Giving birth in Edmonton questions

[girlienextdoor]

Hello

I am currently in UAE but already a Permanent Resident of Canada since July 2013. I got married last January 2014 and got pregnant immediately. I am planning to give birth (my due date is 8th November) in Edmonton, Canada where my relative lives. My questions are:

1. Is it possible to sponsor my husband and be with me when I give birth? Please note that I will be arriving Edmonton only on September 1st week.
2. Is it possible to get a health card to lessen our delivery expenses?
3. How much is the cost of giving birth in Edmonton if without health card?

Thanks a lot for all your help.. it is much appreciated.

 

[Regina]

1. No. Too short period of time from September to November
2.

When you move to Alberta from another province or country, there may be a waiting period before you become eligible for coverage under the AHCIP

http://www.health.alberta.ca/AHCIP/registration-requirements.html
3. It depends how it goes. What I know a day in a hospital without local health insurance could be $4000, and couple of procedures around $700. People say it could be $10 000 all together.

 

[Leon]

1. Your husband can of course apply for a visit visa but he might not get one. Sometimes spouses of PR's are considered to be a risk of overstay. Immigration would like you to sponsor your husband for PR but as a PR yourself, you have to be residing in Canada to do that and depending on your visa office, it can take from a few months to a couple of years for the processing.

2. I suppose you did not stay long when you landed and that you do not currently have health care in any other province? AB health will normally give you health care coverage right away if you are a PR moving from another country. However, coverage is extended to AB residents so it is expected that you will be residing in AB at least 6 months a year. If you get coverage, have your baby and then leave without spending 6 months in AB out of the first 12 after getting that health card, there is a possibility that AB health could cancel your coverage retroactively and make you pay them back. I haven't heard of this happening in AB but it has happened in BC and the bill for the birth of the child amounted to $43,000. The mother of the child asked why so high and they said because the hospitals bill BC health higher than they would a paying patient so she will have to refund them what they paid for her.

3. If you have the baby and pay out of pocket, I have heard that the costs can be $3-5,000 but can sky rocket if there are complications.

Personally I would advise you to come back to Canada to have your baby whether you can bring your husband at the same time or not. Get a health card and make sure to stay for at least 6 months but better, apply to sponsor your husband for PR shortly after arriving in Canada and then stay in Canada during the processing of his PR application. As a PR sponsor, you can not leave Canada for too long because they can cancel your application if they think you are not living here.

If you do not give birth in Canada, you will have a difficult situation where you are stuck outside Canada with a non-PR baby and you might end up in the situation of having to leave your baby with your husband in order to go back to Canada to sponsor both.

 

[Regina]

et a health card and make sure to stay for at least 6 months but better, apply to sponsor your husband for PR shortly after arriving in Canada and then stay in Canada during the processing of his PR application

Do not forget because she will have a baby she will need to have some income to sponsor her husband. Because only sponsors without kids could sponsor a spouse without having income.

 

[Leon]

Do not forget because she will have a baby she will need to have some income to sponsor her husband. Because only sponsors without kids could sponsor a spouse without having income.

Actually, that only applies if the sponsors dependent children have children of their own. You are exempt from income requirements if you are sponsoring a spouse or dependent children unless your dependent children have children of their own.

 

[Regina]

Please provide a link.

 

[Leon]

Please provide a link.

You can read about this in OP 2, see http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/op/op02-eng.pdf on page 43, section 10.3

Sponsors of dependent children and of spouses, common-law partners or conjugal partners (unless they have dependent children who have dependent children of their own) do not have to meet financial requirements, but they do undertake to provide for the basic necessities of the sponsored applicants so that the applicants do not need social assistance.

 

[Rigly68]

1. No. Too short period of time from September to November

She might be eligible as she is returning to Alberta from outside of Canada: http://www.health.alberta.ca/AHCIP/moving-to-Alberta.html :
If you are moving or returning to Alberta from outside Canada, you might be eligible for coverage on the date of your arrival. You must register within 3 months of arrival. Newcomers to Canada are required to present a copy of their Canada entry document along with their other supporting documents.

 

[dr_majed8835]

It is hard to find an Obstetrician to follow up your pregnancy, but me and my wife were lucky to find this excellent doctor who is not only a specialist in Obstetrics and Gynecology but also he has a subspeciality in high risk pregnancy. He follows up my wife for her pregnancy with our 3rd baby and he accepts new patients.
Contact the clinic directly if you are in Edmonton or let your GP refer you.
Glenwood Medical Clinic, phone 587 5211805, fax 5875211801

Hope this can help.