Student insurance in Canada
International students in Canada are required to obtain health insurance for the duration of their stay in Canada. Canadian health insurance is offered in some provinces for international students either free of charge or with a premium. Of course, some provinces do not provide this type of insurance for foreign students.
If you don’t have adequate health insurance coverage for all of your medical expenses, you will have to pay for the treatment yourself, and needless to say, some of these services can be very expensive. For example, if you don’t have insurance, an MRI scan can cost between $900 and $2,400 CAD.
How does health insurance work for international students in Canada?
As an international student, you must apply for a Medicare Card as soon as you arrive in Canada. On average, it takes 3 months to issue this card. While you don’t have student insurance, you can apply for travel insurance.
Various health insurance plans for Canadian students
There are mainly three types of health care insurance plans that you can use – private health insurance plans, university-provided health insurance plans, and Canadian government health insurance. Since health insurance is mandatory for all international students studying in Canada, you should choose the one that best suits your location and medical needs.
University health insurance
Many universities are associated with health insurance providers in Canada and through these links, offer these programs to their international students. Although university-provided health care plans are generally cheaper than private insurance, you may not have many options to choose from. The reason for this is to provide a single package of medical services for all students.
Government health insurance
Government health insurance provides standard medical services, primary care doctors and hospitals, which are almost the same everywhere. Some common services not covered by most government health care policies include eye and dental care, physical therapy, and psychiatric services.
Private health insurance
You can choose from many different private plans. Some of these plans include: pharmaceutical services (prescription drugs), dental costs, private hospital rooms, ambulance services and prescription glasses. Of course, remember that private insurance in Canada, like everywhere in the world, is much more expensive than government health insurance.
Ways to apply for student health insurance in Canada
Health insurance laws and regulations are not the same for all Canadian provinces. If you plan to study at a university where the province offers you health insurance coverage , you must do the following:
- Apply for health insurance on the provincial website.
- Fill out the application form.
- Pay the premium amount.
If the province does not provide you with health insurance coverage , you must apply for it through a private company before leaving for Canada. For this, you need:
- Contact a health insurance company
- Choose a plan that meets all your needs
Cost of health insurance in Canada
Canadian universities and colleges have made it mandatory for all students to have health insurance. Health insurance in Canada for international students can vary depending on the location and insurance company. On average, annual premiums for health insurance in Canada range from 600 to 900 Canadian dollars .
Health insurance outside the province
A very important thing to keep in mind is that provincial health insurances, whether public or private, most likely only cover the costs of health problems that occur within the province in question, and if you are a student Internationally, if you intend to travel outside the province where you study, you should consult your insurance company in this regard.
Is health insurance useful in Canada?
Canada’s health care system ranks high internationally, but the biggest drawback of Canada’s treatment system is its long waiting time. On average, the time to see a doctor or specialist is longer than in other countries.
