reading the application for Alberta health http://www.health.gov.ab.ca/ahcip/AH...rm-AHC0102.pdf

it says "alberta resident" but not PERMANENT in the spouse part of the form.


so as im a PR, Cara is here on a visitor visa at present but should be a PR too in the next few months. and can legally stay here for 12 months.

but as she is my dependant spouse, can she be added to the alberta health scheme too at this time?

As far as I understand the rules, a visitor is not eligible for AHCIP coverage.

The best thing probably would be for you or your wife to phone AHCIP and ask for clarification.

Once you'd received their answer, it would be most helpful if you'd share it with us.

It could be added to the Wiki article on Alberta - Health Topics.

We were classified as residents when we were on work permits and got coverage after the qualifying 3 months. Our young son was classified as a visitor during that time and also got it plus free schooling - he wasn't on a study permit just a visitor's visa issued for the same length of time as our work permits.

Don't know if this helps - not exactly the same situation I know

I had to begin with a 6 month visitor permit and was not eligible got AHC. When I got my temporary work permit I then had to wait the requisit 3 months to qualify.

BUT do phone and clarify - you may get a different answer

Ha! In my experience of Canadian bureaucracy you can phone several times and will probably get several different answers! .... The only good thing about that is that maybe you can pick the answer you like best!

yeh. theres the downfall, i called them and the automated system said there was a 35 minute wait!!! so i posted here instead.

im just wondering if its some sort of loophole, obviously a normal visitor wouldnt get it. but as ladymoose said there are sometimes odd things with it.

My brother in law who is a canadian citizen had the same issues with his wife who was here on a visitor visa. So they played real dumb (which wasn't hard for them) and went to the office in Calgary and just applied as if they could. Their confidence and cheek so surprised the clerk behind the counter that they walked away with the AHC.

This same trick also worked for the drivers license. As she is slightly older she had to re take her test. Cochrane had read the rules and insisted that she took her test. So she drove down to Crowfoot, again acted confident and got away with it.

But don't worry about her driving, she only goes at 30 km per hour when it is +15 with not too much sun and only to the shops in cochrane and back. Great use of the 4 wheel drive

So in other words she may well be the cause of an accident but is unlikely to be involved in one.

Absolutley

When we lived in overcrowded small england our nearest relatives lived over an hour away (and that was the relative we liked). But living in London and relatives in Devon and Lancashire was too much and we emigrated to Cochrane.

What happens...... some relatives move 5km away:curse:

Just to say we struggle.

well to finally give a definitive answer to this one.
cara with her 12 month visitor visa is eligible for alberta health as she is classed as my spouse. and as she plans to be here for more than 6 months its fine!

Thanks for the update, Kittykerr. That's useful to know. Glad for you that it worked out that way.