Travel insurance or Canadian healthcare?

[jonnylad]

Hi everyone.

I'm moving to Vancouver in a couple of months and i'm wondering how to go about sorting my healthcare. I can either pay upfront for 12 months insurance which seems simple, or i've been told that i might qualify for the Medicare system for about 60 CAD a month.

The only other thing that i'm not sure of is whether i need to prove that i have insurance when i arrive at immigration? Some sites are saying yes but i've heard that they don't ever check. I'd rather just sign up for the pay monthly insurance when I arrive but i'm not sure if it's possible or how simple it is.

Can anyone help?

 

[scylla]

Based on your past posts - it looks like you are coming to Canada under the working holiday visa program. Is that correct?

If so, you will not be covered by Canada's health care system. You must purchase your own insurance.

If you are not coming to Canada under the working holiday visa program, then you'll need to tell us under what program / visa you're coming so that we can answer your question.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Based on your past posts - it looks like you are coming to Canada under the working holiday visa program. Is that correct?

If so, you will not be covered by Canada's health care system. You must purchase your own insurance.

Actually, BC MSP does give coverage to people on a working holiday program provided they meet certain requirements.

See here http://www.health.gov.bc.ca/msp/infoben/faqas.html#whp

The only other thing that i'm not sure of is whether i need to prove that i have insurance when i arrive at immigration? Some sites are saying yes but i've heard that they don't ever check. I'd rather just sign up for the pay monthly insurance when I arrive but i'm not sure if it's possible or how simple it is.

You will need travel insurance for the first 3 months, as you cannot just sign up for the medical program when you arrive. There is a wait period which is balance of the month of arrival plus 2 more months. And as the above link says, you will need to meet the employment requirement as well.

The application itself is fairly simple. Start here http://www.health.gov.bc.ca/msp/infoben/index.html

 

[haver]

You will need Visitors to Canada insurance for the first two months plus the remainder of the month that you landed on. Visit our website for more information about this type of insurance and quotes.

 

[maina]

Actually, BC MSP does give coverage to people on a working holiday program provided they meet certain requirements.

See here http://www.health.gov.bc.ca/msp/infoben/faqas.html#whp


You will need travel insurance for the first 3 months, as you cannot just sign up for the medical program when you arrive. There is a wait period which is balance of the month of arrival plus 2 more months. And as the above link says, you will need to meet the employment requirement as well.

The application itself is fairly simple. Start here http://www.health.gov.bc.ca/msp/infoben/index.html

this is really helpful

 

[pdm217]

If you're looking at RBC's visitors to Canada insurance, be very careful. Read all the fine print and don't trust a word that their representatives say.