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By Indira Duarte
Updated 5 days ago
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If you are in Canada on maintained status, previously known as implied status, it can be unclear whether your provincial health insurance still applies. Immigration law may allow you to remain in Canada legally, but health coverage rules do not always follow the same logic. Maintained status means you applied to extend or change your temporary status before it expired and are waiting for a decision, often under the conditions of your previous permit. This article explains how maintained status is treated by provincial health plans, what can affect your coverage, and what steps you should take to avoid costly gaps in health insurance.
First step is to know if you are actually considered to be on a maintained status (previously known as ‘implied status’)
What we call ‘Maintained status’ is when a person in Canada on a work permit, study permit, or visitor visa, applies to extend or change their temporary status in Canada before that status expires.
In certain cases, the applicant can then remain in Canada legally under the conditions of their previous status until a decision is made on their new application.
Being on maintained status does not automatically mean you lose access to public health care, but it does not guarantee uninterrupted coverage either. How it plays out depends on timing, province, and whether you take the right steps.
In many provinces, health coverage can continue while you are on maintained status if all of the following are true:
In British Columbia, for example, MSP often continues during maintained status if Service BC has proof that an extension application was submitted on time. Other provinces have similar practices, even if they use different terminology.
The biggest risk is not maintained status itself, but lack of documentation. Provincial health plans do not automatically receive updates from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). If your permit expires and the province has no record that you applied for an extension, your coverage may be suspended.
A lapse can also happen if:
Once coverage is cancelled, reinstatement is not always retroactive. This means medical costs during the gap may not be reimbursed.
Provincial health coverage is usually tied to the expiry date on your immigration document, not to your legal status under immigration law. Even though a maintained status allows you to stay and work or study legally, provincial systems often rely on visible expiry dates.
This mismatch is why proactive reporting matters. Submitting proof of your extension application, such as an IRCC confirmation page or submission receipt, can help keep coverage active while your new permit is being processed.
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Eligibility under maintained status varies by province, but most provinces assess coverage based on broad resident categories rather than the technical immigration label.
Provincial health plans usually look at whether you fall into one of these groups:
Maintained status generally supports continued eligibility when you remain in the same category and meet residency requirements.
Health care is administered at the provincial level, and each province sets its own rules, forms, and deadlines. What works in British Columbia may not apply in Ontario, Alberta, or Quebec.
Check the full list of requirements per province here.
Anyone on maintained status should gather documentation before applying or updating coverage. This typically includes:
Having these documents ready makes it easier to prevent a suspension or to restore coverage quickly if a pause occurs.
If you’re on maintained status, your eligibility for provincial health insurance coverage depends on your province of residence. Please refer to your province in the list below to better understand your eligibility. Some provinces have published specific guidelines for those on maintained status, others have not.
Pro-tip: If you’re not sure about your eligibility for provincial health insurance, we strongly recommend purchasing private health insurance coverage during your period of maintained status. An unexpected healthcare bill can be expensive—it’s much better to be safe than sorry. We recommend purchasing private health insurance to increase your certainty during this period.
In Alberta, both work permit and study permit holders are eligible for the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP), provided they meet certain conditions. If a temporary resident’s immigration status is expiring soon or has expired and they have applied to extend that status, they may be provided with an extension of their (AHCIP) coverage while waiting for a new document from IRCC. However, to be eligible, the person must:
If a person meets the above criteria, they must contact AHCIP. The first extension is up to 90 days. For more information and contact details, please refer to this resource from the Government of Alberta.
In British Columbia, both work permit and study permit holders are eligible for BC’s Medical Services Plan (MSP), provided they meet certain conditions. Individuals with maintained status who are awaiting a new work permit or study permit may be eligible for an initial six months of temporary coverage through MSP. If needed, additional temporary coverage may also be provided.
Temporary MSP coverage will be provided to maintained status holders who:
To request temporary MSP coverage, individuals must provide the requested documentation by following the instructions on this webpage.
In Manitoba, work permit holders who have applied for a new work permit and/or for permanent residence may be eligible to extend their Manitoba Health coverage while awaiting a decision on their application. To extend their coverage, applicants must submit the form and required documents outlined on this webpage.
Most international students in Manitoba are not eligible for Manitoba Health coverage and therefore cannot obtain coverage while on maintained status. However, those looking for clarification may wish to contact Manitoba Health directly.
Many international students and work permit holders are eligible for Newfoundland & Labrador’s Medical Care Plan (MCP). When on maintained status, work permit & study permit holders may be eligible for interim MCP coverage while awaiting a decision on their immigration application. To apply for interim coverage, individuals must submit the following documents and information:
For full details, please refer to the information on this webpage.
In New Brunswick, both work permit holders and study permits are eligible for New Brunswick Medicare coverage, provided they meet certain conditions—see here. However, only work permit holders are eligible for an extension of coverage during maintained status. Check the section about maintained status coverage in New Brunswick.
Work permit holders on maintained status with expired Medicare coverage must provide a copy of their Acknowledgement of Receipt letter from IRCC showing their name, the date their application was received and the date until which they are authorized to continue working. If found eligible, the individual’s coverage may be extended by six months retroactively to the date their previous IRCC document(s) expired.
If you are residing in the Northwest Territories, please contact the NWT Health Care Plan directly to confirm eligibility for healthcare coverage.
Nova Scotia’s Medical Services Insurance (MSI) program may be available for work permit and study permit holders. However, to assess eligibility, Nova Scotia requires work permit and study permit holders to call MSI Resident Services directly to apply for a health card.
For work permit and study permit holders in Nova Scotia, we advise contacting MSI before beginning maintained status in order to determine your eligibility for an extension of MSI coverage.
If you are residing in Nunavut, please contact the Nunavut Health Care Plan directly to confirm eligibility for healthcare coverage.
In Ontario, certain work permit holders are eligible for the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP). International students are not eligible for OHIP and must enrol in a private health insurance plan.
Work permit holders on OHIP may be eligible to extend their OHIP coverage while on maintained status. The OHIP website does not provide explicit requirements for OHIP extensions on maintained status. Instead, they recommend that those on maintained status contact ServiceOntario to determine their eligibility.
Work permit and study permit holders are eligible for a PEI Health Card as long as they meet certain conditions. However, the PEI website does not mention that these temporary residents are eligible to extend health insurance coverage during periods of maintained status. Rather, the website states that the PEI Health Card is valid only until the expiry date of the permit.
For questions about PEI Health Card eligibility for work permit and study permit holders, please contact Health PEI.
In Quebec, work permit and study permit holders are eligible for the Quebec Health Insurance Plan (RAMQ), if they meet certain conditions*. It may be possible to extend RAMQ coverage while on maintained status, however this service is not offered online. To verify eligibility, individuals must contact RAMQ offices by phone:
For more information about general eligibility for RAMQ, check out the RAMQ website. For details on renewing or extending coverage, refer here.
*To maintain eligibility for RAMQ, work permit and study permit holders must comply to the Presence in Quebec rule which means that they cannot leave Quebec for more than 21 consecutive days. Absences of fewer than 21 days do not impact RAMQ eligibility.
Work permit and study permit holders are eligible for a Saskatchewan Health Card as long as they meet certain conditions. However, the Saskatchewan does not explicitly mention eligibility for healthcare coverage on maintained status. To confirm eligibility, contact eHealth Saskatchewan directly.
If you are residing in the Yukon, please contact the Yukon Health Insurance Plan directly to confirm eligibility for healthcare coverage.
Even if you expect your provincial health coverage to continue while on maintained status, there is often a period of uncertainty. Processing delays, document reviews, or administrative gaps can leave you temporarily uninsured. For that reason, private health insurance is strongly recommended as a short-term safeguard.
Private travel or temporary health insurance can help cover you during:
These policies are especially important if you need access to emergency care, hospitalization, or prescription coverage while your status or coverage is being reviewed.
Not all private insurance policies are the same. Before purchasing a plan, review the policy details carefully to confirm:
Whether pre-existing medical conditions are covered
If there are stability periods or exclusions
When coverage begins and whether there is a waiting period
Failing to check these details can result in denied claims, even if you believed you were insured.
Ensuring you have adequate healthcare coverage is important. An unexpected medical bill can be expensive, and relying on assumptions about eligibility can be risky. If you are not eligible for public healthcare coverage, or if you cannot confirm your eligibility, purchasing private health insurance can help protect you during this period.
We work with two trusted insurance partners that offer coverage options for people in Canada:
BestQuote allows you to compare health insurance and travel insurance policies from multiple providers in one place, helping you find coverage that fits your needs and budget. You can compare quotes for free.
Cigna offers international health insurance solutions for newcomers planning longer stays in Canada, with policies available for stays of four months or more. Free quotes are available to help you explore your options.
Choosing private insurance does not replace provincial health coverage, but it can provide valuable peace of mind while your immigration or health insurance status is being finalized.
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