I’ll be staying outside Canada for more than 6 months, hard to take a flight due to the covid situation. My question is , do I lose my BC MSP? And how long does it take to be activated once I return back? And is there a way to extend the 6 months rule? Thank you
PR outside Canada for more than 6 months, do I lose my msp?
- Thread starter andrew999929
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Would need your whole history to say for sure but you may have 7 months to be outside of BC. No there are no special extensions. You are supposed to advise MSP if you are out of Canada longterm to catch any fraud. Unfortunately some bill MSP using someone else's number or healthcare professionals bill for services that you haven't asked for or received like filling prescriptions without a patient requesting the refill. If you don't meet the residency obligation for MSP you have to reapply and wait the up to 3 months again.
Thank you. Is losing my msp and reapplying for it have any effect on my citizenship application in the future? And how do I apply for the 7 months absence rule for vacationers? One last question, is it better to just reapply for it once I’m back or to use the 2 year extension in a 5 year period rule? Thanks again
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Hi @andrew999929 Did you manage to get any more information from MSP regarding your situation?
I know that Ontario put a waiver on 3m waiting period because of covid and it is still in place, however BC only did this exception until July 31, 2020 :-( Wonder if anyone had any personal experience resolving it with them.
I know that Ontario put a waiver on 3m waiting period because of covid and it is still in place, however BC only did this exception until July 31, 2020 :-( Wonder if anyone had any personal experience resolving it with them.
What do you mean by resolving? Anyone who has been outside BC for over 7 months must reapply. That isn’t optional.
Yes, I am familiar with the rules. However, what we are dealing with this year is nowhere near normal situation. Because of border and airspace restrictions and closures in certain countries, I personally know quite a few people who are stuck abroad or vica versa in Canada even. I have elderly relatives (and my friends do to) stuck on different sides of the border - e.g. one couple went away for 3 months and are still unable to travel back because of the other country closing its border and the lack of commercial flights (the limited options available are extremely complicated and stressful to manage for old people without language knowledge, let alone being in mask over 24 hours and the risk of contracting covid during long multiple layovers)
THose people are all residents of BC, never left BC for more than 3-4 month and did not intentionally plan to be absent for so long.
Ontario temporarily changed its policy to waive the 3 month period for now (while covid is still in action). HOwever, BC only did this till July 31. Countries are different and some people end up in more restrictive situations than others. I was hoping they would consider this - as this has nothing to do with healthcare fraud.
Hope this helps. Got it from the website:
In some circumstances, while temporarily outside the province for work or vacation, individuals may retain eligibility for coverage during an ‘extended absence’ of up to 24 consecutive months, once in a 60 month (five year) period. To qualify, the individual must:
In some circumstances, while temporarily outside the province for work or vacation, individuals may retain eligibility for coverage during an ‘extended absence’ of up to 24 consecutive months, once in a 60 month (five year) period. To qualify, the individual must:
- be a Canadian citizen or a person lawfully admitted to Canada for permanent residence;
- make his or her home in British Columbia;
- be physically present in Canada for six of the 12 months immediately preceding departure;
- not have been granted an extended absence in the previous 60 months (five years);
- not have taken advantage of the seven month absence in a calendar year, available to vacationers, during the year the extended absence begins or during the calendar year prior to the start of the extended absence; and
- not have returned to the province for more than 30 consecutive days during their extended absence.
Unless they meet the special exemption stated by @andrew999929 there aren’t any covid special exemptions. Many people did return to Canada or saw there was a pandemic and as soon as there was a few cases outside Canada they changed their travel plans. Lots of people cancelled trips in early March or returned home early. If the elderly people are flying now versus before they are at more risk in many countries.