Outland / Family Class, but living in Canada: HEALTH COVERAGE?

[bonacker]

hiya,

So we're applying via the FAMILY CLASS route... but I (a US citizen) will actually be living inside Canada when we send everything to Mississauga in a few weeks.

SPECIFICS: We're getting married next month, abroad, and then will be coming back to Nova Scotia, Canada, at the start of December, with application papers and wedding certificate in hand. (This was the path recommended by an immigration lawyer, because my legal residence still is, and has been, back in NY State.) I have a daughter, who is living with us.

QUESTION: Do I have to wait until I actually get my permanent residency approved before my daughter and I can get on the Canadian health system? (Even tho we will be living together as a family in Canada?)

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

 

[ariell]

Yes, you absolutely have to wait until you are a PR. You may be living here, but you will be living here as a tourist and will not be paying taxes. In most provinces, there is a 3 month wait period before you are eligible for health coverage so you likely won't be eligible until 3 months AFTER you become a PR. Contact the office in Nova Scotia that looks after health coverage to find out. In the meantime, you can look into getting private insurance coverage. There are a few companies that deal specifically with coverage for newcomers or tourists. Check here: http://www.settlement.org/sys/library_detail.asp?doc_id=1003775

 

[bonacker]

thank you so much for that help!

i'd heard that someone who applied "in country" could get immediate coverage -- and i just wasn't sure if they meant in-country-in-country, or... um... out-of-country-in-country, if you know what i mean?

 

[bonacker]

PS: I'm going to start another thread to try to figure out this puzzle, with the info you provided. I'm actually pregnant, and it appears that the private insurers won't cover me with the "pre-existing condition." So I totally don't know what to do. Will we really be without health coverage for... how long? A year? Longer? And, um.... pregnant? This is starting to really suck. The option would be for me to stay at home in the States, alone with our two year old daughger, and pregnant! (While soon-to-be-husband is in Nova Scotia, where he works and runs his business. Um. Yay? Not.)

 

[rjessome]

What you heard is incorrect about medical coverage whether for inland or outland. But it depends on the status of the person who may have applied inland. If they were already in Canada with status other than visitor, they may have qualified for coverage. For example, a temporary foreign worker. But you will only have visitor status so other than private health insurance (which won't cover you for the pregnancy), there's not much available.

 

[Rasha]

strange I just posted a long response to you..but it did not post

in a nut shell

if a person applies for sponsorship inland, and gets AIP [approval in principle] they can apply for a work permit, and because they are in CAnada, working, and paying taxes etc.. they are eligible for health converage [by virtue of that work permit, and their sin number 900#]. They still are obliged to 3 months waiting etc.... no one is granted priviledge of health care just coz they are married to a Canadian cit/res.

 

[rjessome]

Rasha is right. After Approval in Principle is given (if) and a work permit is issued, depending on the laws of that province, you may qualify for health care coverage. But usually you are looking at a wait of 5 to 6 months for AIP and then another 3 months for health care eligibility.

 

[bonacker]

Thanks so much for all the great explanations.

Wow, I'm in a complete and total bind. I can't see any resolution.... can anyone see another route/solution?

My fiance and I have been together four years, and he is the dad to my adopted daughter (tho he can't legally adopt her, as well, till later). He runs his own business in Canada. We'll be married next month, and living together as a family in Nova Scotia. I'm pregnant. . . . . and . . . .and. . . . I apparently have no way of getting health coverage for most of the next year. Even the "private insurance" route seems impossible, with the "pre-existing condition" of pregnancy.

I meanwhile pay for (completely useless but really expensive) private insurance back home in the States -- hundreds of dollars a month! -- but in order to make use of it, I'd have to split up our family, find a place to live back home (maintaining two homes??), and spend the next year alone with our daughter, while pregnant and having our baby. Uh..... hmmmm..... uh..... wow.

Oy. Vey.

This is a real bind.

 

[ariell]

Looks like you will be covered as soon as you get PR status based on what they say on their website:

"Moving to Nova Scotia from outside Canada

If you are a returning Canadian Citizen or a returning "Permanent Resident" moving permanently to Nova Scotia from outside Canada, MSI will provide first day coverage. " http://www.gov.ns.ca/health/msi/moving_travel.asp#2

But you should call to verify for sure.

Like most major life decisions, getting married and moving to a new country takes some planning. Forgive me if I sound like a b*tch, but it really looks to me based on your questions on this board that you really haven't done much research at all into the whole sponsorship process. So do yourself a favour and become informed.

As I see it your choices are:
1. Hubby stays here, you stay in US and have the baby.
2. Same as above but hubby takes a leave of absence from work to be with you when the baby is born.
3. You move here after you marry next month and hope that provincial health coverage kicks in by the time you're due. Otherwise, you'd have to cover the cost of the delivery yourself. I think you'd be looking at at least $5000. Look into the cost of a midwife to see how it compares.
5. Get married ASAP in a civil ceremony so that you can get your sponsorhip application in ASAP to give you a better chance of getting health coverage by the time you deliver.

Best of luck!

 

[whoopi83]

This may be way off base but could you purchase US travel insurance that would cover you whilst you were "visiting"?
I ask because UK travel insurance will do so providing your situation is known.

 

[Leon]

If you maintained an address in the US while "visiting" your husband in Canada, would your American insurance cover you while you are in Canada? If not, you could still visit him in Canada until you get closer to the birth and then go to the US to have the baby.

 

[bonacker]

Thanks so much, all of you, for the super help:

It's very, very, very much sincerely appreciated!

Yes, I think I'll be maintaining my US insurance, and having the baby in the US. And just hoping I'm allowed back and forth across the border while it's pending; tho.

PS: Ariell --"Forgive me if I sound like a b*tch".... uh, yeah ....well, you said it (I didn't)! Thanks for brightening my day with your sunshine.

 

[ariell]

Thanks for brightening my day with your sunshine.

You're welcome!!

Looks to me like I provided you with lots of helpful info. AND links. Too bad you're too rude to notice.

 

[rjessome]

bonacker, ariell is RIGHT and she DID provide you with accurate and very useful information in order to try and HELP you. But hey, if you want to hear crap that's false will cause you a bunch of trouble and lead you down the wrong path when it comes to immigration, there are plenty of crooked lawyers and consultants out there who would be happy to take your money. Ultimately, YOU are responsible for your own life and I realize you are in a bind and that it's stressful. But we are not miracle workers and you SHOULD be reading until your eyes bleed about all the rules, regulations and requirements regarding your immigration situation OR hire someone legit to do it for you.

And just a word of advice, it's senior members like PMM, ariell, robsluv, mitimata, Leon and myself and others who donate our time and knowledge to help people on this site for NOTHING, just out of a desire to help and civic duty. Probably not in your best interest to insult one of us. Why would we want to help someone if they are just going to turn around and be rude?

Whoopi - UK travel insurance will cover delivery costs as well???? Are you sure about that? If that's the case then WOW!

 

[toby]

Underneath all the restrictions on public health care in Canada lies a basic issue of fairness: why should anyone who has not (yet) contributed anything to the health-care system come into the country and expect Canadian taxpayers to pay his or her childbirth expenses? In Nova Scotia you are generously given immediate coverage once you qualify as a resident; in other provinces you must wait 3 or 6 months.

But even with a waiting period, once it is over any new resident is instantly covered for pre-existing health problems -- in effect burdening strangers (Canadian taxpayers) with the new resident's health problems.

So, the system is already extremely generous to new arrivals. Let's not be scheming to make it overly so.

I know this does not solve your problem for a risk-free life during the coming blessed event, but nor am I deliriously happy about being asked for ideas to make me and others cover that risk.