You leave for Canada with the idea that the public health system will cover you as soon as you land. But this is the most common mistake among expatriates, temporary workers and students. The reality is that health insurance in Canada depends on your province, your immigration status and sometimes your employment contract. Without the right documents at the right time, you’ll be paying out-of-pocket for your care, and Canadian rates leave no room for improvisation. A consultation in a private clinic in Montreal, Toronto or Vancouver easily exceeds $150 CAD. Hospitalization? Several thousand dollars a day.
This guide takes a province-by-province look at Quebec (RAMQ), Ontario (OHIP) and British Columbia (MSP), so you know exactly where you stand before you leave!
- Canada does not have a single health insurance plan: each province manages its own. RAMQ in Quebec, OHIP in Ontario, MSP in British Columbia.
- You are not automatically covered on arrival: your immigration status determines your eligibility.
- A 3-month waiting period applies in most cases, with no public coverage during this period.
- WHV without a 6-month contract, tourists, visitors: you are not eligible for any provincial public schemes.
- Private international health insurance remains the only reliable solution for profiles that are ineligible or in a waiting period.
RAMQ in Quebec: the famous sunshine card
1) What Quebec's public plan covers
The Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) is the province’s public health insurance plan. Eligible persons receive the health insurance card (also known as the “carte soleil” because of its appearance between 1976 and 2018), the equivalent of the French Vitale card, which gives free access to consultations, hospitalization and care covered in public establishments.
What the RAMQ never reimburses, even for insured people: dental care, optical care, physiotherapy, drugs in pharmacies and private establishments. RAMQ generally reimburses 70% of medical expenses on the basis of public hospital rates only; care in private hospitals is not covered.
2) Who can obtain a "carte soleil"?
RAMQ distinguishes between two statuses. To be considered as established in Quebec, you must be Canadian citizen, permanent resident or authorized to apply for permanent residence. For temporary residence, you must hold an eligible work permit valid for more than 6 months or a study permit from a country that has signed a social security agreement with Quebec.
Nationals of countries that have signed an agreement with Quebec, including France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Greece and Portugal, are exempt from the waiting period provided they present themselves to the RAMQ on arrival with proof of affiliation to their national social security system.
3) Who doesn't have access?
Several common profiles are excluded from Quebec’s public health insurance plan :
- The PVT with an open permit (without a work contract of at least 6 months)
- Visit tourists and visitors
- The students whose country has not signed an agreement with Québec
- Any person during their 3-month waiting periodregardless of status
During this period, treatment is available, but at your own expense.
OHIP in Ontario: the green health card
1) What Ontario's public plan covers
Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) is Ontario’s public health insurance plan. Once eligible, you receive a green health card that gives you access to covered care without advance payment. OHIP covers hospital care, medical visits and medically necessary services, but not cosmetic surgery.
As in Quebec, dental care, optical care, pharmacy drugs and medical repatriation are not covered by the public plan. Unlike Quebec, Ontario has not signed any social security agreements with foreign countries, no foreign national can benefit from an exemption from the waiting period or privileged access to OHIP regardless of nationality!
2) Who can access OHIP?
Conditions are strict for temporary workers. To be eligible for a work permit, you must work full-time in Ontario for an Ontario employer, for at least 6 months on a valid permit, followed by a 3-month waiting period.
Permanent residents and Canadian citizens can register as soon as they settle in, subject to the presence requirement of minimum of 153 days over 12 months in Ontario.
3) Who is excluded?
For WHP participants in Ontario, access to OHIP is conditional on a full-time employment contract of at least 6 months with an Ontario employer. Without such a contract, there is no access to the public plan, regardless of length of stay.
Also excluded:
- The international students
- Visit tourists and visitors
- The WHV without formal employment or with a contract of less than 6 months
- People arriving from another Canadian province subject to a 153-day waiting period
MSP in British Columbia: health insurance on the Pacific coast
1) What the British Columbia public plan covers
Medical Services Plan (MSP) is British Columbia’s public health insurance plan, administered by Health Insurance BC (HIBC). It covers medically necessary care, including physician visits, hospital care, surgery and diagnostic tests performed in public facilities.
As in other provinces, dental care, optical care, pharmacy drugs, physiotherapy and medical repatriation are not covered by the MSP. These items remain entirely at the insured’s expense unless complementary private coverage is provided.
2) Who can benefit from the MSP
To qualify, you must reside in British Columbia and be present in British Columbia for at least 6 months of the year. Three statuses qualify for the MSP: Canadian citizen, permanent resident or holder of a work or study permit valid for at least 6 months.
A 3-month waiting period applies from the first day of the month of arrival in the province. British Columbia has no bilateral social security agreements with foreign countries, so no foreign national is exempt from the waiting period, regardless of nationality. In this respect, the situation is identical to that in Ontario.
3) Who is excluded?
The same profiles as in Ontario find themselves without public coverage:
- PVT participants without a formal employment contract of at least 6 months’ duration
- Tourists and visitors
- Students holding a study permit for less than 6 months
- Any person during the 3-month waiting period
Vancouver is one of the most expensive cities in Canada. A walk-in consultation at a private clinic can exceed $200 CAD, and hospital charges outside public coverage quickly reach several thousand dollars a day.
Summary: your profile, your health insurance
| Profile | Quebec (RAMQ) | Ontario (OHIP) | British Columbia (MSP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Permanent resident | ✅ After 3 months | ✅ After 3 months | ✅ After 3 months |
| Expatriate employee (permit +6 months) | ✅ After 3 months | ✅ After 3 months | ✅ After 3 months |
| WHV without contract 6 months | ❌ Not eligible | ❌ Not eligible | ❌ Not eligible |
| Student (signatory country FR/BE/LU...) | ✅ No waiting period | ❌ Not eligible | ❌ Not eligible |
| Student (outside signatory country) | ❌ Not eligible | ❌ Not eligible | ❌ Not eligible |
| Tourist / visitor | ❌ Not eligible | ❌ Not eligible | ❌ Not eligible |
| Retired without permanent residence | ❌ Not eligible | ❌ Not eligible | ❌ Not eligible |
Need advice on finding health insurance?
Ineligible or with a waiting period: international health insurance as a solution
Whether you’re waiting for your sun card, excluded from OHIP or the MSP or simply not covered when you arrive, international health insurance is the only alternative that fills the gap left by provincial public plans.
Mondassur’s plans cover all profiles who leave for Canada without a public safety net:
- Expatriates awaiting permanent residence or at the start of a contract : Mondassur health insurance for expatriates covers medical expenses, hospitalization, routine medical care and repatriation included
- PVT and nomads : WHV and nomad insurance meets EIC visa requirements and covers the 3-month provincial waiting period.
- International students : international student health insurance complements RAMQ for students with partial coverage, or replaces it entirely for others.
- Tourists and travelers : travel insurance covers unforeseen medical circumstances for any stay in Canada, with no long-term commitment
- Retirees without permanent resident status : retired expatriate insurance offers coverage tailored to senior profiles, even for certain pre-existing conditions
Conclusion
RAMQ in Quebec, OHIP in Ontario, MSP in British Columbia: these three public health insurance plans provide adequate protection for established residents. On the other hand, they leave a large proportion of expatriates, temporary workers, students and retirees without coverage, at least for the first few weeks, and sometimes well beyond that.
Check your eligibility before you leave. If your profile doesn’t meet the criteria, or if you’re going through a waiting period, taking out international health insurance isn’t a precaution. It’s the only way to ensure that you won’t have to bear the cost of a medical emergency in Canada alone.
Modified by Aleksander Siebert on 05/11/2026
No. You must apply to RAMQ and meet the eligibility requirements based on your status. In most cases, a 3-month waiting period applies. French, Belgian and Luxembourg nationals can avoid this waiting period by providing their national social security affiliation certificate before departure.
It depends on your employment contract. In Quebec, a work permit valid for more than 6 months with a formal job entitles the holder to RAMQ after 3 months. In Ontario and British Columbia, a full-time contract of at least 6 months with a local employer is required. Without these conditions, none of the three public health insurance plans is accessible.
You pay the full cost of care. A consultation in a walk-in clinic is often in excess of $150 CAD, and an overnight stay in hospital can cost several thousand dollars. Private international health insurance is the only way to cover this period without financial risk.
Yes, in both directions. Provincial health insurance cards cover urgent care in other Canadian provinces. On the other hand, no provincial public coverage applies outside Canada.
Yes, thanks to the Franco-Quebec agreement. Students must provide the CPAM certificate (form SE-401-Q-102 for regular programs, SE-401-Q-106 for exchanges) before departure. This exemption from the waiting period applies only to Quebec; there is no equivalent agreement in other provinces.
Not without permanent resident status. A foreign retiree on a visitor or long-stay visa is not eligible for either RAMQ or OHIP. The solution is to take out private international health insurance to cover the entire stay.
No. Dental care, optical care, pharmacy drugs and paramedical care are not covered by any of the three provincial public plans. These items are either paid for by the insured or covered by complementary private health insurance.
Yes, health cover is compulsory for the EIC (WHV) visa. It must cover illness, hospitalization and repatriation for the entire duration of the visa. Mondassur offers plans designed specifically to meet the requirements of the WHV Canada visa.
