Do American immigrants get free health care in Canada?
Posted by Dolores
Moriahhh 
asked:
I plan on moving there, and I’m planning budgets. But I know that Canadians have free health care. Do immigrants get to utilize this as well?
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asked: I plan on moving there, and I’m planning budgets. But I know that Canadians have free health care. Do immigrants get to utilize this as well?
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April 24th, 2010 at 1:22 pm
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Immigrants are eligible for health care coverage under the Canada Health Act, although there are waiting periods of up to 90 days in some provinces.
April 25th, 2010 at 3:04 pm
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Yes they do. But not everything is free! If you are in the hospital, you don’t get semi-private or private rooms for free, ambulance is not free, plus in most provinces, you must pay a premium for your health card. Drugs are not free, unless there’s some kind of low income program offered by provincial government. Check out the Ministry of Health government websites for each province in addition to Health Canada, And Immigrations Canada
April 27th, 2010 at 3:58 pm
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I hope you mean that you are planning to apply to Immigrate. If you qualify, it may take several years to actually get your citizenship, but yes, legal Immigrants qualify for Health Care. It isn’t free, by the way, our taxes are much higher than yours, plus we pay much more for gas, tobacco and alcohol. Plus soft drinks and junk food are taxable.
If you mean you are just planning to move here without going through the immigration process, you will not be eligible for health care and you will be deported if caught. No country welcomes Illegal Immigrants.
April 28th, 2010 at 7:28 am
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Oh great - another one who thinks health care is free in Canada. Where do you get these ideas from anyway? Do you think doctors work for free and that hospitals are built and staffed with volunteers?
Come on.
I do hope you are eligible to immigrate to Canada and that you aren’t just planning on showing up and expecting a job, accommodation and your imaginary free health care.
April 28th, 2010 at 12:02 pm
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Can I assume by this you applied to immigrate to Canada three years ago and have just received your Canadian Permanent Resident status. Because until you do, you are not moving to Canada.
But once you have moved to Canada legally, than yes, you can get Canadian medicare.
If you just drive across the border without permission to immigrate, you will not be able to get a job and you do not get medical care except for cash.
April 30th, 2010 at 10:12 am
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As a legal Canadian citizen or permanent resident who has not yet applied/qualified for citizenship, you are entitled to use the public health care system, sometimes referred to as medicare.
You must apply for a provincial health care card as soon as you are allowed to (some provinces have waiting periods), and you must show this card each time you go to a hospital or clinic where you want to get covered by the health insurance.
And keep in mind that it’s not really free health care. Canadians pay a lot of taxes that are designed to cover the costs of health care.
May 1st, 2010 at 6:34 am
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If you are in Canada legally you are eligible after 3 months.
May 2nd, 2010 at 12:40 pm
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It depends if you can immigrate, obviously.
I was wondering if you planned this because of an already declared sickness? because note that to immigrate you must prove that you are in good health. It is possible that they refuse you based on your health.
May 4th, 2010 at 6:33 pm
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If you have permanent resident status, you will have all legal rights like everybody no matter where you live in Canada.
May 5th, 2010 at 4:34 am
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As long as you pay taxes and are a registered Canadian Citizen!
Cheers,
-Ben
May 8th, 2010 at 4:15 am
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If you are going through the process to become a Landed Immigrant or Permanent Resident, then yes, once you’ve passed your Medical Exam you can get coverage, subject to a waiting period.
It’s the same coverage as a citizen, except that it must be renewed every year (with proof of eligibility), instead of every five.
May 8th, 2010 at 11:01 am
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It’s a long process, but YES, once you’re have permanent residency in Canada, you’ll be entitled to enroll in the public health plan offered by the province you’re in.