Health insurance in Canada.
Each province runs its own health plan, and some make you wait. The super visa has strict insurance rules. Here is how Ontario and BC differ, and what the super visa needs.
The rules
What Canada asks of you.
Checked against official sources on 23 October 2026. Rules change, so the broker confirms them again before you apply.
- Every province has its own plan
Health care is public, but each province runs its own plan, and some make newcomers wait up to 3 months. You need other cover during the wait.
Source: canada.ca - Ontario: no waiting period
Ontario has removed the OHIP waiting period. If you are eligible, cover starts right away. You must be in Ontario 153 days in any 12 months.
Source: ontario.ca - Ontario: work permit holders
Work permit holders can get OHIP if they work full-time in Ontario, for an Ontario employer, for at least 6 months. Their spouse and children may qualify too.
Source: ontario.ca - BC: a wait of 2 to 3 months
In British Columbia, MSP starts after the rest of the month you arrive plus 2 more months. Each family member has their own wait. Care in the wait is billed in full.
Source: www2.gov.bc.ca - BC: permits of 6 months or more
Some work and study permit holders can join MSP if their permit is valid for 6 months or more.
Source: www2.gov.bc.ca - Super visa: CAD 100,000 for 1 year
Parents and grandparents need at least CAD 100,000 of emergency cover for health care, hospital and repatriation, valid for 1 year from entry and for each entry.
Source: canada.ca - Super visa: approved insurers only
The insurer must be Canadian, or a foreign insurer authorized by OSFI. The policy must be paid in full, or in instalments with a deposit. A quote is refused.
Source: canada.ca
Citizens and permanent residents can join their provincial plan. Emergency care is generally available without a health card, but you may have to pay. Most prescriptions and dental care are not covered.
Source: canada.caLocal or international
We compare both. You keep the one that fits.
The super visa needs a Canadian insurer, or a foreign one authorized by OSFI. For the wait before provincial cover, a private plan fills the gap, but most leave out conditions you already have.
- Local plans
Plans sold in Canada. Often cheaper, sometimes required for your visa. Filed by a broker licensed in Canada.
- International plans
Plans that cover you in Canada and beyond, and stay with you if you move again. Filed by our international broker partner.
What it costs
Published prices in Canada.
List prices from insurers and official schemes. Your quote depends on your age, health and the cover you pick.
- UHIP, 1 student: CAD 948 a year
For a course starting September 2026, with cover to 31 August 2027, tax included. A January 2027 start costs CAD 632.
Source: uhip.ca - UHIP, family: CAD 2,844 a year
A member plus 2 or more dependants, September 2026 to August 2027. A couple pays CAD 1,896.
Source: uhip.ca - BC MSP premium: CAD 0
BC removed MSP premiums on 1 January 2020. Once your wait ends, the provincial plan costs you nothing.
Source: www2.gov.bc.ca
What to look for
Choosing a plan in Canada.
Ankyro checks each of these on every plan, so you don’t have to read the fine print.
- Cover from your arrival day
Buy a private plan that starts the day you land and runs until your provincial card is active.
- Pre-existing conditions
A plan bought for the BC wait can leave out a condition you already have, or a pregnancy. If you need ongoing care, ask before you pay.
- The right insurer for the super visa
Check the insurer is Canadian or on the OSFI list. A broker or claims company is not an insurer.
- Prescriptions and dental
Public plans pay for little of either. Check if your employer plan covers them, or add them to a private plan.
Step by step
Getting covered in Canada.
- 01Buy private cover that starts the day you land. BC tells newcomers to get private insurance for the MSP wait of 2 to 3 months. Buy it before you fly.
- 02Apply for the provincial plan right away. In BC, apply for MSP online, at a ServiceBC office or by paper form as soon as you arrive. Ontario has no wait, so apply for OHIP once you live there.
- 03Ontario: bring 3 original documents. Apply for OHIP in person at a ServiceOntario centre. Bring the registration form and 3 originals: proof of status, of Ontario residency, and of identity.
- 04BC: get your photo taken for the card. Most adults visit an ICBC driver licensing office for a BC Services Card. Your Personal Health Number is printed on it.
- 05Ontario university students: UHIP. International students at a participating Ontario university are put on UHIP automatically and billed through their student account.
- 06Super visa: buy and pay for the policy first. Parents and grandparents need a paid policy of at least CAD 100,000, valid 1 year from entry. Border officers can ask to see it at each entry.
Common mistakes
3 we see all the time.
- 01Arriving in BC with no private cover. You pay the full bill until MSP starts.
- 02Sending a quote for the super visa. Only a paid policy, or one with a deposit, is accepted.
- 03Expecting the provincial plan to pay for medicines and dental care. Most of it is not covered.
Real published prices, and the 6 things that move yours.
Questions
People also ask.
Is there a waiting period for OHIP in Ontario?+
No. Ontario removed the waiting period, so eligible people are covered right away.
How long is the MSP waiting period in BC?+
The rest of the month you become a BC resident, plus 2 more months. Each family member has their own wait.
What insurance do I need for the super visa?+
At least CAD 100,000 of emergency cover for health care, hospital and repatriation, valid for 1 year from entry, from a Canadian or OSFI-authorized insurer.
Do work permit holders get public healthcare in Canada?+
Often, but it depends on the province. Ontario asks for full-time work for an Ontario employer for 6 months. BC asks for a permit of 6 months or more.
Other countries
Going somewhere else?
Most UK visas don’t ask for private insurance. You pay a yearly surcharge instead, and it opens the NHS. Here is what the surcharge buys, and what you still pay for.
02AustraliaMost visitors can’t use Medicare, and many visas carry condition 8501. Here is what each visa asks for, who gets Medicare, and what to check.
03Dubai and the UAEIn Dubai, no insurance means no visa. Your employer covers you, but not always your family. Here are the rules, and what the basic plan leaves out.
04PhilippinesThe retiree visa asks for a medical certificate, not a policy. The new nomad visa does ask for cover. Here is what each visa needs, and how PhilHealth works for foreigners.
05NetherlandsIf you live or work in the Netherlands, Dutch basic insurance is the law. A few people are exempt. Here is who must sign up, by when, and what it costs in 2026.
07Saudi ArabiaIn Saudi Arabia, no insurance means no iqama. Your employer pays for you and your family, and visitors need a policy too. Here is who pays, and what each policy covers.
08JapanIf you live in Japan, joining public insurance is the law. A private plan can only sit on top. Digital nomads are the exception.
09GermanyEveryone in Germany must be insured, and a residence permit needs cover equal to the public system. Here is how to choose, and what gets rejected.
10SingaporeThe national plan is for citizens and PRs. Hospital bills for foreigners are high, and families are often left out. Here is what to check.
11ThailandRetirement visas have hard minimums, the DTV has none, and public care is not free for foreigners. Here are the rules, and what to check.
12SpainSpain has the strictest visa insurance rules in Europe: a Spanish-authorised insurer, no co-pays, no waiting periods. Here is what passes.
13MalaysiaPublic hospitals charge foreigners full price, and work schemes only cover injuries at work. Here is what each pass asks for, and what to check.
14QatarMost visitors need a QAR 50 a month policy before Qatar issues a visa. The law covers expats too, but that part is still rolling out. Here are the rules.
15FranceThe public system is open to residents, but not on day 1 if you don’t work, and it only pays part of each bill. Here is how to cover the gaps.
16PortugalThe visa asks for travel medical cover. The public system opens once you are a resident. In between, and after, here is what to check.
17MexicoNo visa asks for it, so many expats skip it. Then a private hospital asks for payment first. Here is how cover really works in Mexico.
18ItalyWorkers join the public system for free. Retirees and nomads need private cover for the visa, then pay at least €2,000 a year to join. Here are the rules.
19South KoreaStay more than 6 months and you must join the national plan. Before that, and for your share of each bill, you need your own cover.
20VietnamOnly long local contracts come with public cover, and most expats use private hospitals anyway. Here is what the rules say, and what to check.
21Bali and IndonesiaMost Indonesian visas don’t ask for insurance. But hospitals ask for payment first, and serious cases fly to Singapore. Here is what to check.
22GreeceThe consulate takes travel cover for the visa. The residence permit then asks for full health cover. If you don’t work for a Greek employer, that means a private plan.
23ColombiaNomads and retirees need a private policy with exact wording. Residents who work must join the public EPS system. Here are the rules.
24Costa RicaResidents must pay into the Caja, whatever private plan they have. Nomads need their own cover for the visa. Here is how it fits together.
25USAThe US has no public plan you can simply join. Some visas set minimum cover. Others leave it to you. Here is what a J-1 needs, who can use the Marketplace, and what plans cost.
26SwitzerlandBasic health insurance is compulsory for everyone who lives in Switzerland. You have 3 months to sign up. Here is how it works, and what to check.
27IrelandNon-EEA students must hold private medical insurance. Everyone else gets public care once they count as living in Ireland for 1 year. Here is what to check.
28Dominican RepublicThe residence visas for retirees and rentistas ask for a medical certificate, not an insurance policy. Public care is limited. Private care is good but costly.
29New ZealandStudent visas require insurance. A work visa of 2 years or more may open public health care. ACC covers accident injuries. Here is what to check.
30IsraelIn Israel, the public system is for residents. If your life is centred there, you join a health fund (kupat holim). If not, you need private cover.
31Hong KongPublic hospitals in Hong Kong are cheap for eligible persons. Many foreigners are not on that list. Here is who is, what the rest pay, and what to check in a plan.
32ChinaIf you work in China on an employment permit, your employer must enrol you in social insurance. That includes basic medical cover. Here is how it works, and what to check on top.
33ArgentinaEmergency care is open to everyone. For other care at national hospitals, foreigners without permanent residence must show insurance or pay first. The rules are new, so check them.
34IndiaWe found no official rule that ties health insurance to an Indian work visa. We also could not confirm a public scheme for foreign residents. So the plan is yours to choose. Here is what to check.
35TurkeyA residence permit application needs valid health insurance for the whole permit. Most new expats buy a private policy. The public SGK system opens later, after 1 year of residence.
36BrazilThe digital nomad visa needs health insurance valid in Brazil. The public system is open to migrants by law. Many expats add a private plan for speed.
37PanamaThe Pensionado visa asks for a health certificate, not an insurance policy. The public system is tied to the Caja. Private care is the main option for most expats.
38South AfricaStudy and exchange visas ask for proof of cover from a registered medical scheme. Public clinics offer free primary care. Here is what to check.
39KenyaKenya’s public fund is run by the Social Health Authority (SHA). A foreigner who lives in Kenya for more than 12 months pays into it. Shorter stays need travel health insurance instead.
40TaiwanTaiwan has one national health insurance. Foreigners with a residence certificate can join. If you have a job, you join through your employer. If not, there is a wait.