The short answer
Canada's public health insurance is run by each province and territory, not by the federal government. You apply for a health card from the place where you live, and it is the card you show to see a doctor or get hospital care. In some provinces, new residents wait before public cover starts. IRCC advises making sure you have private health insurance to cover the waiting period. How long the wait is, and who is eligible, differs by province, so ask your province's health ministry.
Key terms in plain English
- Public (provincial or territorial) health insurance: the plan funded through taxes that covers basic medical care.
- Health card: the card that proves you are registered with your province's plan.
- Waiting period: a period after you arrive or apply during which some provinces do not yet cover you.
- Gap cover: private insurance you buy to cover that waiting period.
- Extended health plan: private insurance for things public plans often do not cover, such as prescriptions, dental care, physiotherapy, ambulance services and prescription glasses.
- Walk-in clinic: a clinic where you can see a doctor without a booked appointment.
What public insurance usually covers, and what it does not
IRCC explains that public plans generally cover basic medical care and most hospital services. They usually do not pay for eye care or glasses, dental care, prescription medicines or ambulance services, although this varies by province. Emergency care is available even if you do not yet have a health card, although there may be restrictions depending on your immigration status, and a walk-in clinic may charge you fees if you do not live in that province.
How to get covered
- Find your province's page and check who is eligible. Eligibility for temporary residents can differ from permanent residents, so read it for your status.
- Apply as soon as you can. Many provinces need proof of identity, your immigration status and your address.
- Ask how long the wait is. IRCC says to contact your ministry of health for this.
- Arrange private gap cover if there is a wait. Compare what each policy covers and excludes, and when it starts.
- When the card arrives, carry it. You need it for doctors and hospitals.
- Find a family doctor or a walk-in clinic. Your settlement organisation can help.
Official pages by province
- Ontario: apply for OHIP and get a health card
- British Columbia: Medical Services Plan
- Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan
- Manitoba Health
- Saskatchewan: apply for a health card
- Nova Scotia Health Insurance Program
- Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Care Plan
- Prince Edward Island: apply for a health card
- Northwest Territories Health and Social Services
- Quebec: settle and integrate, which leads to Quebec's health insurance registration
For New Brunswick, Nunavut and Yukon, IRCC's pages for each province or territory point to the right ministry.
Checklist
- To do: Find your province's health card page and check your eligibility
- To do: Apply for your health card as soon as you can
- To do: Ask the ministry how long any waiting period lasts
- To do: Buy private cover for the gap, and note its start date
- To do: Keep your policy number with your documents
- To do: Find a family doctor or a nearby walk-in clinic
- To do: Gather vaccination records for the whole family
- To do: Check whether your employer offers extended health coverage
Common mistakes
- Assuming you are covered from the day you land. Some provinces make you wait.
- Buying cover without reading the exclusions. Check what counts as pre-existing.
- Not cancelling gap cover you no longer need. Ask about refunds when public cover starts.
- Forgetting dental, eye care and prescriptions. Public plans often do not cover them.
- Going to a walk-in clinic without a card and being surprised by the bill. Ask first.
Things that change
Eligibility, waiting periods and what each plan covers are set by each province or territory and can change.
Verify before you act
Read IRCC's page on accessing public health insurance and its page on other types of health insurance, then your own province's page.