OHIP - when can my spouse apply?

[gallagher11]

Hi everyone,

I have sort of a two-part question. My wife and I submitted our inland sponsorship application back in early March. Like most other applicants from this time, we still haven't received an AOR and I'm guessing it's still a ways off.

We are trying to determine when we can get my wife off of private health insurance an onto OHIP at the earliest possible date. My wife is in Canada on a temporary resident's visa (and she has been in Ontario for >153 days).

On OHIP's website, it lists one of the following categories for eligibility: "- you hold a Temporary Resident Permit with case type 80 (for adoption only), 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94 or 95; ".

To be honest, I'm not sure if my wife's visa falls into any of these cases. Anyone know what these "cases" are?

On the website, it also lists the two points below as documents required to get a health card:

• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) letter (IRCC used to be called Citizenship and Immigration Canada, or CIC). The letter must:
  • be on IRCC letterhead, addressed to you as applicant
  • state IRCC has confirmed you are eligible to apply for permanent residence in Canada
• IRCC document (e.g. work permit, visitor record, temporary resident permit or study permit), with a note confirming all three of the following. You have:
  1. applied for permanent residence
  2. met the eligibility requirements to apply for permanent residence
  3. have not been denied

With no AOR yet, I assume point #2 is out the window for now. However, #1 looks like it could be possibility. Does anyone know how one can obtain confirmation from IRCC that the principal applicant is eligible to apply for permanent residence in Canada?

Thanks!

 

[primaprime]

Note that a TRP is different from a TRV. A TRP is essentially a waiver of inadmissibility that allows someone to enter Canada even if they wouldn't normally be allowed in. Type 89 is for such people who have a pending sponsorship application. But again, this doesn't apply to your wife if she has a TRV.

You probably also need the AOR before proceeding.

 

[harind17]

With no AOR yet, I assume point #2 is out the window for now. However, #1 looks like it could be possibility. Does anyone know how one can obtain confirmation from IRCC that the principal applicant is eligible to apply for permanent residence in Canada?

As said above, Temporary Resident Permit is different from Temporary Resident Visa.

To be eligible for OHIP, AOR is not enough.

You need to have at least AIP (Approval in Principle) before you can apply for OHIP.
OR
You are also eligible when you get your OWP (if you applied OWP with PR) AND have a full time job.

 

[canuck78]

Hi everyone,

I have sort of a two-part question. My wife and I submitted our inland sponsorship application back in early March. Like most other applicants from this time, we still haven't received an AOR and I'm guessing it's still a ways off.

We are trying to determine when we can get my wife off of private health insurance an onto OHIP at the earliest possible date. My wife is in Canada on a temporary resident's visa (and she has been in Ontario for >153 days).

On OHIP's website, it lists one of the following categories for eligibility: "- you hold a Temporary Resident Permit with case type 80 (for adoption only), 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94 or 95; ".

To be honest, I'm not sure if my wife's visa falls into any of these cases. Anyone know what these "cases" are?

On the website, it also lists the two points below as documents required to get a health card:

• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) letter (IRCC used to be called Citizenship and Immigration Canada, or CIC). The letter must:
  • be on IRCC letterhead, addressed to you as applicant
  • state IRCC has confirmed you are eligible to apply for permanent residence in Canada
• IRCC document (e.g. work permit, visitor record, temporary resident permit or study permit), with a note confirming all three of the following. You have:
  1. applied for permanent residence
  2. met the eligibility requirements to apply for permanent residence
  3. have not been denied

With no AOR yet, I assume point #2 is out the window for now. However, #1 looks like it could be possibility. Does anyone know how one can obtain confirmation from IRCC that the principal applicant is eligible to apply for permanent residence in Canada?

Thanks!

It will be quite some time until she qualifies for OHIP unless she gets a job that is at last 6 months long when she gets her OWP.

 

[gallagher11]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I had suspected something may be off with my interpretation of TRP vs. TRV.

Ugh, with the covid delays, sounds like my wife will be on private insurance for some time to come.

 

[requiemforadream]

As said above, Temporary Resident Permit is different from Temporary Resident Visa.

To be eligible for OHIP, AOR is not enough.

You need to have at least AIP (Approval in Principle) before you can apply for OHIP.
OR
You are also eligible when you get your OWP (if you applied OWP with PR) AND have a full time job.

May I ask how can I get that AIP document?

 

[Conaider]

Hi everyone,

I have sort of a two-part question. My wife and I submitted our inland sponsorship application back in early March. Like most other applicants from this time, we still haven't received an AOR and I'm guessing it's still a ways off.

We are trying to determine when we can get my wife off of private health insurance an onto OHIP at the earliest possible date. My wife is in Canada on a temporary resident's visa (and she has been in Ontario for >153 days).

On OHIP's website, it lists one of the following categories for eligibility: "- you hold a Temporary Resident Permit with case type 80 (for adoption only), 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94 or 95; ".

To be honest, I'm not sure if my wife's visa falls into any of these cases. Anyone know what these "cases" are?

On the website, it also lists the two points below as documents required to get a health card:

• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) letter (IRCC used to be called Citizenship and Immigration Canada, or CIC). The letter must:
  • be on IRCC letterhead, addressed to you as applicant
  • state IRCC has confirmed you are eligible to apply for permanent residence in Canada
• IRCC document (e.g. work permit, visitor record, temporary resident permit or study permit), with a note confirming all three of the following. You have:
  1. applied for permanent residence
  2. met the eligibility requirements to apply for permanent residence
  3. have not been denied

With no AOR yet, I assume point #2 is out the window for now. However, #1 looks like it could be possibility. Does anyone know how one can obtain confirmation from IRCC that the principal applicant is eligible to apply for permanent residence in Canada?

Thanks!

She can get it either:

1) when she gets AIP (for a lot of people this is very close to getting their PR, so expect this by the end of the application); or
2) when she gets an OWP and a full-time job that will last for at least 6 months. She doesn't need to wait 6 months in the job to apply, but in the contract or job letter it should be explained that this is an indefinite contract (or the employer can specify that they will occupy her for more than 6 months).. with that proof she can apply right away.

If she gets a full-time job (and if you guys applied for her Work Permit or if she has one already), option 2) would happen much earlier than 1).

 

[Conaider]

May I ask how can I get that AIP document?

You will get it, usually by the end of the process. It's the letter that says that you are eligible to apply for PR, or something along those lines.

 

[scylla]

May I ask how can I get that AIP document?

It looks like you have applied through Express Entry and not spousal sponsorship. There is no AIP with Express Entry.

 

[Conaider]

It looks like you have applied through Express Entry and not spousal sponsorship. There is no AIP with Express Entry.

Oh, my bad, I assumed the application was under Spousal Sponsorship.

So yeah, you will receive it, @requiemforadream, if you applied via Spousal Sponsorship. Otherwise, I don't know.

 

[gallagher11]

Thanks for the replies everyone. It's about 7 months since my original post and my wife finally got her AIP letter today (OWP was approved earlier this week and she doesn't have a job yet, so the AIP will be what gets her OHIP).

I have a follow up question for those of you who know. On the OHIP website, it indicates that the AIP letter that you take to Service Ontario must be on IRCC letterhead. There is mention also that documents that prove your status can't be print-outs, must be originals, etc.

What does this mean? I thought we could just print out the AIP letter that my wife received via email and take it to Service Ontario, but it doesn't sound like it. Does anyone know how to get this formal AIP letter from the IRCC?

 

[PrincessButtercup]

Thanks for the replies everyone. It's about 7 months since my original post and my wife finally got her AIP letter today (OWP was approved earlier this week and she doesn't have a job yet, so the AIP will be what gets her OHIP).

I have a follow up question for those of you who know. On the OHIP website, it indicates that the AIP letter that you take to Service Ontario must be on IRCC letterhead. There is mention also that documents that prove your status can't be print-outs, must be originals, etc.

What does this mean? I thought we could just print out the AIP letter that my wife received via email and take it to Service Ontario, but it doesn't sound like it. Does anyone know how to get this formal AIP letter from the IRCC?

Strange, it was a while ago that I received AIP -- but still during COVID-19 times -- and I was able to print out what I was sent via email and present that for my OHIP application. On that letter there should be the IRCC logo w/ Canadian flag and address at the top; even if printed in black and white, I think they'll accept it. Just make sure you have a hard copy print out, i.e. you can't just show them the letter on your smartphone. They will take the letter and make a copy of it.

One thing to note is that only a full-service Service Ontario will process an OHIP application with an AIP letter. I ran into this issue. All of them will process an OHIP application with COPR, but AIP is a bit diceier. Make sure you're at a full-service location before you stand in line for an hour, only to be turned away at the counter. In my case I thought my COPR was going to come a few days after after AIP, and it did, so I just waited until I got the COPR letter and went back to the same Service Ontario. I was also on Visitor's health insurance, and was so happy when I could send them proof of OHIP, so I feel where you guys are coming from. Good luck!

 

[Conaider]

Thanks for the replies everyone. It's about 7 months since my original post and my wife finally got her AIP letter today (OWP was approved earlier this week and she doesn't have a job yet, so the AIP will be what gets her OHIP).

I have a follow up question for those of you who know. On the OHIP website, it indicates that the AIP letter that you take to Service Ontario must be on IRCC letterhead. There is mention also that documents that prove your status can't be print-outs, must be originals, etc.

What does this mean? I thought we could just print out the AIP letter that my wife received via email and take it to Service Ontario, but it doesn't sound like it. Does anyone know how to get this formal AIP letter from the IRCC?

I was coming to say a couple of things, but @PrincessButtercup covered them.

1. The AIP that you got via email is the original, so printing that is acceptable.
2. Make sure you are going to a full-service Service Ontario, not every office will be able to give OHIP to non-PR/Citizens.

 

[gallagher11]

Thank you PB and Conaider, the tips are greatly appreciated. I hadn't considered the potential issues with going to a Service Ontario that wasn't full service, so knowing this should definitely save time.

Great news that the AIP letter in the email can be used. I was concerned about having to request a more formal letter via webform or something and having to wait ages for it to arrive in the mail.

Just picked up an original utilities bill with my wife's name from the municipal office, so looks like we are good to go.