Service Ontario, Proof of eligibility to get health card, Inland spousal sponsorship

[fr67]

Hi I'm having a hard time with Service Ontario.
They aren't giving clear answers about the document my wife (IN PROCESS, INLAND) needs to prove her eligibility for Ontario health card. We got her a nova Scotia health card no problem with the receipt we received from the government for PR application.

We gave MSI (Nova Scotia) a copy of the receipt and we showed them an email that addresses us both from our lawyer. That was all we needed to get her NS health card.

Service Ontario says they want something written. We don't even have any response from the government yet! All we have is that receipt.

Our NS MSI coverage will not work in another few weeks. What am I supposed to do?

 

[scylla]

Hi I'm having a hard time with Service Ontario.
They aren't giving clear answers about the document my wife (IN PROCESS, INLAND) needs to prove her eligibility for Ontario health card. We got her a nova Scotia health card no problem with the receipt we received from the government for PR application.

We gave MSI (Nova Scotia) a copy of the receipt and we showed them an email that addresses us both from our lawyer. That was all we needed to get her NS health card.

Service Ontario says they want something written. We don't even have any response from the government yet! All we have is that receipt.

Our NS MSI coverage will not work in another few weeks. What am I supposed to do?

Ontario requires proof your wife is employed. Once she has an OWP and has a job, she will be able to apply for OHIP.

 

[fr67]

Ontario requires proof your wife is employed. Once she has an OWP and has a job, she will be able to apply for OHIP.

That can't be right sir.
As part of inland process as an applicant sponsored by Canadian citizen, she's to be given health coverage.

 

[canuck78]

That can't be right sir.
As part of inland process as an applicant sponsored by Canadian citizen, she's to be given health coverage.

Not in Ontario. She needs to be working in a full-time job that lasts at least 6 months or she can apply for OHIP once she receive AIP which is around a month before approval.

 

[canuck78]

Would add that she seems to have obtained a MSI card quite recently and didn’t fullfill the 6 month residency requirement so could be asked to pay back any services she used.

https://novascotia.ca/DHW/msi/eligibility.asp

 

[fr67]

Not in Ontario. She needs to be working in a full-time job that lasts at least 6 months or she can apply for OHIP once she receive AIP which is around a month before approval.

That's insane. It's different per province?? I can't believe our lawyer told us point blank that she would get a health card (which she did in NS) after applying for PR....

Luckily she used no health services from NS.

OK so we're 3.5 months in waiting for her work VISA. When that arrives and she gets at least a 6 month job... man this is a major major blow to us.
I don't know how I'm going to tell her.

 

[scylla]

That's insane. It's different per province?? I can't believe our lawyer told us point blank that she would get a health card (which she did in NS) after applying for PR....

OK so we're 3.5 months in waiting for her work VISA. When that arrives and she gets at least a 6 month job... man this is a major major blow to us.
I don't know how I'm going to tell her.

Yes - rules differ between provinces. Your lawyer should have known this.

 

[canuck78]

That's insane. It's different per province?? I can't believe our lawyer told us point blank that she would get a health card (which she did in NS) after applying for PR....

Luckily she used no health services from NS.

OK so we're 3.5 months in waiting for her work VISA. When that arrives and she gets at least a 6 month job... man this is a major major blow to us.
I don't know how I'm going to tell her.

Yes healthcare is provincial. Since Ontario is a major hub for immigration they are much stricter about who is awarded a health card. There will be a 3 month wait period before your wife qualifies for OHIP once she gets a job that lasts at least 6 months.

 

[canuck78]

That's insane. It's different per province?? I can't believe our lawyer told us point blank that she would get a health card (which she did in NS) after applying for PR....

Luckily she used no health services from NS.

OK so we're 3.5 months in waiting for her work VISA. When that arrives and she gets at least a 6 month job... man this is a major major blow to us.
I don't know how I'm going to tell her.

Tell her she is in the same boat as all the other spouses applying inland and purchase some emergency medical insurance in case she does need medical help. Just the start of her potential frustrations with OHIP. I am waiting almost a year for an MRI which is just crazy.

 

[fr67]

Tell her she is in the same boat as all the other spouses applying inland and purchase some emergency medical insurance in case she does need medical help. Just the start of her potential frustrations with OHIP. I am waiting almost a year for an MRI which is just crazy.

Yeah I wish I'd known this before we applied for inland.
She needs a checkup every 6 months to make sure her cancer has not returned.

I truly fear the worst now.

 

[scylla]

Yeah I wish I'd known this before we applied for inland.
She needs a checkup every 6 months to make sure her cancer has not returned.

I truly fear the worst now.

She can still have that check up. You just need to pay for it.

 

[fr67]

She can still have that check up. You just need to pay for it.

Oh I guess I'm thinking in tunnel vision. OK thats right. We can do that

 

[canuck78]

Oh I guess I'm thinking in tunnel vision. OK thats right. We can do that

A PET scan and oncology check-up appointment is going to be pretty expensive plus additional labs. Maybe an MRI or CT.

 

[fr67]

A PET scan and oncology check-up appointment is going to be pretty expensive plus additional labs. Maybe an MRI or CT.

Luckily we haven't been out of NS for more than 3 months and as per a phone call from MSI, her health card will work here.
But I guess she'll have to go back to her country for the next 6 monthl inspection after this one.
Her application was submitted Oct.29/19 so I guess she won't be able to get the card until about September.

Thanks a lot for all these clarifications. I certainly did not receive this incredibly important information when we discussed her application with our $6000 lawyer.............................. I really don't believe it.

 

[canuck78]

Luckily we haven't been out of NS for more than 3 months and as per a phone call from MSI, her health card still works.
But I guess she'll have to go back to her country in 6 months to get the next one done.
Her application was submitted Oct.29/19 so I guess she won't be able to get the card until about September.

Thanks a lot for all these clarifications. I certainly did not receive this incredibly important information when we discussed her application with our $6000 lawyer.............................. I really don't believe it.

If you don’t spend 6 months in Nova Scotia you will be committing healthcare fraud if she uses the card knowingly. Being out of NS your chances of being caught are much higher if you try to use the card in Ontario. Having a valid card and qualifying for healthcare are very different. If you use the card in Ontario there are much better chances those expenses will be audited and you will be asked to pay back anything she uses.