Pregnant and Moving to Canada: What You Need to Know

Getting pregnant and expanding your family is an incredibly exciting and meaningful life event. Nothing should derail your excitement – not even deciding to move to Canada.

There’s a lot of contradictory advice out there about immigration during pregnancy. If you’re in this situation, it’s essential to do your research and make sure you understand your rights and responsibilities clearly.

Most importantly: pregnant women cannot be refused entry to Canada based on their pregnancy alone.

However, there are factors for admittance into Canada that could be influenced by an individual’s pregnancy. Additionally, it’s important to be honest throughout the immigration process. Any individual suspected or found to be hiding a pregnancy or misrepresenting their situation could find themselves inadmissible for entry.

Today, we’ll discuss some of the most important considerations individuals should consider if they move to Canada while pregnant.

Pregnant and Moving to Canada: Visa Requirements You Need to Understand

There is no one-size-fits-all answer about how to approach your pregnancy when you’re thinking of moving to Canada. The best practices and advice vary greatly depending on the pathway to residency that you’ve chosen.

Not sure which immigration path is right for you? Take our quiz to help determine which option is best for your needs.

Once you’re clear on how you’ll seek entry into Canada, read on below to find out the best way to approach your pregnancy throughout the immigration process.

Temporary residency

There are a variety of visa categories that fall under the banner of a temporary residency. These include:

• Individuals on a temporary resident permit or electronic travel authorization (eTA)
• International students
• Temporary foreign workers

If you enter Canada on any of these visa or work permit categories, you cannot be denied entry entirely based on your pregnancy. However, when the customs and immigration official is deciding on your admissibility into Canada, they are charged with evaluating your case based on three different criteria:

• Do applicants have sufficient funds?
• Will they leave Canada at the end of their period of authorized stay?
• Are they admissible?

It is not considered fraud to give birth in Canada while on a temporary resident visa. However, pregnant individuals seeking to enter Canada on one of these visas or permits must demonstrate their ability to pay out-of-pocket for all birth-related healthcare.

While the numbers are not accurately tracked, the Government of Canada believes that several thousand babies are born every year to parents who are temporary residents of Canada. This means that their babies are eligible for birthright citizenship because they were born on Canadian soil.

If it is clear to the officer, based on the lack of a return ticket or other evidence, that you intend to give birth in Canada, that does not disqualify you from entry. It just means that you will likely be asked whether you have sufficient funds to pay for these expenses and questioned on whether you intend to leave at the end of your authorized stay.

Permanent residency

Like individuals seeking a temporary resident visa, people applying for a Canadian permanent residency are not ineligible based explicitly on their pregnancy.

If you apply for a visa to enter Canada and find yourself pregnant, you must inform Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada immediately. This is because your pregnancy is a change in your health that affects your application. Failure to declare your pregnancy could be seen as misrepresentation, which could affect your admission.

People who apply for permanent residency must submit various supporting documents, including a report from their immigration medical exam (IME). You will still need to undergo an IME, even if you apply while pregnant. Some parts of the exam may be able to be postponed until after you give birth. However, this means that your application will be delayed until all medical requirements are met.

What Happens Once Your Child is Born?

One of the reasons why entering or moving to Canada while pregnant is appealing to some parents is because Canada offers birthright citizenship to all babies born on Canadian soil. This citizenship is not influenced by the residency or immigration status of the baby’s parents.

The only exception is children of foreign diplomats born on Canadian soil. In this situation, the birth may be registered in Canada via a provincial birth certificate, but the child is not eligible for a Canadian passport or Canadian citizenship.

Healthcare for your newborn

In Canada, newborns are eligible for provincial healthcare starting on the day they’re born. Their eligibility does not change based on their parents’ insurance status. However, foreign national parents are not eligible for Canadian public healthcare based on the birth of their child.

To protect their health, it’s essential for newcomer parents in Canada to get private health insurance if they are otherwise ineligible for provincial healthcare.

Getting Private Health Insurance If You’re Moving to Canada While Pregnant

If you’re pregnant and moving to Canada, either temporarily or permanently, it’s essential to protect yourself with private health insurance. Even if you’re coming as a new permanent resident, there will still be a period of weeks to months (depending on your province) where you will be unable to enrol in provincial healthcare.

Private health insurance can help ensure you don’t have to pay out-of-pocket for emergencies or even just routine doctors’ visits.

Want to explore your options for excellent private healthcare in Canada? We’ve partnered with Cigna to offer a free, fast quote. Click here to get your free quote and find the perfect insurance for your needs today.