IRCC letter for OHIP health card

[mattandally]

Hey everyone!

We're in Canada and with this COVID-19 outbreak we want to get Matt his medical coverage ASAP.

On Service Ontario's website it states we need:

For applicants for permanent residence

• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) letter (IRCC used to be called Citizenship and Immigration Canada, or CIC). The letter must:
  • be on IRCC letterhead, addressed to you as applicant
  • state IRCC has confirmed you are eligible to apply for permanent residence in Canada
• IRCC document (e.g. work permit, visitor record, temporary resident permit or study permit), with a note confirming all three of the following. You have:
  1. applied for permanent residence
  2. met the eligibility requirements to apply for permanent residence
  3. have not been denied

We have exchanged Matt's UK driver's license for an Ontario one and are waiting on this in the post. We also have a letter confirming his visitor record confirmation. We received an email from IRCC saying they had accepted his application for PR but nothing via post with a formal letterhead etc. Does anyone know how to ask for one of these? IRCC website just has a load of help topics and no ability to email/chat directly. Thanks in advance.

 

[canuck78]

Hey everyone!

We're in Canada and with this COVID-19 outbreak we want to get Matt his medical coverage ASAP.

On Service Ontario's website it states we need:

We have exchanged Matt's UK driver's license for an Ontario one and are waiting on this in the post. We also have a letter confirming his visitor record confirmation. We received an email from IRCC saying they had accepted his application for PR but nothing via post with a formal letterhead etc. Does anyone know how to ask for one of these? IRCC website just has a load of help topics and no ability to email/chat directly. Thanks in advance.

Has he received his approval in principal for his PR application? If not he doesn’t qualify to apply for OHIP. There is a 3 month waiting period after application. Did you not purchase private insurance when he came to Canada in November? Purchasing private insurance is unlikely to cover covid 19 at this point.

 

[mattandally]

We applied in December and got email confirmation of receipt of the application a few weeks ago. No letters in the post or approval in principal for PR yet. Is the 3 month waiting period after the application has been received? If so, we're already past that point as it was sent off mid December. The health insurance he had ran out in October when he returned to the UK for a month, and while there he applied to UK companies and none would insure him as he hadn't been in the country for the minimum amount of time. The only companies that would have insured him a whole year, with no minimum amount of time, were in the thousands of $. Money we simply did not have after paying for flights, renovations on our UK property and PR/work application fees. Most insurers are not covering COVID-19, as you say, which is why we're exploring the OHIP option.

 

[canuck78]

We applied in December and got email confirmation of receipt of the application a few weeks ago. No letters in the post or approval in principal for PR yet. Is the 3 month waiting period after the application has been received? If so, we're already past that point as it was sent off mid December. The health insurance he had ran out in October when he returned to the UK for a month, and while there he applied to UK companies and none would insure him as he hadn't been in the country for the minimum amount of time. The only companies that would have insured him a whole year, with no minimum amount of time, were in the thousands of $. Money we simply did not have after paying for flights, renovations on our UK property and PR/work application fees. Most insurers are not covering COVID-19, as you say, which is why we're exploring the OHIP option.

He doesn’t qualify to apply for OHIP yet. He either needs a OWP and proof of a full-time job that lasts 6 months or AIP which you get right beforegetting approved for PR. Then you have to wait 3 months. I am very surprised that you couldn’t find a Canadian insurance provider to provide emergency medical insurance. It shouldn’t have been very expensive and should have been relatively easy to get if he is young and pretty healthy. It would have only covered emergencies.

 

[mattandally]

Ok, thanks for clearing that up. The website was worded in a way that sounds like people waiting for their PR application to be approved could apply for OHIP. Without any work on the horizon it looks like waiting for the AIP to come is the next available option, and even that is likely to be delayed with offices closing nationwide due to COVID 19.

The insurance was also to cover a pre-existing medical injury too, he slipped a disc in his back at work and emergency coverage didn't seem to cover a pre-existing medical condition. We did try a boat load of options, but eventually ran of out time, and now that he's in Canada it's even more difficult to get him coverage, especially with this virus. We're self isolating at the moment but just trying to look at what other options we have considering the situation we're in. Thanks for your help

 

[scylla]

Ok, thanks for clearing that up. The website was worded in a way that sounds like people waiting for their PR application to be approved could apply for OHIP. Without any work on the horizon it looks like waiting for the AIP to come is the next available option, and even that is likely to be delayed with offices closing nationwide due to COVID 19.

The insurance was also to cover a pre-existing medical injury too, he slipped a disc in his back at work and emergency coverage didn't seem to cover a pre-existing medical condition. We did try a boat load of options, but eventually ran of out time, and now that he's in Canada it's even more difficult to get him coverage, especially with this virus. We're self isolating at the moment but just trying to look at what other options we have considering the situation we're in. Thanks for your help

I think waiting for AIP is your only option at this point. To get OHIP any earlier you need the OWP and your significant other needs a job as said above. OHIP won't be granted without a letter from his employer confirming he has employment for at least six months.

 

[canuck78]

Ok, thanks for clearing that up. The website was worded in a way that sounds like people waiting for their PR application to be approved could apply for OHIP. Without any work on the horizon it looks like waiting for the AIP to come is the next available option, and even that is likely to be delayed with offices closing nationwide due to COVID 19.

The insurance was also to cover a pre-existing medical injury too, he slipped a disc in his back at work and emergency coverage didn't seem to cover a pre-existing medical condition. We did try a boat load of options, but eventually ran of out time, and now that he's in Canada it's even more difficult to get him coverage, especially with this virus. We're self isolating at the moment but just trying to look at what other options we have considering the situation we're in. Thanks for your help

OWP would come before AIP. AIP is usually 1-2 months before PR approval. You will need a full-time job that lasts 6 months to apply for OHIP and start the 3 month wait process. Travel medical insurance rarely covers pre-existing conditions unless they have been stable for a very long time. It is unfortunate that you didn’t purchase a policy when you first arrived. Of course anyone trying to buy a policy now won’t have covid 19 covered since the risk of catching it has increased. I’m sure there are many who are looking for travel medical insurance now that there is a risk but that’s not how insurance works.

 

[canuck78]

Good news your spouse now has covid 19 coverage!