Applying for Your Health Card, Province by Province
Your provincial health card is what unlocks publicly funded medical care, and every province runs its own plan. Apply as soon as you have an address, because some provinces have a waiting period.
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The basics
Health coverage in Canada is run by provinces and territories, not by the federal government. You apply to the plan for the province where you live. Once your province or territory adds you to its health system, you get a health card [11]. Everyone in your family needs their own card, and each person's waiting period, if there is one, is worked out separately.
Your card is what you show at doctors' offices, clinics and hospitals. For a general overview of how the system works, read How Healthcare Works in Canada.
What you'll usually need
- Proof of your immigration status. For example your Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) or PR card, a work permit or a study permit.
- Proof of identity, usually your passport.
- Proof that you live in the province, such as a lease, a utility bill or a letter from where you're staying.
- A completed application, online or in person depending on the province.
Workers and students are often asked for extra papers. For example, Newfoundland and Labrador asks work-permit holders for a current letter from their employer stating that the job is full-time and at least 12 months, and students for a letter confirming full-time enrolment in a program that is at least one year long [10]. Check the official page for your situation.
Province by province
| Province | Plan | What to know | Official page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario | OHIP | There is no waiting period if you are eligible. You apply in person at a ServiceOntario centre. New residents generally must be physically in Ontario for at least 153 of the first 183 days after they began living in the province. Which status qualifies you depends on your situation, for example permanent resident status or a valid work permit with full-time employment [1]. | Apply for OHIP |
| British Columbia | MSP | A wait period applies: the rest of the month you become a resident plus two more months. You can get needed medical and hospital care in the meantime, but you must pay the full cost unless you have other health insurance [2]. | MSP wait period |
| Alberta | AHCIP | If you move from outside Canada and apply within three months, you might be eligible for coverage from the date you established residency [3]. | Moving to Alberta |
| Saskatchewan | Saskatchewan health card | If you move from outside Canada, you may qualify on or before the first day of the third month after you arrive in Canada. You apply online through a Saskatchewan Account, and you generally must be in the province at least five months each year [4]. | Apply for a health card |
| Manitoba | Manitoba health card | Canadian citizens and permanent residents arriving from outside Canada may apply from their date of arrival. People moving from within Canada are covered from the first day of the third month after they arrive [5]. Check the page for other statuses. | Moving to Manitoba |
| Quebec | RAMQ | Coverage usually begins after a maximum of three months. The waiting period doesn't apply to children under 18, and there are other exceptions, such as people arriving from a country that has a social security agreement with Québec, and refugees or protected persons. You must be present in Québec at least 183 days per year [6]. | RAMQ eligibility |
| Nova Scotia | MSI health card | From outside Canada, coverage usually starts on the date you become a resident. Workers with qualifying permits are covered from the later of that date and the issue date of their immigration document. Students become eligible on the first day of the 13th month after they arrive, with exceptions such as teaching or research assistants at a Nova Scotia university [7]. | Health card if you move to Nova Scotia |
| New Brunswick | Medicare | Newcomers may be covered from their first day of arrival if they meet the eligibility requirements and are deemed to have established a permanent residence in New Brunswick. You can only apply once you have physically moved there [8]. | Applying for Medicare |
| Prince Edward Island | PEI health card | You must be legally in Canada and live on PEI at least six months plus a day each year [9]. | PEI health cards |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | MCP | For international workers, coverage starts from the later of their arrival in the province and the start of their full-time employment. No waiting period is stated [10]. | Medical Care Plan |
Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut each run their own plans. Search for the territory's name plus “health care card” on its official government website.
How to apply, step by step
Step 1: Find your province's official page
Use the links above. Ignore sites that charge a fee to “help” you apply, since applying through the province is the real route.
Step 2: Gather your documents
Collect your immigration papers, passport and proof of address. If something is missing, ask what else the plan will accept.
Step 3: Apply as soon as you have an address
Some provinces take applications online and others in person. Don't wait, because your coverage date may depend on when you apply.
Step 4: Plan for any gap
IRCC advises making sure you have private health insurance to cover your needs during any waiting period [11].
Step 5: Keep it current
Tell your plan when you move or your status changes, and renew your card before it expires.
If you have to wait
In some provinces you may wait up to 3 months for your public health insurance to start [11]. In British Columbia, you can get needed medical and hospital care during the wait, but you must pay the full cost unless you have other health insurance [2]. Keep your receipts, and call your province's health line (811 in many provinces) for free nurse advice before you decide whether you need a visit.
Sources
Numbered references such as [1] in the guide match this list. We last reviewed this guide against these sources on . Official pages change, so open the source before you act. See our editorial standards for how we choose and check sources.
Government of Alberta
Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan: moving to Alberta (opens in a new tab)alberta.ca
Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ)
Know the eligibility conditions (opens in a new tab)ramq.gouv.qc.ca
Government of Nova Scotia
Health card coverage if you move to Nova Scotia (opens in a new tab)novascotia.ca
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
Health care in Canada: access our universal health care system (opens in a new tab)canada.ca
Navak provides general information only. It is not legal, immigration, financial or tax advice.
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