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ind2uk2can

Star Member
Oct 1, 2010
53
2
I and my wife are permanent residency holder of canada landed in toronto jan 2011 to finish our landing process and came back after a week to our home country due to job commitment .Now we are ready to go back to canada in Aug . My wife is pregnant now 3rd month and we have not applied for our health card in canada when we landed in jan?

Please could you advise me what I need to do in this situation?

your response is much appreciated
 
You have a few options.

1. Go to Ontario in August, apply for a health card but you will not get one until after 3 months. If anything happens during this time, early birth etc., you have to pay out of pocket.

2. Delay your trip until after the baby is born. You might have a problem sponsoring the baby for PR then because a PR must be in Canada to sponsor but the baby may not get a TRV to go to Canada with you. Sometimes people have been granted a TRP to take a baby to Canada but it is possible that you will have to go to Canada alone to sponsor while your wife waits with the baby. If the baby has a passport where it is visa exempt to go to Canada, then it is not a problem as you would go together with the baby and sponsor it from Canada.

3. Go to some other province that has 1st day health care. That is almost any province except Ontario, BC and NB. Quebec also has a waiting time for health care but they do make an exception for pregnant women. Other than that, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba are quite happy to have new immigrants.
 
When you arrive in August, immediately apply for a health card and you will receive it exactly three months from the day that you applied. You mentioned that she is already 3 mos along, so come November she will be 8 or 9 mos... God willing just in time before she delivers.

Make sure to purchase private health insurance for the three months after you arrive while you wait for the health card (Aug to October).

All the best!

P.S. Is there any way that you can fly earlier?
 
It looks like you're an Ontario resident. To qualify for OHIP, you will first have to return to Canada and live in Canada for three months. During this three month period, you will be responsible for paying for all health care costs yourselves. After you have been back in Canada for three months, you will then qualify for OHIP (health card). If your baby is born before your wife is covered by OHIP, you will have to pay for the cost of the delivery yourselves.

Can you return to Canada sonner to make sure your wife has OHIP coverage before the baby is born? That's what I would do in your shoes...

Note that private insurance will not covered any costs relating to pregnancy because pregnancy is classified as a pre-existing condition.
 
Hi Members thanks a lot for your valuable advice.Just I would like to clarify about ontario health card.. as we landed in 31 jan for a aweek and we are going back now in aug... do I have to wait again 3 months??? or can I say to them that we are in canada from 31 jan ?? is any possible ??
 
ind2uk2can said:
Hi Members thanks a lot for your valuable advice.Just I would like to clarify about ontario health card.. as we landed in 31 jan for a aweek and we are going back now in aug... do I have to wait again 3 months??? or can I say to them that we are in canada from 31 jan ?? is any possible ??

U'll have to wait [again] 90 days from Aug-2011. While applying for the OHIP, u'd require to submit your 'lease contract'.

Qorax

Ps.: Leon has advised your options correctly.
 
I know your wife needs your support now more than ever, but if you have someone from family there then she may leave early and apply for the OHIP card and then you may join her as soon as you can after leaving the job.

I know that is one of the last options but it is an option.
 
ind2uk2can said:
Hi Members thanks a lot for your valuable advice.Just I would like to clarify about ontario health card.. as we landed in 31 jan for a aweek and we are going back now in aug... do I have to wait again 3 months??? or can I say to them that we are in canada from 31 jan ?? is any possible ??

No - unfortunately it's not possible to do this. The three months won't start being counted until you return to Canada in August. If you return in August, you should have OHIP coverage sometime in November.
 
Dear Members ... advise again please

Is it possible that I can land in Calgary,AB where my friends family recently migrated stay for a week and get Calgary health card...
and come back to toronto and apply again in toronto where i will be staying???

your response is much appreciated
 
The criteria to get an Alberta health card is that you live in Alberta and make your home in Alberta at least 6 months a year. To go to Alberta just to get a health card and then going to Ontario where you had planned to live all along is really abuse of the Alberta health care system. It is possible that you will get away with it but it is also possible that when they get the bills from Ontario for the birth of your baby and find that you just came to AB to get yourself a health card and avoid the Ontario waiting time, they might just send you the bill.
 
Hi

Thanks Leon.

If I decided to take a private medical insurance to cover for my preg.wife for 3 months in toronto can you advice me which one to go for...
your response will be appreciate

thanks
 
I can not advise you on insurance but I find it unlikely that you can buy insurance that will cover an already existing pregnancy of your wife. The insurance company would lose money if they sold such insurances.
 
ind2uk2can said:
Hi

Thanks Leon.

If I decided to take a private medical insurance to cover for my preg.wife for 3 months in toronto can you advice me which one to go for...
your response will be appreciate

thanks

Unfortunately no private insureres will cover pregnancy. As Leon has explained, if they did this, they would lose money every time. For this reason, pregnancy is classified as a pre-existing condition and isn't covered by private insurance.
 
ind2uk2can said:
Dear Members ... advise again please

Is it possible that I can land in Calgary,AB where my friends family recently migrated stay for a week and get Calgary health card...
and come back to toronto and apply again in toronto where i will be staying???

your response is much appreciated
Do you have any job in Toronto? May i ask why is important for you to go to Toronto. If AB provides the Health card and you do not have any commitments in Toronto then why not plan to stay in Calgary for long and try your luck for job here, then if you feel it is not working out then you may go to Toronto after 6-8 months
 
ind2uk2can said:
I and my wife are permanent residency holder of canada landed in toronto jan 2011 to finish our landing process and came back after a week to our home country due to job commitment .Now we are ready to go back to canada in Aug . My wife is pregnant now 3rd month and we have not applied for our health card in canada when we landed in jan?

Please could you advise me what I need to do in this situation?

your response is much appreciated

Agreed with Leon & Captain

The links below will help you
http://www.settlement.org/sys/faqs_detail.asp?k=HEALTHINS_NOOHIP&faq_id=4001260
http://www.settlement.org/sys/faqs_detail.asp?faq_id=4001229
http://www.settlement.org/discuss/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2881