Nova Scotia Health card

[Kate CP]

Hi again everyone,

Thanks for all your help with all my 'soft landing' questions so far.

my husband, who has been sponsored by me, will be landing in NS on 16th Nov, all being well.

he is going to give a cousin's address and hope that his PR card will be sent there no questions asked, otherwise he will have to apply for a 'replacement' card when we return for our proper move next summer.

He is going to apply for his SIN number in Nov, regardless of the PR card situation.

My question is now about the NS health card. Since husband will definitely not be moving to NS permanently until next summer, can he apply in Nov for his health card, or is it better to wait until we move? I, as a returning citizen, and our children (returning citizens) will also need to apply for health cards.

Any thoughts/experiences? We just want to take care of as much of the admin stuff as we can whilst he's over for a few days in Nov.

Thanks!

Kate

 

[CDNPR2014]

according to the website for NS health cards, you won't be eligible until you actually settle in nova scotia and make it your permanent home. doing a "soft landing" and then leaving NS for an extended period of time before meeting the residency requirements for coverage will make you ineligible for coverage. if you apply for health cards and don't stay in NS, then more than likely your coverage will be suspended until you return and can prove residency in NS.

http://novascotia.ca/DHW/msi/eligibility.asp

To be eligible for Nova Scotia Medical Service Insurance benefits you must be:
a Canadian Citizen or "Permanent Resident" (Landed Immigrant);
a resident who makes his/her permanent home in Nova Scotia;
present in the province 183 days every calendar year; and
registered with MSI.

also see this:
http://novascotia.ca/DHW/msi/moving_travel.asp#2

there is no reason to apply for a health card until you plan to actually live in the province permanently.

 

[DBHC]

there is no reason to apply for a health card until you plan to actually live in the province permanently.

I agree. Plus, it's super fast if you're willing to go to the office in person. We called ahead and gave them our details so they could get started our application. Then later the same day, we went to the office and had MSI cards in our hands within 30 minutes. (Similarly, getting a SIN was easy and fast, too.)

I'd warn you to be careful about where the PR card gets sent. When I landed, the officer at the border told us that if the card is returned to them (i.e., it can't be delivered for whatever reason) they could interpret that as you having left the country and they could cancel your PR. I don't know how true that is – it sounds a bit extreme to me – but after all the effort that went into my PR I'm not willing to find out!

 

[CDNPR2014]

I'd warn you to be careful about where the PR card gets sent. When I landed, the officer at the border told us that if the card is returned to them (i.e., it can't be delivered for whatever reason) they could interpret that as you having left the country and they could cancel your PR. I don't know how true that is – it sounds a bit extreme to me – but after all the effort that went into my PR I'm not willing to find out!

i'd imagine this is only true in the chance a person never goes looking for or a specific amount of time passes before inquiry is made about the missing card . my pr card was sent back to cic because of delivery issues with canada post. i submitted a solemn declaration for it and received it in 2 weeks. i have no issue with my pr status in the 2 years since.

 

[DBHC]

i'd imagine this is only true in the chance a person never goes looking for or a specific amount of time passes before inquiry is made about the missing card . my pr card was sent back to cic because of delivery issues with canada post. i submitted a solemn declaration for it and received it in 2 weeks. i have no issue with my pr status in the 2 years since.

That's reassuring to hear!

 

[Leon]

I'd warn you to be careful about where the PR card gets sent. When I landed, the officer at the border told us that if the card is returned to them (i.e., it can't be delivered for whatever reason) they could interpret that as you having left the country and they could cancel your PR. I don't know how true that is – it sounds a bit extreme to me – but after all the effort that went into my PR I'm not willing to find out!

The IO in this case was talking nonsense. Sure they would prefer people to be at the PR card address when the PR card arrives to avoid it getting lost and they are allowed to refuse to accept an address if you admit that you are leaving and will not be at the address when the PR card arrives.

However, as a PR, you may leave the country for up to 3 years in a 5 year period so they can not and will not cancel your PR status based on the card coming back because of address or postal error, because you have moved and forgot to tell them or even if you have left Canada again.

As a PR outside Canada, you can request a PR Travel document in order to return and it will be granted as long as you meet the RO (residency obligation). For your first 5 years, the RO is that you have not been outside Canada for 1095 days or longer since you got your PR.

Even if you stay outside Canada for almost 3 years, return on a PR TD without a PR card because you never got one, you can simply fill out an application and pay a $50 fee in order to apply for a replacement PR card. It's that simple.