OHIP for returning PRs

[Gmohorik]

Hi there

My mom arrived in Canada end of 2021 as a PR, she had to go back to her home country for some urgent work and decided to stay there for one or the other issue, now she wants to come back but we want to confirm will her OHIP be valid since she has been out of the country for one and half years. Thank you.

[SettlementOrgMod]

Hi there,

Thank you for sharing your question and situation with us.

You may find helpful information in the Settlement.Org article, Who is eligible for OHIP? Here is an excerpt about some of the eligibility requirements:

You must be able to answer “yes” to each of these statements:

• Your principal home is in Ontario.- You were not away from Ontario for more than 30 days during the first 6 months that you lived here. That means you must be in Ontario for 153 days of the first 183 days that you live in Ontario.- You are in Ontario for at least 153 days in any 12-month period.

It is best to contact the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care for some information specific to your situation.

You can find some contact information here:

http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/common/

Call ServiceOntario, INFOline at:
1-866-532-3161 (Toll-free)
In Toronto, (416) 314-5518
TTY 1-800-387-5559.
In Toronto, TTY 416-327-4282
Hours of operation: Monday to Friday, 8:30am - 5:00pm

We hope this information is helpful. Please follow up with us if you have any further questions.

Sincerely,

Your Settlement.Org team

[ananittarhib]

@Gmohorik

Hi there

My mom arrived in Canada end of 2021 as a PR, she had to go back to her home country for some urgent work and decided to stay there for one or the other issue, now she wants to come back but we want to confirm will her OHIP be valid since she has been out of the country for one and half years. Thank you.

Based on the information provided, it seems that your mom’s OHIP coverage is likely not valid anymore since she has been out of the country for one and a half years. However, she can reapply for OHIP upon her return to Canada. To do so, she will need to re-establish her residency in Ontario by staying in the province for at least 153 days in the next 12 months. She should then visit a ServiceOntario center with the necessary documents to reapply for OHIP, including proof of Canadian citizenship or OHIP-eligible immigration status, proof of residency in Ontario, and proof of identity. It’s important to note that there is typically a three-month waiting period for OHIP coverage to become active again once she has reapplied, so she may want to consider private health insurance during this time. It’s recommended to contact ServiceOntario directly for accurate and detailed information specific to her situation and to ensure she has all the required documentation for the reapplication process.