1. Know if you can get OHIP

There is no waiting period for the Ontario Health Insurance Program (OHIP). You could qualify to apply for OHIP as soon as you arrive in Ontario.

To qualify for OHIP, you also must meet all of the following residency requirements:

• You have your main home in Ontario.
• You have not left Ontario for more than 30 days during the first 183 days that you lived in Ontario.
• You have not left Ontario for more than 153 days in any 12-month period.

And at least one of the following must apply to you:

• You're a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, protected person, or person registered under the Indian Act.
• You applied to be a permanent resident or Canadian citizen and Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said that you're eligible to apply.
• You have a valid work permit, you work full-time for an employer in Ontario, and your work permit or a letter from your employer says you will work for them for at least 6 months.
• You're a foreign clergy member or other religious official who is serving a religious congregation full-time for at least 6 months.
• You're the spouse or child of the work permit holder or clergy member described above. If you're their child, you're also under age 22 or dependent on your parent due to a mental or physical disability.
• You have a work permit under the Live-in Caregiver Program or Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program.
• You have a valid temporary resident permit (TRP) with “case type” 80 (for adoption only), 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94 or 95. A “case type” is written on every TRP.

If you meet the requirements for OHIP, then you can apply for an Ontario Health Card. This card gives you access to OHIP benefits.

Healthcare for refugee claimants

If you have made a claim for refugee protection in Canada, you may be eligible for health coverage through a separate program called the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP).