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alpachinko

Star Member
Sep 20, 2015
68
1
Hello everyone,

My parents are selling their business and it is taking longer than expected. Their COPR expires on 1 June 2022. I would like to know how long do they need to stay in Canada before they can go back and receive all the needed cards e.g. OHIP, Ontario ID card. They are planning to arrive separately as there needs to be at least one person running the business.

My mother (principal applicant)
- Arrive in Canada on March 1
- Wait for the PR card for about 6 weeks i.e. April 15
- Can she apply for OHIP right after she lands or does she need valid proof of residency, the only one I can find is the "Ontario ID card" which will take 4 - 6 weeks? See https://www.ontario.ca/page/documents-needed-get-health-card
 
Last edited:
Hello everyone,

My parents are selling their business and it is taking longer than expected. Their COPR expires on 1 June 2022. I would like to know how long do they need to stay in Canada before they can go back and receive all the needed cards e.g. OHIP, Ontario ID card. They are planning to arrive separately as there needs to be at least one person running the business.

My mother (principal applicant)
- Arrive in Canada on March 1
- Wait for the PR card for about 6 weeks i.e. April 15
- Can she apply for OHIP right after she lands or does she need valid proof of residency, the only one I can find is the "Ontario ID card" which will take 4 - 6 weeks? See https://www.ontario.ca/page/documents-needed-get-health-card

They don't need to stay in Canada until they receive their PR cards. They can leave immediately and you can mail their PR cards to them outside of Canada. It make take up to three months to receive the PR card after landing.

It doesn't make sense to apply for OHIP until they have permanently moved to Canada and plan to stay here.
 
Hello everyone,

My parents are selling their business and it is taking longer than expected. Their COPR expires on 1 June 2022. I would like to know how long do they need to stay in Canada before they can go back and receive all the needed cards e.g. OHIP, Ontario ID card. They are planning to arrive separately as there needs to be at least one person running the business.

My mother (principal applicant)
- Arrive in Canada on March 1
- Wait for the PR card for about 6 weeks i.e. April 15
- Can she apply for OHIP right after she lands or does she need valid proof of residency, the only one I can find is the "Ontario ID card" which will take 4 - 6 weeks? See https://www.ontario.ca/page/documents-needed-get-health-card

-There is no specific need to wait for the PR card, they can have them mailed to you as Canadian address and you courier it to them later. (Even if they were to not get the card, they could apply for PRTD from abroad)

-They should really only apply for and get the OHIP card when they will reside in Ontario - they risk getting hit with clawbacks later if they don't comply with the residency requirements (entirely separate from the PR residency requirements). Short trips abroad will be fine but it sounds like their return to Canada is indeterminate. (Even if they don't use the card, they might face questions about their eligibility if they didn't reside in Ontario)

So I think you're going about it all wrong, since it sounds like they do not know when their business will be sold. Have each of them come to Canada, land, return at their convenience home and settle their affairs. When that's done, move to Canada and apply for and get OHIP and Ontario ID when they are settled. They'll have PR cards for when they return and no particular risk (as long as they return to Canada in say the next year).

If they will not be in Ontario or in Canada, there are almost no benefits they'd get from having the OHIP/Ontario ID anyway. (When they do apply for eg OHIP, Ontario will issue a temporary doc that can be used - the only wait is for the final photo card version).

(OHIP and the Ontario ID card have basically the same requirements to show residency for new arrivals - rental agreement or other official 'mailing docs' like from a bank or insurance company are usually the easiest. But seriously - deal with that later.)