As a Canadian, how do I resume my health care coverage when returning to Canada following a lengthy absence from abroad?
Residence in a province or territory is the basic requirement for insured health care coverage. The Canada Health Act defines a resident of a province or territory as “a person lawfully entitled to be or to remain in Canada who makes his home and is ordinarily present in the province, but does not include a tourist, a transient or a visitor to the province.” Under the Canada Health Act, the health insurance plan of a province or territory must not impose any minimum period of residence, or waiting period, in excess of three months before residents of the province or territory are eligible for or entitled to insured health services. With the exception of this initial three-month waiting period, the Act does not give guidance on minimum residence requirements. Beyond the initial waiting period, each province and territory is responsible for determining its own minimum residence requirements with respect to an individual’s eligibility for benefits under its health insurance plan. In the c
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