Question about healthcare eligibility

[mapleleaf2014]

Hi, I have tried contacting Alberta healthcare direct, however they are given a standard answer, so I am hoping that maybe someone knows the answer to my questions.
My partner is a Canadian citizen and we are hoping to go to Canada early next year, with me entering as a visitor while my residency status is pending.
My question is, as a dependent, would I be eligible for health cover as he is a citizen and would be registering? The wording on the website is confusing, so it looks like as a dependent, I might be, however later it goes on to say you need to be a legal resident.
I am guessing that I would not be eligible, but not sure.
Also, my son will have a Canadian passport by the time we reach Canada, so my next question was would he be eligible for health care in the province?

Also I have read somewhere (maybe on this forum) that if you have a provisional approval for you residency, Alberta healthcare will accept you as a resident pending finalisation. Any comments on this?

Lastly, the website says a citizen or resident MIGHT be eligible for healthcare straight away, as opposed to waiting for three months. What circumstances might those be?
Thank you.

 

[computergeek]

You said "partner". Under AB law, they only consider common law after five years of living together. If you are married, there is no such restriction on time. In general, as long as you are living (legally) with your spouse (or partner) in AB you will receive health care coverage. AB is the easiest province with respect to this option.

In general a returning resident is immediately eligible in AB, without the elimination period, but the rules are complex and the only way to find out definitively is to apply and see what they say.

 

[Leon]

In the past, AB has in some cases covered spouses that were in the process of being sponsored or even ones that weren't yet in the process of being sponsored but had entered through immigration with their spouse stating that they would be sponsored and gotten a 1 year visitor record. One of them said that they were told that as a spouse who is living in Canada 6 months a year + they were eligible. The Canadian citizen son will definitely be covered.

 

[mapleleaf2014]

You said "partner". Under AB law, they only consider common law after five years of living together. If you are married, there is no such restriction on time. In general, as long as you are living (legally) with your spouse (or partner) in AB you will receive health care coverage. AB is the easiest province with respect to this option.

In general a returning resident is immediately eligible in AB, without the elimination period, but the rules are complex and the only way to find out definitively is to apply and see what they say.

Thanks for both replies.
I just wanted to clarify, that when you say legally, do you mean...a resident (legal), as opposed to a visitor? Or is a visitor status ok, as long as it is not expired, although I can only get six months at a time. As this is the sticking point I am finding, although Alberta healthcare has said that they make decisions based on paperwork available at the time of registration. So I have heard that if there is a provisional acceptance of the visa application, this can help.
With regard to common law - we will have been living together for 4 years and 8 months when we arrive in Canada or thereabouts...which is just shy....how strict are they? We have been discussing getting married before we come to Canada for various reasons, this could be another reason to add to the list. There is a pressing reason for these queries as well, I am expecting a baby and need to know what my options are, although I know already that most insurers don't cover childbirth.
So to add to that, would a child born in Canada be eligible, if its father is Canadian.
Thanks.

 

[Leon]

Note that in my message, I mentioned visitor record.

A visitor record is when immigration makes a decision to let you in for a certain amount of time other than 6 months. If you arrive in Canada together with some sponsorship forms already filled out and state that your intention is for him to sponsor you and you ask for a visitor record giving you one year in Canada in order to have more time to wait for your processing, you will most likely get it and with a 1 year visitor record, you will still be a visitor but admitted for 1 year instead of 6 months.

A baby born in Canada is Canadian regardless of the father being Canadian so the baby would be eligible for health care right away. However, if you were in the position that you are not covered, your pregnancy related expenses and child birth would not be covered but the baby as an individual would be covered when it's born.

 

[done]

Just to make something clear.

In QC even that the baby is canadian he won't be eligible for health coverage at least not in QC. thats why the paiment for the hospital is 8000
one night bed for a person is 2000 they charge for 2 nights so its 4000 for a person for 2 nights.

as far as I know in ON the baby is covered.

 

[mapleleaf2014]

Note that in my message, I mentioned visitor record.

A visitor record is when immigration makes a decision to let you in for a certain amount of time other than 6 months. If you arrive in Canada together with some sponsorship forms already filled out and state that your intention is for him to sponsor you and you ask for a visitor record giving you one year in Canada in order to have more time to wait for your processing, you will most likely get it and with a 1 year visitor record, you will still be a visitor but admitted for 1 year instead of 6 months.

A baby born in Canada is Canadian regardless of the father being Canadian so the baby would be eligible for health care right away. However, if you were in the position that you are not covered, your pregnancy related expenses and child birth would not be covered but the baby as an individual would be covered when it's born.

OK, thank you for pointing that out- I had missed that first time round. How do I get this visitor record - Do I ask when I arrive in Canada at immigration/passport control? Sorry if this is a stupid question. Thank you.

 

[Leon]

OK, thank you for pointing that out- I had missed that first time round. How do I get this visitor record - Do I ask when I arrive in Canada at immigration/passport control? Sorry if this is a stupid question. Thank you.

Yes, you can ask when you arrive at immigration. You and your husband have to say that you are planning for him to sponsor you for PR and ask if you can get a visitor record so that you do not have to worry about extending your status right away after 6 months.