Do I qualify for provincial healthcare?

[aerogurl87]

I'm going to be living in Canada for the next year and a half as a temporary foreign worker and will be working part time (at least for now). I just received my letter of approval in the mail today. Anyway I was wondering if I will qualify for the healthcare under Alberta's provincial healthcare system. From their website here are the guidelines:

An eligible resident of Alberta is a person who is:

* Legally entitled to be or to remain in Canada and makes his/her permanent home in Alberta;
* Committed to being physically present in Alberta for at least 183 days in a 12 month period (NOTE: Periods of temporary absence will be counted as being physically present in Alberta. If you are planning to be away for more than six months, contact our office.);
* Not claiming residency or obtaining benefits under a claim of residency in another province, territory or country;
* Any other person deemed by the regulations to be a resident not including a tourist, transient or visitor to Alberta.

I meet all those requirements (I'm currently uninsured in the USA) except I'm a bit fuzzy on the first one. Technically since I'm a foreign worker I shouldn't be intending to make Alberta my permanent home, but I'm moving there to be with my boyfriend and eventually apply for permanent residency as his common law wife after a year or so is up. So I'd just like someone to tell me whether or not I can get healthcare there or if I'll have to buy my own plan.

 

[Leon]

As a foreign worker, you will get health care in AB. You can go to a registry and apply for it as soon as you arrive. You just need to have some proof that you live in AB. Proof could be having opened a bank account and getting them to give you a statement right away with your name and AB address on it. A job contract might also work. You also have to show them your work permit (legally entitled to live in AB etc.)

 

[aerogurl87]

Thanks Leon for the quick reply.