my wife is frantic.. shes just been told that if she get preggers while i'm on a work permit ie in canada, we'll have to pay abotu 100K to have a birth etc... is that true.. what is the score about pregnancies, births, costs etc if you are a work permit person rather than a resident?

<coughs> Bullshit<coughs>
Far as I know the usual provincial benefits apply for those on a work permit (certainly in Ontario after the 3 month waiting period), so this should not be the case. Not sure about Alberta specifically though, but if you have the albertan equivalent of OHIP, there should be nothing to worry about.

If you are really worried head to Manitoba...there is no wait period there.

$100k is way off anyway, its about $1000 a night, plus about $500/ hour if surgery required, plus additional charges for diagnosis / medications.

Additional benefit is that Junior will be automatically canadian, so you have canadian family for the PR application

<coughs>Agreed<coughs>

If she is a temporary resident here and you (as a family) have an Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan then no she won't have to pay.

Starts from Day 1.

Happy New Year!

You too, like the avatar

thanks for the info.. she's calmed down now...

Baby will of course be Canadian - unless the law changes in the meantime to insist that one parent be a Canadian citizen/PR - however will it really make any difference to parent's PR application?




Jeremy

My wife and I have just done this - had a baby on a work permit! Admittedly this was in Calgary but that is splitting hairs. Health insurance kicks in on day one as long as the work permit is for more than 12 months. Our baby arrived in a local hospital no real complications and was totally covered by the health coverage. We are doing great. as for helping the PR application as our baby is a Canadian citizen then she does not need to be included on the application (which in our case had already been running for 2 years). With regard to getting extra points I really don't think that is likely to sway the issue.

I hope this helps,

Phil

I am in a similar situation as Stubby--I am pregnant and am planning on getting to Canada in time to have the baby after the three month waiting period (even though I am a citizen, it still applies--geez). However, what Pak2 says is interesting--if one is on a work permit, one is covered from day one as long as the visa is for more than two years?? Hmmm, so, Pak2, if my husband can get a 13 month visa (so far we are looking at a 12 month one) he will be covered? Will I be so too under his visa as his family member (ie, as I am assuming your wife was for her delivery)? That would give us a bit more room to move if so, so further information would be very helpful. Thanks a million!

Hi
I presume with you saying a three month wait for healthcare you are heading for Ontario or some such?
Pak2 is in Alberta where healthcare is immediate for PRs\work permit holders.
SO basically your hubby obtaining a 13 month permit isn't the answer, going to a province where you get immediate healthcare cover is.

See the "smiley" there people

If you are here on a workpermit, unless you have medical problems or pick up a conviction, or lose all your money, then PR is a shoe in anyway! I guess I should stop the throw away comments.

Thanks, ButchCassidy, for the information. I am going to BC, which does have a waiting period, as far as I can determine. However, I could have the baby in Calgary (I will be only 200km from there) if need be. That's good to know.

Ezvanetree, it's true that health care insurance coverage in Alberta starts on day one, if you're relocating to Alberta from another country rather than another province of Canada. If you move to Alberta from another Canadian province, you are eligible for Alberta health care insurance coverage on the first day of the third month following your date of arrival.

However, here's the part that's important to you. In order to be eligible for provincial health care insurance coverage in Alberta, you have to be a permanent resident of Alberta.

You can check out the eligibility criteria here.

You're right Judy, thanks for reminding me. Of course I would need to have an address or something in Calgary. I remember going to a doctor in Manitoba when I lived in Ontario and I had to send the invoice to the OHIP office in Ontario to collect the money I paid out. It has been so long I forgot all that kind of detail. So it's back to getting myself into BC within the time period before the baby is born unless I just pay for the delivery myself. I don't mind doing the latter, but naturally I would like to have it covered if I could. Again, thanks for your help. Ezvanetree