Oh no,... I've just had a daunting thought !!

Sorry, but my head's becoming confused .

We hope to be working in BC beginning of April next year, hopefully earlier.

We are applying for a Temporary Skilled Working Visa to begin with until we have settled within the community. We have employment lined up.

We have two children, who will need to attend elementary school in BC. I am assuming our children can join a school in BC whilst we have a Temporary Working Visa, rather than Perm for the time being ? Will this make a difference?

Also Health Care, I believe we need to cover ourselves Privately for the first 6mths ?

Kids might need study permits, but they are certainly eligible... some boards are sticklers for that sort of thing, others are not. Contact the school-board in your intended destination. They might also need some shots too to meet the local immunisation requirements.

Private coverage for the "waiting period" is a good idea. Generally wait periods are 3 months before provincial coverage for the basics kicks in. If you are going for a particular job, it seems reasonable to ask the employer to arrange and pay for this.... Coverage in excess of the provincial baseline is between you and your employer too... eligibility periods for employment benefits is one of those negotiable areas.

If they wont, then there is a list of potential suppliers in the wiki;
http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Medical_Insurance-Canada

MSP (Health Care in BC) has a waiting period of the balance of the month in which you arrive and the following 2 months. So if you arrive on the 31st of March you would only have to wait 2 months and a day. It is very unlikely an employer will pay your MSP premiums.

As far as extended health is concerned, if the employer offers this (not all do) there is usually a 3 month qualifying period before you become eligible. This is from the day you start work as a rule. Some employers pay the full amount, most subsidise it, the employee paying some. If your employer does not offer this there are always private plans you can take out, such as with Pacific Blue Cross, who also have a policy for the MSP waiting period you can buy.

I was not refering to the employer paying for the provincial insurance copay, but for a private short term plan to cover the wait time. (Often refered to as "foreign worker insurance")

At least, thats what my employer did for me, as well as waiving the usual 6 month employment condition on eligablity for their extended benefits plan.

Seems reasonable if they expect you to move over here to work for them that your health care is fully covered at their expense from day one.

BC and Ontario both now have a tax component associated specifically with the provincial health plans...for that payment you are on your own. Here in Ontario its about $600 a year for my family I think, but its all hidden away, buried in the Provincial Tax return somewhere.

In BC the Medical Services Plan premiums are billed and paid separately. IIRC it is $96.00 a month for a couple and $108.00 for a family.

Some employers will pay these on their employees behalf (usually in Government jobs) and then they become a taxable benefit. Smaller employers generally don't.