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Working in Another Province

acetone

Star Member
Apr 24, 2016
158
24
Not sure if this is the right group to ask. Is it possible for someone to work in another province while the immediate family lives in another? I am asking more about the difficulty on specific provincial regulations like driver's licensing, health card and/or provincial tax. If there are other issues that might arise, please share. Thanks.
 

canuck78

VIP Member
Jun 18, 2017
55,605
13,526
Is there a reason that you will be living separately? You would have to have driver's license, health card from the province you work and live in the majority of the time. Might get a bit complicated when it comes to tax issues like primary residence but not a huge issue.
 

acetone

Star Member
Apr 24, 2016
158
24
reason will be my expertise is not well known in my current location so a bit difficult to find work. However, my wife is already working with the career she wants and kids already started school. I am still weighing my options to work on different province or shift career (with the risk that I will not be able to go back to my chosen career).

I was just thinking to fly back to my residence province every weekend or during holidays. As you mentioned, I need to change my drivers license and health card to work place which means that if I go back, I will not have a drivers license on my residence.
 

links18

Champion Member
Feb 1, 2006
2,009
129
Could be an especially thorny issue for car insurance if you are regularly operating a vehicle registered and insured in one province in another. There may be other legal consequences of setting up a residence separate from your wife.
 

canuck78

VIP Member
Jun 18, 2017
55,605
13,526
Not an uncommon situation. For example many residents of the Maritimes worked in Alberta and would return home a week per month. Really you have to figure out where your primary residence is based on the time you spend in various locations. If you live in one province but visit your family in another province you can still use your health card. Not sure how easy it would be at a gp office but at a hospital is fine. There is a reciprocity agreement in place. It's the small things like car insurance and vehicle registration. Your stuff may be from one province and your family may come from the other province.
 

kabayanko

Full Member
Aug 14, 2014
21
5
Not sure if this is the right group to ask. Is it possible for someone to work in another province while the immediate family lives in another? I am asking more about the difficulty on specific provincial regulations like driver's licensing, health card and/or provincial tax. If there are other issues that might arise, please share. Thanks.
Yes its possible. I once was in your situation. You can convert your drivers license to the province of your choice if you will qualify as a resident and same as your health card . Each province has different transitional requirements but not as difficult as moving out of country. Im assuming you have the same reason as mine...better stable job to survive your family. Good luck make it good.
 

Joshua1

Hero Member
Nov 18, 2013
946
473
Consider insuring your car in the province with the cheapest insurance, providing you have residence there.
 

NetMecca

Hero Member
Dec 12, 2013
541
121
Halifax, Nova Scotia
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14-07-2009
Driven by the address where you live. Both for licensing and insurance.

For insurance, if address is not clear, just be sure to declare it as such or that you have multiple addresses and why. Should not present an issue for that.
 

acetone

Star Member
Apr 24, 2016
158
24
Many thanks for the inputs. Just for my peace of mind.

If I push through with this setup e.g. health cards, driver's license are still in my current province as I will still live there during the holidays/weekends, will there be an issue if I still rent a place (under my name) on the province that I will work in (meaning, there will be 2 residential place under my name)? Similarly, does this mean that for the health issues I can only go to a clinic in my current province and I am not covered in my work place?
 

NetMecca

Hero Member
Dec 12, 2013
541
121
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Category........
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
LANDED..........
14-07-2009
Many thanks for the inputs. Just for my peace of mind.

If I push through with this setup e.g. health cards, driver's license are still in my current province as I will still live there during the holidays/weekends, will there be an issue if I still rent a place (under my name) on the province that I will work in (meaning, there will be 2 residential place under my name)? Similarly, does this mean that for the health issues I can only go to a clinic in my current province and I am not covered in my work place?
Health care can be used canada wide. Province of primary residence is where you register for healthcare. Might be a good idea to speak to health care in both provinces as they might have differing definitions about what is considered primary residence and then figure it out from there. In either case should not present a major challenge to resolve.

Driver's licence, same will apply. It is ok to have multiple addresses. License to be held in province of "primary" residence. That is the question to answer. And the provincial authorities for each of the provinces will be the best people to contact to get that answered.

I suspect in both cases the province where your family lives will be considered primary residence province for all of the above but best to check. I know that in some provinces if you are leaving the home province for an extended period (months or more - without returning) they will at least expect you to notify them.

Good luck