Health insurance in Canada: Your 2026 guide

If you’re familiar with healthcare in Canada, you probably know that it has a generous public system. The country is well-known for providing free healthcare to most residents, funded out of general taxation. This means most people in Canada do not pay for serious healthcare treatment.

While this statement is true – it’s not the whole story. If you’re an expat in Canada, it’s easy to think that your healthcare costs will be automatically covered by the government. This is a common misconception that can lead to expensive out-of-pocket costs in an emergency.

If you’re an expat, you may need private health insurance in Canada to avoid this risk. Just because Canada has a public healthcare system, doesn’t mean everybody in the country is covered in every situation. And even if you are covered by the state, you might want a supplementary insurance policy to increase your coverage.

But before making these decisions, you need to understand how healthcare in Canada works and when you’re covered under the public system. Here, we explain everything you need to know.

How does healthcare in Canada work?

The Canadian healthcare system is often called ‘Medicare’, though this is not an official term.

On the surface, ‘Medicare’ might seem like a single unified healthcare system – but this isn’t the case. In fact, each territory or province provides healthcare for its own residents. In Ontario, for instance, healthcare is provided through the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP). In Quebec, it’s through the Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ).

This means coverage and entitlements can vary across different areas of the country. But there are many important similarities. That’s because Canada’s provinces/territories must offer a minimum standard of public healthcare. This is defined under the Canada Health Act (CHA) 1985. However, individual provinces/territories can go beyond this if they choose.

In simple terms, the CHA requires provinces/territories to fund ‘medically necessary’ treatment. This includes anybody with a legal right to remain in Canada – but not tourists or visitors. In practice, this means urgent medical treatment (e.g. hospitalization/surgery) is free for most Canadian residents. Coverage for less urgent treatments (e.g. dental, prescriptions, and opticians) is more variable across the country.

Under the CHA, provinces and territories can require new residents to wait up to three months before qualifying for public coverage. They can choose a shorter wait, or none at all – but three months is the maximum. The rules vary a lot by province. Ontario has abolished its three-month wait, while others – such as Quebec and Manitoba – still apply up to the full three months. The rules can also differ depending on whether you’re arriving from abroad or moving from another province, so always check with your specific province or territory.

Public healthcare in Canada: Are you covered?

If you’re new to Canada, it’s easy to assume that the country’s public healthcare system covers you automatically. This is not necessarily the case. In fact, there are several situations in which you may be required to pay for your own healthcare costs:

• Waiting period: New residents in Canada may have to wait up to three months for public healthcare coverage. Some provinces/territories require the full three-month wait, though others don’t require any. Whatever treatment you need during this period must be paid out-of-pocket or through private insurance.
• Additional healthcare: Public healthcare doesn’t cover everything. Additional treatment like dental, opticians, prescriptions, and cosmetic procedures are usually charged separately.
• Healthcare eligibility: Not everybody in Canada counts as an ‘eligible resident’ – even if you’re staying for longer than three months. The most notable example is the ‘Super Visa’, granted to parents or grandparents of Canadian citizens. Foreign residents can stay for several years, but are not considered legal residents and aren’t covered by public healthcare. Temporary workers and students may not be covered for similar reasons – though this differs across the country. It’s important to check these details with your local province/territory.
• Not registered: To access public healthcare coverage as an expat, you need to first register with your province/territory. If you require healthcare before you’ve registered, you’ll have to pay – even if you meet the eligibility threshold.

In these situations, private health insurance is the best way to avoid out-of-pocket expenses. As such, around 67% of Canadian residents have some form of private complementary insurance. Often, this is available as an employment benefit, with the costs partially or completely covered by employers. These supplementary insurance plans cover costs for additional treatment like dentists and opticians.

According to 2025 data, 29% of total healthcare spending in Canada comes from the private sector. The remaining 71% is covered by the public sector. However, this differs significantly based on the type of treatment. For instance, public sector organizations cover around 35.5% of the cost of drugs, but as much as 98.1% for physicians. This reflects the fact that the state covers essential treatments.

Private health insurance in Canada: What options are available?

Whether you’re a citizen, permanent resident, or temporary worker, you might need private insurance. This could include international or expat health insurance in Canada.

However, not all options are the same. Therefore, it’s helpful to discuss some of the main options available:

• Private supplementary: This is commonly used by Canadian citizens and long-term residents. It is designed to work alongside public healthcare. These plans cover additional treatments like dentistry, eyecare, and prescriptions. Many Canadian residents are offered this by employers as a group benefit plan. Supplementary plans work alongside standard provincial coverage – rather than replacing it.
• Visitor and travel insurance: This is designed for anybody staying in the country for a short period, who isn’t entitled to public coverage. Generally, it covers emergency expenses like hospitalization, medical transport, and repatriation.
• International health insurance: These policies offer private coverage both in Canada and elsewhere in the world. It’s primarily used by new expats who are still waiting for public coverage, or citizens/residents who regularly travel abroad.

Here’s a quick comparison of the coverage and entitlements available – and how they compare to public healthcare.

This table presents the coverage you’re most likely to receive in each plan. In reality, terms will differ between provinces/territories and plans/providers. Check the details in your local province/territory thoroughly before purchasing insurance.

How to choose the right health insurance in Canada

The right health insurance policy for you will differ depending on a number of factors. This includes how long you’ve been in the country, how long you’ll be staying, and what visa (if any) you’re under. Before you decide on your plan, there are a few important questions to ask:

• Are you in the provincial waiting period? In provinces like Quebec, you’ll need to wait three months to access public healthcare coverage. In this case, you’ll need some form of private insurance to cover you during this period.
• Do you need dental, vision, or prescription coverage? These are generally not covered by public healthcare. Coverage can be obtained through supplementary insurance plans.
• Do you travel internationally? International health insurance and travel health insurance are the best way to get covered outside of Canada.
• Are you covered by public healthcare? Visitors, short-term residents, digital nomads, and Super Visa holders are not generally eligible for public coverage.

The answers to these questions have a huge effect on what private healthcare (if any) you need. Here are a few examples of different situations and what private healthcare they might require:

Tips and tricks: How to get insurance in Canada

If you’re an expat looking to move to Canada (or have recently arrived), there’s a good chance you’re wondering how to apply for health insurance. In truth, the process will differ depending on the province you’re living and the particular kind of insurance you’re applying for.

However, there are some important principles that apply across the country. Here are some tips to help you plan your healthcare in Canada:

• When to register: The best approach is to register for health insurance as soon as you arrive. This reduces any waiting periods to a minimum. To register, you’ll need immigration documents, proof of address, and identification.
• Check the waiting period: Then, find out if your territory or province imposes a waiting time on new residents applying for public healthcare. Some regions like Ontario have waived this requirement, though others like Quebec require the full three months.
• Consider short-term insurance options: For the waiting period, it’s important to be covered through either travel or international private insurance. Ideally, this should be valid from the moment you arrive.
• Identify coverage gaps: After you qualify for public healthcare, it’s worth considering what coverage gaps you still have. In all likelihood, treatment like dental, vision, and prescriptions won’t be covered. In this case, you should consider supplementary insurance.
• Apply online: Most private and international providers offer fully digital applications.

Feather: Your ticket to straightforward health insurance abroad

We understand how challenging it can be to navigate issues like healthcare in a foreign country. That’s because Feather was founded by expats like you. Our goal is to offer straightforward insurance policies to expats around the world.

To do this, we offer visa-ready policy documentation in as little as a few hours. Our friendly support team is also on hand to talk you through your specific situation. This gives you clarity on what coverage you need and what public healthcare entitlements you might have elsewhere.

Get a quote to find out more.