Eligible for Health Care in NWT?

[Flo85]

Hello everyone,

I am wondering if I would be eligible to apply for Health Care in Northwest Territories? Here is my timeline.
- November 2013 arrived with Visitor VISA
- May 2014 extended Visitor VISA for 6 more months
- Second Extension was approved in November 2014
- December 2014 started working with 1-year work permit (IEC Young Professional)
- Separately I have applied for Permanent Residency in May 2014
- Married to Canadian Citizen since December 2013
My work is also looking into eligibility for benefits (bluecross Alberta) for me but I want to first find out if I am eligible for NWT Health Care.

Thank you for all your help.

Flo

 

[arowberry]

A super quick google leads me to this page...
http://www.hss.gov.nt.ca/health/nwt-health-care-plan/eligibility-and-requirements-nwt-health-care-coverage

Who can register for coverage?

• Canadian citizens who are resident in the NWT
• Permanent residents (landed immigrants)
• individuals holding an employment or student visa issued by Immigration Canada that is for one year or more (note: document must have an NWT address)
• members of the RCMP effective April 1, 2013

You have a work permit that is valid for one year, you are eligible. That was easy

 

[Flo85]

Thanks arrowberrry
That was my first idea as well but then I started filling out the form and it says:
"Resident means a person who is a citizen of Canada or is lawfully admitted to Canada for permanent residence, who makes his or her home in the NWT, and includes a person who is deemed under legislation to be a resident but does not include a tourist, transient, visitor, or temporary or seasonal worker."

That confuses me because my case would not fall under one of those.
Am I misinterpreting that?

Flo

 

[arowberry]

You are not a permanent resident, but you are regarded as a resident because you live in the NWT and you have a work permit that is valid for a 1+ years.

It's similar to how you are resident in Canada for tax purposes. You're eligible for the healthcare and won't have any problems.

 

[Flo85]

Thanks a lot arrowberry.