Travel once I receive my PR card (OHIP eligibility)

[undisclosed]

Hi all,

I have received my COPR and will be landing in Ontario this October. Me and my Canadian common-law partner are planning to go on vacation (outside of Canada) once I receive my PR card (which as I understand is approx. 45 days after landing).

We would really like to make the best use of the situation and travel outside of Ontario, since we will both be unemployed at the time and still looking for jobs.

However I understand that to be eligible for OHIP, the following clause is applicable:

"be physically in Ontario for at least 153 days of the first 183 days immediately after you began living in the province".

Does anyone have any experience with this kind of situation? We plan to travel for approx. 2 months once I obtain PR card and then begin working in Ontario.

Are we able to apply for OHIP later on, and our eligiblity for OHIP would apply once we arrive back from vacation? And have private health insurance coverage in the meantime until OHIP is valid.

Apart from OHIP, is there anything else I might be missing which could restrict me from long travel?

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

 

[canuck78]

Hi all,

I have received my COPR and will be landing in Ontario this October. Me and my Canadian common-law partner are planning to go on vacation (outside of Canada) once I receive my PR card (which as I understand is approx. 45 days after landing).

We would really like to make the best use of the situation and travel outside of Ontario, since we will both be unemployed at the time and still looking for jobs.

However I understand that to be eligible for OHIP, the following clause is applicable:

"be physically in Ontario for at least 153 days of the first 183 days immediately after you began living in the province".

Does anyone have any experience with this kind of situation? We plan to travel for approx. 2 months once I obtain PR card and then begin working in Ontario.

Are we able to apply for OHIP later on, and our eligiblity for OHIP would apply once we arrive back from vacation? And have private health insurance coverage in the meantime until OHIP is valid.

Apart from OHIP, is there anything else I might be missing which could restrict me from long travel?

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Getting PR card is taking months. You can apply for a PRTD if you want to reenter by air or use your COPR for entry by land. You shouldn’t apply for OHIP until you return from your vacation.

 

[CaBeaver]

Hi all,

I have received my COPR and will be landing in Ontario this October. Me and my Canadian common-law partner are planning to go on vacation (outside of Canada) once I receive my PR card (which as I understand is approx. 45 days after landing).

We would really like to make the best use of the situation and travel outside of Ontario, since we will both be unemployed at the time and still looking for jobs.

However I understand that to be eligible for OHIP, the following clause is applicable:

"be physically in Ontario for at least 153 days of the first 183 days immediately after you began living in the province".

Does anyone have any experience with this kind of situation? We plan to travel for approx. 2 months once I obtain PR card and then begin working in Ontario.

Are we able to apply for OHIP later on, and our eligiblity for OHIP would apply once we arrive back from vacation? And have private health insurance coverage in the meantime until OHIP is valid.

Apart from OHIP, is there anything else I might be missing which could restrict me from long travel?

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

It takes 133 days to get PR cards now according to their official website. In reality it's even more. Your planned 45 days + 2 months is less than the actual time to get your PR card.

 

[undisclosed]

Getting PR card is taking months. You can apply for a PRTD if you want to reenter by air or use your COPR for entry by land. You shouldn’t apply for OHIP until you return from your vacation.

Thanks for your reply. Since, the PRTD cannot be applied for from within Canada, I would need to apply once I begin my travels, hence risking my application to be denied and then not being able to enter Canada. Is there something I'm missing? Is there a better way to approach this?

 

[steaky]

Thanks for your reply. Since, the PRTD cannot be applied for from within Canada, I would need to apply once I begin my travels, hence risking my application to be denied and then not being able to enter Canada. Is there something I'm missing? Is there a better way to approach this?

If you are worry about not able to return Canada, postpone your vacation (outside the country) until you receive your PR card. There are many places you can visit outside Ontario such as Cape Breton in the maritimes and Banff national park in Alberta.

 

[undisclosed]

If you are worry about not able to return Canada, postpone your vacation (outside the country) until you receive your PR card. There are many places you can visit outside Ontario such as Cape Breton in the maritimes and Banff national park in Alberta.

We just wanted to make the most of our time being unemployed until we settle into our new jobs, hence can't really postpone. Travelling cross-country in Canada was our first preference for a vacation, however given that we will be arriving late October we were worried it might be dangerous to drive in Winter conditions (we are not used to driving in cold weather). Would I be able to enter Canada by land (via USA) with only my COPR? I did not find this in their official website but have seen it being mentioned in this forum.

 

[armoured]

It takes 133 days to get PR cards now according to their official website. In reality it's even more. Your planned 45 days + 2 months is less than the actual time to get your PR card.

I see the online tool is giving the estimated 133 days for both first-time PR cards and renewals. I don't know how they calculate that.

But personal experience, recent: first-time PR cards received for most family members in almost exactly thirty days (one still pending, possibly just in post). I won't pretend to know that this will be the case for all, but the 133 days sounds just wrong (it may be more accurate for renewals, no idea).

Thanks for your reply. Since, the PRTD cannot be applied for from within Canada, I would need to apply once I begin my travels, hence risking my application to be denied and then not being able to enter Canada. Is there something I'm missing? Is there a better way to approach this?

If you will be first-time PR and out of Canada less than a few years, there is no reason you should be denied a PRTD, you will be in compliance with residency obligation (leaving aside unrelated concerns like criminal charges). That does not tell you how much time it will take, however, which may be the more important consideration (esp if timelines fixed and not flexible).

But: if you are planning to travel to the USA and can plan to return by land border, you will not need PRTD and should be able to enter with your stamped COPR. (You would likely need PRTD to return by flight).

Obviously if you travel in Canada, not an issue.

 

[armoured]

We just wanted to make the most of our time being unemployed until we settle into our new jobs, hence can't really postpone. Travelling cross-country in Canada was our first preference for a vacation, however given that we will be arriving late October we were worried it might be dangerous to drive in Winter conditions (we are not used to driving in cold weather). Would I be able to enter Canada by land (via USA) with only my COPR? I did not find this in their official website but have seen it being mentioned in this forum.

Our posts crossed. Yes, you can enter by land from USA with just the COPR (and eg national passport)

Winter driving: although subject to surprise storms/weather etc, for the most part you wouldn't be encountering serious winter conditions in November; December depends somewhat on location and year by year but less than January-February.

Important: 'northern' USA states won't have significantly better winter driving conditions, and in some cases / places worse (local weather conditions due to lakes/hills/sea and quality of roads/terrain can be way more important than a bit more north or south).

First lesson of winter driving: if a storm comes up and you're uncertain, stop and wait it out. Second major lesson: drive slower in snow and ice, and allow for extra breaking room. The rest you can learn in time if you're cautious; all that to say you can probably handle driving in November/December.

 

[steaky]

We just wanted to make the most of our time being unemployed until we settle into our new jobs, hence can't really postpone. Travelling cross-country in Canada was our first preference for a vacation, however given that we will be arriving late October we were worried it might be dangerous to drive in Winter conditions (we are not used to driving in cold weather). Would I be able to enter Canada by land (via USA) with only my COPR? I did not find this in their official website but have seen it being mentioned in this forum.

But in some parts of BC (lower mainland and Victoria), it's still fall in October and November. Even in winter, you can take public transportation to Whistler for skiing. You don't need to drive there.