International students in Canada are required to have health insurance cover for the duration of their stay. There are many schemes offered by individual provinces which students are advised to investigate. These should be applied for via the province.
Should provincial health insurance not be available students will need to take up a privacy policy. This can be done via the school. Some provinces will require the student to subscribe to mandatory health plans.
Following are details of the different requirements for each province.
Alberta – provincial coverage is offered. Entry requirements are for holders of a 12-month study permit who are residents in the province for that time. Those with study permits of lesser length may be accepted if they can provide proof of intent to remain in Alberta for 12 months. Apply within 90 days of permit issue.
British Columbia –provincial coverage begins after three months of residence and requires a six-month study permit. Apply on arrival.
Manitoba – provincial cover requires the student to have a six-month study visa and to reside in the province for 6 months per calendar year.
New Brunswick – students must prove at least 3 months of residence to obtain the provincial cover and must have enrolled in a full-time study program at an NB institution.
Newfoundland and Labrador – students with a 12-month study permit can take advantage of the provincial health cover.
Northwest Territories –students with a 12-month study permit can take advantage of the provincial health cover.
Nova Scotia – a provincial health insurance scheme is available to students who have studied for 12 months in the province and have not resided outside of Nova Scotia for more than 31 consecutive days in the past year. Thus, a student arriving in July can only apply on the first day of August in the following year.
Ontario – no provincial health insurance policy is available. Instead, most schools in the province are part of the University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP) which students are required to join.
Prince Edward Island – students are required to find their own private health plan, or some institutions have their own but there is no provincial cover.
Quebec – students are required to find their own private health plan, or some institutions have their own plans. However, due to reciprocal agreements between the government of Quebec and their own countries, students from Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden may be eligible for a provincial plan. Some scholarships in Quebec also include a health plan.
Saskatchewan – students must have a study permit and be studying full time in the province to take advantage of the provincial health plan.
Yukon – students are required to find their own private health plan.