canada work, pay tax and don't have the medical procedure to the detriment of my health. Either way seems like a violation of my human rights!

Any help would be great!
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