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Country guide · Canada

Health insurance when moving to Canada: the checkpoints

The provinces and territories organise public health insurance, and each decides for itself who is entitled as a resident.

6 checkpoints12 sourcesUpdated 12 October 2026
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At a glance

Canada in 6 points

You settle these points before you move to Canada. Each line names its source; last updated 12 October 2026.

  1. 01

    Responsibility

    The provinces and territories organise public health insurance, and each decides for itself who is entitled as a resident.

    Source [1], [2]

  2. 02

    Waiting period, upper limit

    Federal law allows the provinces a minimum residence or waiting period of at most three months for new residents.

    Source [1]

  3. 03

    Ontario

    Ontario has no waiting period for OHIP; however, you must make Ontario your primary residence and be physically present there for 153 days in any twelve-month period.

    Source [3]

  4. 04

    British Columbia

    British Columbia requires a waiting period from new residents: the rest of the month in which you become a resident, plus two months.

    Source [4], [5]

  5. 05

    Status

    In addition to the minimum requirements, Ontario requires a status, for example permanent residence, a confirmed application for permanent residence or a work permit with full-time work for an employer in Ontario for at least six months.

    Source [3]

  6. 06

    German health insurer

    According to the German Federal Ministry of Health, statutory health insurance (GKV) in principle pays only within Germany; it names exceptions for the EU, the EEA, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and individual agreement countries, and Canada is not among them.

    Source [6]

To tick off

Clarify before the move

  • Clarify which province or territory you are moving to, and read its registration page.
  • Ask the provincial health authority from which day you are entitled with your status.
  • Plan for the waiting period and arrange private cover for it before you arrive.
  • Have your insurer confirm in writing the scope of cover, territory, term and exclusions.
  • Ask your health insurer on which day your cover in Germany ends.
  • Check status and arrival day for every family member, including partners and children.
  • Collect the documents on status, residence and identity that the province requires.
  • In case of a secondment, ask your employer and your insurer how cover is arranged.
  • Keep confirmations from your insurer and the province in one place.

In detail

Everything about Canada, step by step

The systemHow health insurance works in Canada

Canada has no single health insurance for the whole country, but plans run by the provinces and territories. You do not register with the federal government, but with the health authority of the province you move to.

The provinces and territories organise public health insurance, and each decides for itself who is entitled as a resident; the federal Canada Health Act sets criteria for this.

Federal law allows the provinces a minimum residence or waiting period of at most three months for new residents. The table shows two examples from the official provincial websites.

ItemOntarioBritish Columbia
Waiting periodOntario has no waiting period for OHIP.British Columbia requires a waiting period from new residents.
Who counts as a residentIn addition, Ontario requires a status, for example permanent residence or a work permit with full-time work for an employer in Ontario.In British Columbia, a resident is someone who is a citizen or permanent resident, lives there and is present for at least six months per calendar year.

Every other province and territory has its own rules, and so does Quebec. Ask the health authority of your destination before you rely on a deadline.

Obligation and accessWhen you get access to public health insurance in Canada

Access depends less on an insurance obligation than on your residence in the province and your immigration status. The situation differs depending on how you move to Canada.

Ontario has no waiting period for OHIP; however, you must make Ontario your primary residence and be physically present there for 153 days in any twelve-month period.

SituationWhat the sources sayWhat you clarify
EmployeesIn addition, Ontario requires a status, for example permanent residence or a work permit with full-time work for an employer in Ontario.Ask the provincial authority from which day you are entitled with your status.
Seconded employeesThe agreement between Germany and Canada covers pensions, not health insurance.Ask your Krankenkasse (German statutory health insurer) and your employer how your cover in Germany is arranged during the secondment.
Self-employed and business ownersThe provinces and territories organise public health insurance, and each decides for itself who is entitled as a resident.Ask the provincial authority whether and how your activity fits one of the status groups.
Investors, people of independent means and retireesVisitors from outside Canada have no entitlement to OHIP in Ontario.Clarify with the provincial authority which status applies to your stay and from when.
Family and partnersIn British Columbia, each family member has their own waiting period from their own arrival day.Check the status and arrival day for each person; ask how you bridge the waiting period.
ProofWhen proof of health insurance is required

For permanent moves, the province mainly asks for proof of status and residence at registration. Proof of insurance is more often linked to visits and certain types of stay.

You check deadlines, days of presence and status groups on the province’s websites on the day you decide. For OHIP, you present documents on your status, your residence in Ontario and your identity in person at a ServiceOntario centre.

SituationWhat the sources sayWhat you clarify
Registration with the provinceFor OHIP, you present documents on your status, your residence in Ontario and your identity in person at a ServiceOntario centre.Ask which documents are accepted and whether copies are enough.
Waiting period before entitlementBritish Columbia recommends private health insurance for the waiting period.Have it confirmed in writing from which day the policy applies and until when.
Parents and grandparents as visitorsFor the Super Visa, Canada requires proof of private health insurance for at least one year from entry.Check on the website of the Canadian immigration authority what the policy must meet.
OptionsYour options: local or international
OptionWhat the sources sayWhat you clarify
Provincial public planThe provinces and territories organise public health insurance, and each decides for itself who is entitled as a resident.Ask the provincial authority about status, deadline and arrival day.
Private bridge for the waiting periodBritish Columbia recommends private health insurance for the waiting period.Have the scope of cover, territory, term and exclusions confirmed in writing.
Travel and repatriation insuranceThe German Federal Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt) advises taking out travel health and repatriation insurance for the duration of the stay.Ask whether it also covers a move and the first weeks.

For the time until the plan begins, or as a supplement, international health insurance can be an option. More on the policy and on the family under health insurance for the family abroad.

In GermanyWhat you clarify in Germany before you move

Before you deregister (Abmeldung) in Germany, you clarify in writing what happens to your current insurance. The questions below apply to any destination country. They are questions, not legal advice: the answers are in your contract documents or come from the body you ask.

You clarify three Canada topics in advance with your Krankenkasse (German statutory health insurer): whether your cover in Germany continues or ends, until when it lasts, and how you bridge the time until the provincial plan. The agreement between Germany and Canada covers pensions, not health insurance. Statutory health insurance (GKV) in principle pays only within Germany, and Canada is not among the exceptions of the Federal Ministry of Health.

If you have statutory insurance: questions for your Krankenkasse

  • What happens to my membership when I deregister in Germany, and on what date does it end?
  • Can I suspend the membership or take it up again later, and under what conditions?
  • What confirmation of my previous insurance periods do I receive, and how quickly?
  • What applies to co-insured family members: who stays insured and who does not?
  • Until which day does my cover apply, so that there is no gap between Germany and Canada?
  • Is there a rule for Canada in the case of a secondment?

If you have private insurance: questions for your insurer

  • Does my contract end with the move, is it suspended or does it continue?
  • Is there an Anwartschaft (a German option to keep certain rights in private insurance while abroad), and what is preserved under it? Ask about the difference between the small and the large Anwartschaft, and whether a new health assessment would be needed on a return.
  • Does my contract apply in the destination country, and for how long at a stretch?
  • Which documents do I receive in writing before I cancel?
  • Does the policy apply in Canada for the whole waiting period, and from which day?
  • Does the insurer confirm in writing the scope of cover, territory, term and exclusions?

Do not cancel any contract before it is clarified in writing what applies afterwards. We explain the connections on the pages Health insurance when emigrating and PKV and Anwartschaft. For families, there is more at Health insurance for the family abroad.

Stumbling blocksTypical mistakes with health insurance for Canada

  1. Mistaking one province’s deadline for the whole country

    Ask the province of your destination about the deadline and status before you rely on information.

  2. Bridging the waiting period without cover

    British Columbia recommends private health insurance for the waiting period. Clarify the gap before the move.

  3. Assuming a German insurer protects you in Canada

    Statutory health insurance (GKV) in principle pays only within Germany, and Canada is not among the exceptions of the Federal Ministry of Health. Ask your insurer for the day your cover ends.

  4. Treating a visit and residence as the same

    Visitors from outside Canada have no entitlement to OHIP in Ontario. Check which status applies to your stay.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about Canada

Does Canada have public health insurance?

Yes, but not one plan for all of Canada: each province and territory runs its own public plan and decides who counts as a resident.

Depending on the province, new residents may have to wait up to three months; Ontario has no waiting period for OHIP, British Columbia does. For the time until you are covered, you need private health insurance taken out before you arrive.

Sources: [1], [3], [4]

Is there a single health insurance for everyone in Canada?

No, in Canada the provinces and territories organise public health insurance, and each decides for itself who is entitled as a resident.

The provinces and territories organise public health insurance, and each decides for itself who is entitled as a resident. Federal law allows the provinces a waiting period of at most three months. Before you choose a province, therefore, read its page on eligibility and registration. Do not be guided by information about another province, because the deadline, status and documents can differ. Territories such as Yukon or Nunavut also have their own plans.

Sources: [1], [2]

Is there a waiting period in Canada before health insurance applies?

That depends on the province: Ontario has no waiting period, British Columbia requires one.

Ontario has no waiting period for OHIP. British Columbia requires a waiting period from new residents. Federal law allows the provinces a waiting period of at most three months. Bridge a possible waiting period with private cover and have its start and end confirmed in writing. Also ask the provincial authority from which date your waiting period begins, because it depends on status, not only on the day of arrival.

Sources: [3], [4], [5], [1]

Who is entitled in Canada when moving from abroad?

The province decides this based on your residence and your immigration status.

In addition, Ontario requires a status, for example permanent residence or a work permit with full-time work for an employer in Ontario. In British Columbia, a resident is someone who is a citizen or permanent resident, lives there and is present for at least six months per calendar year. Self-employed people, investors, people of independent means and pensioners check with the provincial authority which status group fits their stay and from when the entitlement exists. Have the information given to you in writing and keep it with your documents.

Sources: [3], [7]

How is the family covered if I move to Canada?

For each person, their own status and their own arrival day count.

In Ontario, spouses and dependants of work permit holders may also be entitled. In British Columbia, each family member has their own waiting period from their own arrival day. For parents and grandparents as visitors, the immigration authority describes a separate requirement: for the Super Visa, Canada requires proof of private health insurance for at least one year from entry. Plan separate cover for each family member for the time until entitlement. More on families under health insurance for the family abroad.

Sources: [3], [4], [5], [11]

Does my German health insurance apply in Canada if I live there?

No, according to the Federal Ministry of Health, statutory health insurance (GKV) in principle pays only within Germany, and Canada is not among the exceptions named.

The agreement between Germany and Canada covers pensions, not health insurance. Ask your Krankenkasse (German statutory health insurer) until which day your cover lasts and what applies in case of a secondment. Also clarify how you stay covered between the end of your German cover and the start of the provincial plan. A travel policy for abroad does not replace permanent cover, and an agreement on pensions says nothing about health insurance.

Sources: [6], [8], [9], [10]

How do I bridge the time until the province pays?

With private health insurance that you arrange before arrival and whose start and end you have confirmed in writing.

British Columbia recommends private health insurance for the waiting period. The German Federal Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt) advises taking out travel health and repatriation insurance for the duration of the stay. Ask your insurer from which day the policy applies in Canada, whether it also covers a move and which benefits are excluded. Also clarify whether the policy can be extended if your entitlement with the province is delayed, and who answers you on a benefits question. More on this under international health insurance.

Sources: [5], [4], [12]

Show all 12 sources Updated 12 October 2026
  1. Canada Health Act (R.S.C. 1985, c. C-6), full text (Justice Laws Website) official · retrieved 11 October 2026, current version of the Justice Laws Website · accessed 10 October 2026Legal text in English; the definitions and sections 7 to 12 were read.
  2. Health Canada: Canada's health care system official · page, date of change 25 June 2025 · accessed 10 October 2026Page in English; read via a summary only.
  3. Government of Ontario: Apply for OHIP and get a health card official · page, last updated 21 July 2025 · accessed 10 October 2026Page in English.
  4. Province of British Columbia: Coverage wait period for the Medical Services Plan (MSP) official · page, last updated 4 June 2026 · accessed 10 October 2026Page in English.
  5. Province of British Columbia: How to apply for the Medical Services Plan (MSP) official · page, last updated 4 June 2026 · accessed 10 October 2026Page in English.
  6. Bundesministerium für Gesundheit: Versicherungsschutz im Ausland (Federal Ministry of Health: insurance cover abroad) official · as of 3 September 2026 · accessed 10 October 2026 (official source in German)
  7. Province of British Columbia: Eligibility for MSP official · page, last updated 8 April 2025 · accessed 10 October 2026Page in English.
  8. Agreement on Social Security between Canada and Germany, Art. 2 (Justice Laws Website, SI/88-127) official · retrieved 11 October 2026 · accessed 10 October 2026Treaty text in English; Article 2 read in full.
  9. Canada.ca: Germany, pensions and benefits official · page, date of change 6 October 2026 · accessed 10 October 2026Page in English; read via a summary only.
  10. Deutsche Rentenversicherung: Deutschlands Sozialversicherungsabkommen (German Pension Insurance: Germany’s social security agreements) official · no date given · accessed 10 October 2026 (official source in German)
  11. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada: Super visa, Voraussetzungen (eligibility requirements, proof of insurance) official · page, date of change 6 July 2026 · accessed 10 October 2026Page in English; read via a summary only.
  12. Auswärtiges Amt: Kanada: Reise- und Sicherheitshinweise, Abschnitt Medizinische Versorgung (German Federal Foreign Office: Canada, travel and safety advice, section on medical care) official · no date given · accessed 10 October 2026 (German-language source)
Who this page is for and what it does not do

This page is for you if you live in Germany and are planning your move to Canada.

  • No insurer names and no prices as long as we cannot back them up.
  • No scare scenarios, only questions and sources.
  • No individual advice and no legal advice. This is general information.
  • No promotion of emigrating: the page only puts health insurance in context, for people who are leaving anyway.
  • Nothing on visas, work, housing or taxes. The authorities of the country and your advisers are responsible for those.
  • No questions about health data. These belong in the application, not in comments, messages or the call booking.
  • This page provides information on Canada only. For people who already live there, we do not offer advice.

Who is writing here

Tassilo Peter Seitz is a shareholder of Verus Vorsorge GmbH and advises in German and English (insurance broker licensed under Section 34d (1) of the German Trade Regulation Act (GewO)). How we work and how we are paid is explained on the page How we work, how we earn.

By , advising for Verus Vorsorge GmbH (insurance broker licensed under § 34d (1) GewO). This page provides general information and does not replace individual advice. What is binding is the law, the terms of your policy and the competent authorities.

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