Hello,
My husband and I are Canadian Citizens who are currently working abroad; we have been here since July 3, 2015 and plan to be here for 1 more year.
During this time, we have had a baby who was born on July 14, 2016.
We will be returning to Canada for a long visit from September 26 until November, and we were wondering - will my husband and I and our daughter be able to have access to healthcare if we need to see a doctor during our trip home?
Will we need to apply for a health card for our daughter from abroad?
Will my husband and I’s healthcare still be valid?
Thank you so much!!
Hello,
Thank you for sharing your situation and question with us.
We can appreciate that you would be interested in this type of information.
As you may already know, you can stay up to 212 days in each 12-month period outside Ontario without losing their OHIP coverage.
You can find some detailed information on this on the waiting period on the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care website.
Here is an excerpt,
There may be a three-month waiting period for your OHIP coverage.
Generally speaking, if you are a newcomer to Ontario, or a former resident returning here to live after being out of the country for more than seven months, the waiting period begins on the date you establish or re-establish residence in Ontario. You may also be required to be present in Ontario for 153 days of the first 183 days immediately following the date residence is established in Ontario (you cannot be absent for more than 30 days during the first 6 months of residence).
and
and
With the waiting period, when am I eligible for OHIP coverage?
a) If you move to Ontario from another country:
The waiting period begins on the date you establish or re-establish residence in Ontario. If you are an eligible temporary resident, such as a foreign worker who meets the citizenship and residence requirements described in Ontario’s Health Insurance Act, the waiting period begins on the date you establish residence in Ontario.
You can find some information regarding what the options are in our Settlement.Org How can I pay for health care in my first 3 months in Ontario, or if I don’t have OHIP? article.
Regarding your daughter’s OHIP, you will have to apply for it once you arrive in Ontario.
You can find some information in our Settlement.Org How do I apply for a Health Card (OHIP)? article.
I hope this information is helpful. Please let us know if you have further questions and if there is any follow up to your question/situation.
=====Settlement.Org Content and Information/Referral Specialist, CIRSSettlement.Org