Health care coverage as TWP and OWP - Alberta

[actonis]

I am coming to Alberta with TWP and my spouse is coming with OWP and our dependent child (under 1 year) is coming as visitor.
I have already found job and am coming there to work and was wondering if I and my family are covered under Alberta health care
For me the most important is to know about my son since he is under 1 year and I guess we will need to go regularly on pediatrician examination and consultations (not the he has any medical problem, but as baby you have to go once in a 2-3 months just to check him) + orthopedic examination once in a 6 months etc.

I will have temporary resident visa in the next 3 years, along with my family.
I don't know is this is of any importance, but when I apply for temp worker visa I don't need to go to a medical examinations.
Do I need to look at private insurance?



I will really appreciate any answer and suggestions?

 

[Leon]

You will all be covered by health care in AB, that covers doctors visits and hospital if needed. Coverage is instant as you arrive. You just have to go to a registry and apply for your health cards.

As for medication, dental etc., you should ask your employer if they offer group insurance in their benefits package. If they do, you will automatically be enrolled and probably get coverage in about 3 months. If not, it is possible that your spouse ends up getting a job with group insurance. If one of you has group insurance, the rest of you can be covered. If neither of you end up with supplementary insurance but you want it, you can enroll yourself, for example through Blue Cross.

 

[actonis]

You will all be covered by health care in AB, that covers doctors visits and hospital if needed. Coverage is instant as you arrive. You just have to go to a registry and apply for your health cards.

As for medication, dental etc., you should ask your employer if they offer group insurance in their benefits package. If they do, you will automatically be enrolled and probably get coverage in about 3 months. If not, it is possible that your spouse ends up getting a job with group insurance. If one of you has group insurance, the rest of you can be covered. If neither of you end up with supplementary insurance but you want it, you can enroll yourself, for example through Blue Cross.

Thanks for the answer.
This coverage apply even if I am in Canada as TFW?
My plan is for my family to arrive 2-3 months after me.
When I apply for my health care insurance do I apply for theirs also or they need to land first and afterwards they made an application.
What do I need for health care card, only SIN or I need to wait for my TR card.

 

[Leon]

Yes, you are covered even as a TFW. First get your SIN. Then go and open a bank account. Get a statement from the bank right away. Basically ask them to write up an account statement or verify that you opened an account and gave an Alberta address. Then go to a registry and apply for a health card showing your passport, work permit, SIN and proof of AB address (your letter from the bank).

You can not register your wife and child for health care until they arrive.

 

[noobmoon]

Sorry for the interruption.
I am in the similar situation so this question also apply to me.
The bank statement should be letter of confirmation that I have bank account?
For the address, when I open the bank account, do I need proof that I live in that address.
I am asking this in order to estimate how much time I will need in order to get health coverage so I can plan maybe to buy tourist insurance from my country before I arrived in Canada I case something happened so I will be covered.

 

[actonis]

Yes, you are covered even as a TFW. First get your SIN. Then go and open a bank account. Get a statement from the bank right away. Basically ask them to write up an account statement or verify that you opened an account and gave an Alberta address. Then go to a registry and apply for a health card showing your passport, work permit, SIN and proof of AB address (your letter from the bank).

You can not register your wife and child for health care until they arrive.

I will stay at the company condo till I finish all the formalities.
Do I need written statement that I will live that as a proof of address.
Can I get the SIN at the airport?
Can I open bank account at the airport?
Can I apply for health card at the airport?

 

[Leon]

Sorry for the interruption.
I am in the similar situation so this question also apply to me.
The bank statement should be letter of confirmation that I have bank account?
For the address, when I open the bank account, do I need proof that I live in that address.
I am asking this in order to estimate how much time I will need in order to get health coverage so I can plan maybe to buy tourist insurance from my country before I arrived in Canada I case something happened so I will be covered.

It's not really about the bank account. It's about arranging a piece of paper saying that you are living in AB. It could also be a utility bill, phone bill etc.

You will be covered from day one but in order to get the health card, you need to prove with some paper with your name and AB address on it that you live in AB.

If you have health care expenses in AB before you are able to get a health card, you would be able to get a refund from AB health.

I will stay at the company condo till I finish all the formalities.
Do I need written statement that I will live that as a proof of address.
Can I get the SIN at the airport?
Can I open bank account at the airport?
Can I apply for health card at the airport?

I have heard somebody say they could apply for a SIN at the airport but I have never actually seen a Service Canada office at an airport so I really don't know. If you don't see one, then look for a Service Canada office in town. You can get your SIN there.

There might be a bank at the airport but I doubt they are set up to open accounts. You can try. Otherwise, do it in town.

As far as I know, there are no registries in airports so you will have to look for one in town.

 

[actonis]

It's not really about the bank account. It's about arranging a piece of paper saying that you are living in AB. It could also be a utility bill, phone bill etc.

As far as I know, there are no registries in airports so you will have to look for one in town.

1. Can a company letter stating the address and saying that I will stay for the first month in their condo do the job?
I won't be able to get the utilities in my name, coz I don't own the condo and I don't have rental contract.
2. Does this mean I will have to have all my cash with me while going downtime for the first time trying to find bank branch office?

 

[Leon]

1. You can try it.

2. You don't have to bring all your money in cash. You chould bring money and a cashiers check for example but yes, you will be bringing all your money to the bank the first day.

 

[actonis]

Ok. I guess I don't understand something?
1.In order to get SIN I need to go to Service Canada with my passport, work permit and landing documents (plan tickets or sth that I will receive at border)?
I don't need to give them any address? Right? Its only a number, like your ID number.

2. When I go to the bank to open account I will present my passport and driving licence or ID card from my country of origin. They need to write my address, I can give them whichever address I want. If I made a lease for a one month I will give that address. If I am staying in hotel I will give hotel address.

3.Then I will request document that I have account at the bank and with that account and my SIN I will apply for health card.

For number 2, I don't thing that all the immigrants or temp worker first make a contract for 6 months for apartment and then open bank account?
Even with that they will need to wait till the end of the month to get the bills in their names?

 

[Leon]

Ok. I guess I don't understand something?
1.In order to get SIN I need to go to Service Canada with my passport, work permit and landing documents (plan tickets or sth that I will receive at border)?
I don't need to give them any address? Right? Its only a number, like your ID number.

2. When I go to the bank to open account I will present my passport and driving licence or ID card from my country of origin. They need to write my address, I can give them whichever address I want. If I made a lease for a one month I will give that address. If I am staying in hotel I will give hotel address.

3.Then I will request document that I have account at the bank and with that account and my SIN I will apply for health card.

For number 2, I don't thing that all the immigrants or temp worker first make a contract for 6 months for apartment and then open bank account?
Even with that they will need to wait till the end of the month to get the bills in their names?

1. You also need an address because although they can give you the number right away, they tend to make you a card with the number on as well and they like to mail that.

2. The bank may want your SIN as well but it is not necessary unless you are opening an interest bearing account.

3. You don't necessarily need a bank account to apply for a health card but you need proof that you are living in AB. Maybe they will accept your closed work permit as proof enough but otherwise a bank statement or utility bill for you sent to an AB address would do the trick. However, instead of waiting for a utility bill or a bank statement, you can open a bank account and ask the bank to give you a statement right away and use that to prove to AB health that you are living in AB.

 

[actonis]

Thanks Leon for the answer.

When you lease an apartment and the utilities are included in the bill, how can you get bills on your name?
Do you register somewhere that you are renting that apartment?
In my country when a foreigner come he needs to go to police to tell them in which address he is staying and after he lives you need to go an tell the police that he left, if he is staying in your home.
I don;t know whats the practice in Canada.

 

[Leon]

Thanks Leon for the answer.

When you lease an apartment and the utilities are included in the bill, how can you get bills on your name?
Do you register somewhere that you are renting that apartment?
In my country when a foreigner come he needs to go to police to tell them in which address he is staying and after he lives you need to go an tell the police that he left, if he is staying in your home.
I don;t know whats the practice in Canada.

In Canada, the heat and water are usually included but you pay for the power, cable TV, telephone so you would have all those bills.

There is no duty in Canada to register your address with the police or anyone else.

 

[actonis]

If you lease an apartment, with your contract you go to the power company to inform then to send you bill in your names?
When you make contract for cable, you give your address, do they ask for proof that this is your address you are living in?
Can you chance the address afterward? Many people as I see change the apartment every 6 months.
Is it normal to have month by month contracts for cable, internet, power or its fixed 1 year?

 

[Leon]

If you lease an apartment, with your contract you go to the power company to inform then to send you bill in your names?
When you make contract for cable, you give your address, do they ask for proof that this is your address you are living in?
Can you chance the address afterward? Many people as I see change the apartment every 6 months.
Is it normal to have month by month contracts for cable, internet, power or its fixed 1 year?

In some cases, you sign a lease for an apartment for one year but after the year, it usually becomes month to month. If you are in a lease situation, you can not break the lease. You can not give notice and move out. You would still be liable to pay the rent for the year. If you are renting month to month, you usually have 60 days notice to tell the landlord you are moving out.

If you order power or cable for your apartment, you do not have to prove that you are living there. The power/cable companies do not care if you want to pay for this in another persons' apartment.

You can make contracts for power/cable for a longer term than month to month but you don't have to. If you do not know when you might be moving, it would be best not to make long term contracts. However, if you move within the service area of the provider, you could keep that provider and keep the contract even if you move. There might however be a hook-up fee for the new place.