Stevin said:
I'm not sure that this is correct. I know that is not the case in Alberta. Please refer to this link: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/health-drug-coverage/msp/bc-residents/eligibility-and-enrolment/are-you-eligible/applicants-for-permanent-resident-status. Which states "A spouse or child of an eligible B.C. resident may also be deemed a resident provided that an application for permanent residence status has been accepted for processing by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), and the application remains active."
I believe Alberta is one of the only(if not the only) province where you can apply and receive it ASAP no matter what. I know in Ontario, as soon as you become PR or in certain cases a valid work permit, you can apply but it still could take around 3 months before you are eligible. If your partner has already legally been in Canada for 3 months and have documents to prove, the wait should be shorter!
"You cannot get Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) coverage right away. You have to wait for 3 months after you arrive in Ontario.
You can apply for OHIP as soon as you have the documents you need. But you will not get a Health Card and your coverage will not start until you become eligible (after 3 months).
According to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, when you apply, staff will look at your documents to figure out when the 3-month waiting period starts."