When you arrive in Edmonton as a temporary resident, one of the first and most important questions that arises is health insurance. Temporary residents are people who have come to Canada not as permanent residents, but with a temporary permit to stay in the country. This category includes temporary workers with work permits, international students with study permits, visitors with extended visas, and other categories of people who are legally in Canada for a limited period of time.
The issue of health insurance for temporary residents is complex because it depends on many factors, including the type of your permit to stay in Canada, the length of your stay, your employment status, and other circumstances. The good news is that health insurance for temporary residents in Edmonton is affordable, and there are several coverage options that may be suitable for your situation. In this article, we will take a detailed look at all aspects of health insurance for temporary residents, including eligibility for provincial AHCIP insurance, private insurance, and other coverage options.
Provincial Health Insurance for Temporary Residents: AHCIP
The most important news for temporary residents in Edmonton is that many of them are eligible for coverage under the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan, which is the provincial public health insurance system. This means that if you meet certain criteria, you can receive the same basic health coverage as Canadian citizens and permanent residents, free of charge.
General eligibility criteria for temporary residents
To qualify for AHCIP as a temporary resident, you must meet several basic requirements. First, you must establish residence in Alberta, which means you must rent or purchase a home in the province. Second, you must intend to live in Alberta for at least 12 consecutive months. This does not mean that you cannot travel or leave the province during this time, but your primary residence must be in Alberta.
Third, you must have a valid document for entry into Canada issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada or the Canada Border Services Agency. This document must be valid for at least six months beyond the date of application for AHCIP.
Fourth, you must not be claiming residency or receiving benefits in another province, territory, or country. If you are still registered with the health care system of another province or country, you will need to cancel that coverage before applying for AHCIP.
Temporary workers with work permits
If you came to Edmonton as a temporary worker with a work permit, you have a good chance of qualifying for AHCIP. To qualify, the minimum acceptable length of your work permit is six months. This means that if your work permit is valid for six months or more, you can apply for AHCIP.
Your work permit must be for an employer in Alberta, and your place of work must be in Alberta, unless it is an open work permit. An open work permit allows you to work for any employer in Canada, in which case you do not need a work permit specific to Alberta.
It is important to note that AHCIP coverage for temporary workers is valid from the date you established residence in Alberta or the date your entry document to Canada was signed, whichever is later, until the expiry date on the document that was included with your AHCIP application.
One of the biggest advantages for temporary workers in Alberta is that there is no waiting period for AHCIP coverage in Alberta. This means that if you apply for AHCIP within three months of establishing residence in Alberta, your coverage will be retroactive to the date of your arrival or the date your work permit was issued. This makes Alberta one of the most attractive provinces for temporary workers in terms of access to health insurance.
International students with study permits
International students who come to Edmonton to study may also qualify for AHCIP. Students who have a 12-month study permit valid for an educational institution in Alberta and who will be residing in Alberta for 12 months or more are eligible for AHCIP coverage and should apply.
Students with study permits valid for less than 12 months but more than three months may also be eligible for AHCIP coverage if their application is accompanied by a letter from their educational institution confirming their enrollment and their intention to reside in Alberta for at least 12 months.
Students under the age of 18 must be added to their guardian's AHCIP account. A guardian is an adult who is legally responsible for the minor student during their stay in Canada.
If the application is received within three months of entering Alberta, coverage is valid from either the date of entry into Alberta or the date signed on the study permit, whichever is later. This means that international students can have coverage from the moment they arrive in Edmonton if they apply quickly enough.
Visitors with extended visas
Some visitors may also qualify for AHCIP, but the criteria are more limited. If you have a visitor record, it must indicate that you are a clergy member or that you are the spouse, common-law partner, or dependent of a person who is eligible for AHCIP.
Tourists, temporary visitors, or people simply traveling through Alberta are not eligible for AHCIP coverage.
Children of temporary residents
If parents are not eligible for AHCIP but their child was born in Canada, that child may be eligible for AHCIP coverage. To qualify, the child must have a Canadian birth certificate or a Canadian citizenship card or certificate. Parents must declare their intention to live in Alberta for at least 12 months and provide proof of residence in Alberta. The child must not be claiming residency or receiving benefits in another province, territory, or country.
Renewal and updating of documents
When your work permit, study permit, or other document allowing you to enter Canada expires, but you continue to live in Alberta and have renewed your document, you must bring your new document to the registration office for processing. If you are unable to visit the registration office in person, you may fax it to the AHCIP office.
If your immigration document is about to expire or has already expired, you may be granted an extension of your AHCIP coverage while you wait for your new document from IRCC. To qualify for an extension, you must currently reside in Alberta, have recently enrolled in AHCIP coverage, not have received a refusal from IRCC regarding your extension application, and be able to provide the application date and application number from IRCC confirming that you have applied to extend your work permit, study permit, or visitor document before the expiry date.
The first extension is for up to 90 days. Temporary workers who have reached the end of their 90-day extension may be eligible for a second extension of up to 90 days if they are still working and have not received a letter rejecting their new permit. To request a second extension, you must send an email to AHCIP with proof of your employment, a copy of confirmation from IRCC that they have received your extension request, and any other relevant information.
It is important to note that applying for permanent resident status does not in itself extend your AHCIP coverage. However, if you have received a letter from IRCC indicating a “positive first-instance decision” or “approval in principle” regarding your application for permanent residence, you can use this letter as evidence to extend your AHCIP coverage.
Private health insurance for temporary residents
Although many temporary residents are eligible for AHCIP, there are situations where you may need or want to have private health insurance. Private insurance may be necessary in several cases.
When private insurance is required
First, if your work permit or study permit has less than six months before it expires, you are not eligible for AHCIP and you need private insurance. Second, if you are a tourist or short-term visitor to Edmonton, you are also not eligible for AHCIP and must have private insurance to cover any medical needs during your visit.
Third, even if you are eligible for AHCIP, you may need private insurance to cover services not covered by AHCIP, such as prescription drugs, dental care, optical services, physiotherapy, and other services.
Fourth, if you are traveling outside of Alberta or Canada, private travel insurance is important because AHCIP coverage outside of Canada is very limited.
Insurance for Visitors to Canada
Insurance for Visitors to Canada is a type of private health insurance specifically designed for temporary residents and visitors. This insurance covers emergency medical expenses, hospital visits, prescription drugs, and other expenses related to emergency medical situations.
Visitor insurance for Canada is available to many categories of people, including tourists, new immigrants, Canadians returning and awaiting activation of provincial insurance, temporary workers without provincial insurance, international students, and participants in the International Experience Canada or Working Holiday programs.
Coverage may include emergency medical care, hospitalization, prescription drugs for emergency treatment, ambulance services, emergency return home by air ambulance or commercial flight with medical escort, COVID-19 coverage, emergency dental care as a result of an accident, repatriation of remains, accommodation and meals if your return is delayed due to a medical emergency, and services of a physiotherapist, chiropractor, osteopath, or podiatrist when medically necessary.
The cost of insurance for visitors to Canada varies depending on your age, length of coverage, amount of coverage, and the deductible you choose. Insurance is available with coverage limits ranging from $10,000 to $500,000 or more. For a 35-year-old, the typical cost can range from $50 to $150 per month, depending on the level of coverage selected.
When this insurance is purchased before arriving in Canada, coverage becomes effective on the day of your arrival. Insurance is also available for purchase within 30 days of arrival, with coverage beginning 48-72 hours after the date of application.
Insurance for temporary workers
For temporary workers, there is special insurance that covers the gap between their arrival in Canada and the start of provincial insurance coverage. The Temporary Foreign Worker Program requires sponsors to provide temporary foreign workers with private medical insurance for the period of time before they are covered by provincial medical insurance.
This rule is in place to protect employers, as they are personally responsible for the safety and care of foreign workers while they are working in Canada. The cost of this insurance is small compared to the benefits of participating in the program. If an uninsured worker needs to be hospitalized, the bill could be much higher than the cost of the required insurance.
In Alberta, since there is no waiting period for AHCIP coverage for temporary workers, employers are still responsible for ensuring that workers are registered with the provincial health care system, but private insurance to cover the waiting period is not required. However, employers may still choose to provide additional private insurance to cover services not covered by AHCIP.
Insurance for international students
International students in Edmonton are generally eligible for AHCIP if they are studying for at least six months. However, it is important to note that AHCIP only covers basic medical expenses and does not cover dental care or prescription drugs. Therefore, many international students choose to purchase additional private insurance.
Some educational institutions in Edmonton offer group health insurance plans for international students that cover additional services such as prescription drugs, dental care, and optical services. These plans are usually mandatory or strongly recommended by the educational institution.
If an international student is not eligible for AHCIP, they must purchase a private plan through an insurance company or agent.
Cost of Private Health Insurance
The cost of private health insurance for temporary residents in Edmonton varies widely depending on many factors. These factors include your age, health status, length of coverage, amount of coverage, deductible, and the level of coverage you choose.
For basic insurance for visitors to Canada, which covers only emergency medical expenses, the typical cost can range from $2 to $5 per day for young adults. For seniors or people with pre-existing medical conditions, the cost can be significantly higher.
For more comprehensive private health insurance that covers prescription drugs, dental care, optical services, physiotherapy, chiropractic care, and other services, the typical cost is between $50 and $300 per month for an individual or between $100 and $600 per month for a family.
Many insurance companies in Edmonton offer plans specifically for temporary residents, and you can compare different plans online or consult an insurance broker for advice.
Special situations and exceptions
There are a few special situations that temporary residents should be aware of.
Super Visa insurance
If you are the parent or grandparent of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and are applying for a Super Visa to visit your family in Canada for an extended period, you will need special medical insurance. Super Visa insurance must meet minimum requirements, including minimum coverage of $100,000 CAD, valid for at least one year from the date of the visa holder's arrival in Canada, covering emergency medical care, possible hospitalization and repatriation, and be active and available for review by an immigration officer each time the visa holder enters Canada.
As of January 2025, the Super Visa insurance requirements have been updated. Insurance must now also cover mental health emergencies, extended rehabilitation services, and telemedicine consultations.
Refugees and asylum seekers
Refugees and asylum seekers may be eligible for coverage through the Interim Federal Health Program, which is a federal program that provides temporary health coverage for certain groups of people who are not yet eligible for provincial health insurance. This program covers emergency and basic medical care, as well as some additional services.
Temporary residents from other provinces
If you are a student from another province or territory of Canada who is studying in Edmonton and intends to return home after your studies, you must maintain the health insurance of your home province. You do not need to apply for AHCIP.
However, if you remain in Alberta after completing your studies, you will need to apply for AHCIP coverage after you finish your studies.
Practical tips for temporary residents
Apply for AHCIP as soon as possible
If you are eligible for AHCIP, the most important tip is to apply as soon as possible after you arrive in Edmonton. If you apply within three months of establishing residency, your coverage will be retroactive to your arrival date or the date your entry document was issued.
If you delay applying, you can still get coverage, but it will not be retroactive, and you may be responsible for any medical expenses incurred before your coverage began.
Keep copies of all your documents
When you apply for AHCIP or private insurance, it is important to keep copies of all your documents, including your work permit, study permit, visitor document, proof of residence, and proof of identity. You may need these documents later to renew your coverage or to process claims.
Understand the limitations of your coverage
It is important to understand what your health insurance covers and does not cover, whether it is AHCIP or private insurance. As we discussed in the previous article, AHCIP does not cover all types of treatment, and you may need additional private insurance to cover the gaps.
Plan for document renewals ahead of time
If your work permit or study permit is expiring, plan for renewal ahead of time. The renewal process can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months, and you don't want to be left without a valid document and without health insurance. Apply for renewal at least three to six months before the expiry date of your current permit.
Purchase travel insurance for trips
If you plan to travel outside Alberta or Canada, be sure to purchase travel medical insurance. AHCIP coverage outside Canada is very limited, and medical costs in other countries can be very high.
Ask for help if you need it
If you have questions about your eligibility for health insurance or need help filling out applications, there are many resources available in Edmonton. You can contact the AHCIP office directly, visit a registration office, or contact an immigrant-serving organization for free assistance.
Conclusion: Health insurance is available to temporary residents
The answer to the question of whether health insurance is available to temporary residents in Edmonton is unequivocal: yes, it is available. Moreover, Alberta is one of the most generous provinces in Canada when it comes to providing provincial health insurance to temporary residents.
Temporary workers with work permits of six months or more and international students with study permits are usually eligible for full AHCIP coverage without a waiting period. This means that you can have access to the same basic health coverage as Canadian citizens and permanent residents from the moment you arrive in Edmonton.
For temporary residents who are not eligible for AHCIP, or for those who need coverage beyond the basic AHCIP coverage, there is a wide range of private health insurance plans available. Visitor insurance for Canada provides emergency medical coverage at an affordable price, while more comprehensive private plans can cover prescription drugs, dental care, optical services, and other services.
The key steps to ensuring you have adequate health insurance as a temporary resident in Edmonton are understanding your rights and options, applying for AHCIP as soon as possible if you are eligible, purchasing private insurance to cover any gaps, keeping all your documents up to date, and planning for renewals in advance.
With the right health insurance, you can enjoy your time in Edmonton with peace of mind, knowing that you are protected in the event of a medical emergency or illness.