Health coverage whilst waiting for PR

[hannahmay]

I'm in a bit of a loophole when it comes to getting OHIP (Ontario provincial healthcare), and I was wondering if I could get some advice as to what I can do..

I'm from England, waiting for my PR through family sponsorship (Canadian husband is sponsoring me). I'm living in Canada, and have been since late 2014/early 2015. I am currently here on a Student Visa. I originally moved to Saskatchewan to live with my husband, and with a student visa I was allowed to obtain the SK health card.

We moved to Ontario and just recently submitted our PR application through family sponsorship. My SK health card just expired, so I went to apply for OHIP. However, I was declined since "foreign students" cannot obtain OHIP, and I cannot access UHIP (student health insurance) through a university in Ontario since I have not [and can currently not] apply to university.

Now, we received an email from CIC stating they have and are processing our application just a couple of weeks after we sent it off. We rang CIC and asked if I am able to get OHIP whilst waiting for my PR (since the wait can be a few months to 24+ months... I need coverage), and they said the email we received is sufficient proof to add to the paperwork necessary for myself to apply and people have been able to get OHIP in the past with it. So I went to my local Service Ontario, yet the guy declined saying the letter/email from CIC along with my Study Visa (and Ontario drivers license, British passport, proof of Ontarian address, Canadian tax reports etc.) is not enough.

Now I'm not sure what to do with CIC and Service Ontario contradicting one another... and I'd rather avoid paying private health care prices (given this PR process is costly as it is!). Though if it must come to that, what choice do I have.. I currently have ZERO health coverage besides my car insurance medical coverage. I can always keep on walking into Service Ontario in the hope the next staff member will allow me OHIP. Are there any other options or answers to health care for someone in my situation?

 

[screech339]

Are you sure that it is not an AOR email that your sponsor has gotten shortly after sending in application?

OHIP is very very picky about how one qualifies for OHIP. As far as I am concerned, unless you have a valid student visa in which you are actively taking full time courses at college/university, you cannot qualify for OHIP under student visa. Technically, if you are not taking any full time courses, your student visa becomes invalid. This may be why you couldn't obtain OHIP. If I am mistaken, Is the student visa only valid to a specific university / college, much like a regular work visa, being specific only to one employer, unlike a regular OWP.

I like to be educated on the student visa rules. Are you stuck to one specific university?

 

[screech339]

If your student visa is invalid, your only option for ohip is reaching and getting AIP first. Once you get AIP, you are qualified to get OHIP.

Ontario has it own different rules on how one qualifies for OHIP. Ontario does not have to follow SasK rules to qualify for OHIP. Difference provinces, different jurisdiction, different rules. Ontario rules states at minimum, must meet AIP stage before qualifying when it comes to inland spousal PR sponsorship.

 

[hannahmay]

I applied through the outland route. My study visa is valid to any institution across provinces, it simply permits me to study at any university/college course or program for longer than 6 months, and it is permitted for 4 years (3 years remaining now). I am not enrolled in any classes currently. I was told that my visa is valid whether I study or not - whether or not that is actually correct, is beyond me.

As for our PR progress, we were not told what stage it was at. The only information we were given was when we called CIC and they said so far we passed the first 3 stages (of many). But the CIC agent on the phone did say the email we were given (which he saw) was sufficient to hand in for OHIP.

 

[scylla]

I applied through the outland route. My study visa is valid to any institution across provinces, it simply permits me to study at any university/college course or program for longer than 6 months, and it is permitted for 4 years (3 years remaining now). I am not enrolled in any classes currently. I was told that my visa is valid whether I study or not - whether or not that is actually correct, is beyond me.

It's unfortunately not correct. Study permits are automatically canceled once you've stopped attending school for more than 90 days.